Introduction: Kenya Download PDF

A de facto one-party state from 1969 to 1982, Kenya was taken over by the Kenya African National Union (KANU), which maintained that it was the only legal party in the country. While President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI, who came to power in 1978, gave in to political liberalization demands in 1991, the opposition did not succeed in removing KANU from power during the 1992 and 1997 elections. After free and fair elections, MOI left office in 2002, and Mwai KIBAKI of the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), the united opposition group, became president. The NARC coalition of KIBAKI dissolved in 2005, and a new opposition coalition was formed- the Orange Democratic Movement; this coalition rejected the draft of the constitution in the 2005 referendum. KIBAKI's reelection in December 2007 brought charges of vote rigging from ODM candidate Raila ODINGA and unleashed two months of violence. UN-sponsored talks lead to ODINGA's appointment as prime minister.

Capital City: Nairobi (+3 GMT)  
Chief of State: President Mwai Kibaki  
Head of Govt.: Prime Minister Raila Odinga

  
Currency: Kenyan shilling  
Main Cities: Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru  
Major Languages: English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages  
Calling Code: 254  
Voltage: 240  
Stock Exchanges: Nairobi Stock Exchange  
Primary Religions: Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, Muslim 10%, indigenous beliefs 10%, other 2%  

Main Airports

Mombasa (MBA) (Moi International), Nairobi (NBO) (Jomo Kenyatta International)

U.S. Embassy

UN Avenue, Nairobi, P.O. Box 606, Village Market, Nairobi
tel. 254-20-363-6000
http://nairobi.usembassy.gov/

Key Facts

GDP (ppp) per CAPITA
$1,600 (2008 est.)
Inflation Rate
26.3% (2008 est.)
Population
39,002,772 (July 2009 est.)
Country Risk Ratings
C
Ease of Doing Business
82/181
Global Competitiveness
3.84/134

Statistics

Labor force:
17.37 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.958 billion (2008 est.)
Exports - partners:
Uganda 16.4%, UK 9.1%, Netherlands 8.3%, Tanzania 7.9%, US 5.8%, Pakistan 5.1% (2008)
Imports:
$11.07 billion (2008 est.)
Imports - partners:
UAE 12.5%, China 10.5%, Saudi Arabia 8.7%, India 8.3%, South Africa 6.6%, Japan 5.6%, US 4.2% (2008)
Major Industries:
small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, clothing, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products, horticulture, oil refining; aluminum, steel, lead; cement, commercial ship repair, tourism

Rankings

Corruption Perceptions Index
2.1 out of 180
 
The Corruptions Perception Index (CPI) is reported annually by Transparency International, an international civil society organization. The CPI ranks countries in terms of the degree to which corruption exists in the misuse of public power for private benefit among public officials and politicians. CPI is a composite index determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys. The highest ranked country is the country with the least amount of perceived corruption. Index units, 10=least corrupt, 0=most corrupt.

Data collected in 2008

Source: Transparency International

Freedom of the Press
60 out of 194
 
The Freedom of the Press Survey is an annual report by The Freedom House, an organization that promotes and researches advocacy of freedom across countries. The Press Survey assesses the degree of print, broadcast, and internet freedom in every country in the world. Ratings are determined by examining three broad categories: the legal environment in which media operate (0-30 points), political influences on reporting and access to information (0-40 points), and economic pressures on content and the dissemination of news (0-30 points). The highest ranked country has the greatest degree of press freedom. Index units, 1-30: Free, 31-60: Partly Free, 61-100: Not Free.

Data collected in 2008

Source: Freedom House

Global Enabling Trade Report
3.51 out of 118
 
The Global Enabling Trade Report is published yearly by the World Economic Forum, an independent international organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. The Global Enabling Trade Report analyzes which countries around the world enable trade from country to destination by measuring market access, border administration, transport and communications infrastructure, and the business environment. The highest ranked countries have the best factors, policies, and services facilitating the free flow of goods across borders.

Data collected in 2008

Source: World Economic Forum

Index of Economic Freedom
59.6 out of 155
 
The Index of Economic Freedom is reported annually by the Heritage Foundation, a research and educational institute. The Index of Economic Freedom analyzes a wide range of issues including trade barriers, corruption, government expenditures, property rights, and tax rates to generate an overall ranking of economic freedom. The highest ranked country is the country with the least number of restrictions and constraints on businesses.

Data collected in 2008

Source: Heritage Foundation

Inward FDI Potential Index
0.094 out of 140
 
The Inward FDI Potential Index is reported every three years by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, an organization that promotes the integration of developing countries into the world economy. The Inward FDI Potential Index uses several economic factors that are expected to affect an economy’s attractiveness to foreign investors. The higher ranked countries are more attractive to investors. Index units, 0=low scoring country, 1=high scoring country.

Data collected in 2006

Source: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development 2006

The Globalization Index
60 out of 72
 
The Globalization Index is compiled annually by A.T. Kearney and Foreign Policy. The Globalization Index ranks the major developed and developing countries in the world by analyzing key components of global integration, such as economic, personal, technological, and political integration. The highest ranked country is the most globalized.

Data collected in 2007

Source: Foreign Policy