FACTS ABOUT KENYA

• Kenya is located in Eastern Africa
• Capital city: Nairobi
• Population: 31 million people
• Kenya is three time the size of Georgia
• Kenya is 10,000 miles away from the USA
• Only 11% of the land is farmland
• 60% of the population is unemployed
• Over half the population live on less than a dollar a day
• Type of government: Democratic Republic
• British colony until its independence in 1963.

CULTURE

• Has 42 different tribes which are distinctive in their customs
• Humphrey's tribe is Chuka. It has 70 thousand people
• This tribe was originally hunter and gatherers, but today they have settled at Mt. Kenya slopes
• Known for cultural dance called - Chuka drummers.

ECONOMY

• Was agriculturally dependent - cash crops of tea, coffee, cotton and horticultural crops - but plagued by corruption and mismanagement.
• Tourism is now #1 - coastal beaches, African culture, wildlife, sports, Rift Valley, mountain climbing
• BUT economy is lowest level in the last 20 years
• Massive lay-offs, impoverished people
• 52 percent population below poverty level, earning only $350 a year - less than $1 a day
• 60 percent of labor force in jobless -contributes to increase in crime, high rate of school dropouts due to lack of money for fees, increased illiteracy, rising infant mortality and malnutrition along with HIV/AIDS

KENYA NOW

• In December, 2002 the Kenyan people elected their third president, Emilio Kibaki (promoting reform and end to corruption).
• Kenya is a beautiful country and thrives on Tourism
• Kenya has recently been spot lighted in our local area when the top 3 men winners and top 2 women winners of the Fourth of July Peachtree Road Race were all from Kenya.