Location
Kenya is located in East Africa.

Area
582,646 sq km (224,961 sq miles).

Population
has a population of 34.7 million

Population Density
population density is 59.5 per sq km.

Capital
Nairobi (the capital city)
Population: 2.5 million

Government
Republic. Gained independence from the UK in 1963.

Language
Kiswahili is the national language and English is the official language. The terms Swahili and Kiswahili are used interchangeably, though the term Swahili normally refers to the people while Kiswahili refers to the language.
There are 42 ethnic languages spoken by the local tribes.

Religion
Mostly traditional but there is a sizeable Christian population (both Catholic and Protestant) and the majority of people living along the coast are Muslim.

Time
GMT + 3.

Electricity
220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are UK-type square three-pin.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Raila Odinga since 2008.

Head of State
President Emilio Mwai Kibaki since 2002.


Telephone
Country code: 254 (followed by 20 for Nairobi, 41 for Mombasa and 51 for Nakuru). International calls can usually be made directly, but in some rural areas, international calls are diverted through the operator. Public telephones work with coins or with phone cards (which may be purchased from post offices or from international call services in major towns); coin and card-operated phone booths are painted white. Major hotels also offer an international phone service. In larger towns, private telecommunication centers offer international services. For local calls, it is useful to have plenty of small change available.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with international mobile phone companies. The main network providers are Zain (website: www.zain.com), which has extensive coverage in the southwest, around the coast and Mombasa, and Safaricom (website: www.safaricom.co.ke), with coverage in from Mombasa to Nairobi and in the southeast. Local SIM cards and top-up cards are available to buy everywhere.

Internet
There are Internet cafes in major cities and hotels.

Media
Kenya enjoys a more diverse media scene than many other African countries, although some media have been harassed for upsetting the government. Most Kenyans rely on the broadcast media, particularly radio, for news. The print media is dominated by two publishing houses, the Nation Media Group and the Standard Group, which also have broadcasting interests.

Post
Post offices are identified by Telkom Kenya (Kenya Posts & Telecommunications Corporation). Post boxes are red. Stamps can usually be bought at post offices, stationers, souvenir shops and hotels. Airmail to Western Europe takes up to four days, and the service is generally reliable. If you are sending parcels out of the country the contents must be inspected and the parcel wrapped (in brown paper and string) at the post office.

Post office hours:
Mon-Fri 0800-1700, Sat 0900-1200 (main post offices).

Press

• The main dailies (all published in English) include Daily Nation, The East African Standard, The Star and Kenya Times.
• Nairobi is the main publishing center.
• Newspapers from Tanzania and Uganda are also widely circulated in Kenya.

Radio

• Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) is state owned, with language-based networks in English, Swahili and 15 other indigenous languages.
• Metro FM is a national music-based station operated by KBC.
• Capital FM and Kiss FM are music stations.
• Radio Citizen is a private station with wide coverage, which also operates Kikuyu-language Inooro FM and Luo-language.
• Full-time FM relays of the BBC World Service are on the air in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu, and some BBC programs are also rebroadcast by private Kameme FM.
• The Voice of America and Radio France Internationale are relayed on FM in Nairobi and Mombasa.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009

• 1 Jan New Year's Day.
• 10 Apr Good Friday.
• 13 Apr Easter Monday.
• 1 May Labor Day.
• 1 Jun Madaraka Day.
• 21 Sep Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
• 10 Oct Moi Day.
• 20 Oct Kenyatta Day.
• 28 Nov Feast of the Sacrifice.
• 12 Dec Independence Day.
• 25 Dec Christmas Day.
• 26 Dec Boxing Day.

2010

• 1 Jan New Year's Day.
• 2 Apr Good Friday.
• 5 Apr Easter Monday.
• 1 May Labor Day.
• 1 Jun Madaraka Day.
• 10 Sep Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
• 10 Oct Moi Day.
• 20 Oct Kenyatta Day.
• 16 Nov Feast of the Sacrifice.
• 12 Dec Independence Day.
• 25 Dec Christmas Day.
• 26 Dec Boxing Day.

Note
(a) Holidays falling on a Sunday are observed the following Monday.
(b) Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Many restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr may last anything from two to 10 days, depending on the region.


Contact Information:

Kenya Wildlife Service
PO Box 40241-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: (020) 600 800.
Website: www.kws.org


Climate
The coastal areas are tropical, but tempered by monsoon winds. The lowlands are hot but mainly dry, while the highlands are more temperate with four seasons. Nairobi has a very pleasant climate throughout the year due to its altitude. Near Lake Victoria, the temperatures are much higher and rainfall can be heavy.

Required Clothing
Lightweight cottons and linens with rainwear are advised for the coast and lakeside. Warmer clothing is needed in June and July and for the cooler mornings on the coast. Lightweights are needed for much of the year in the highlands. Rainwear is advisable between March and June and October and December.