Kenya

presidential republic

name: Nairobi geographic coordinates: 1 17 S, 36 49 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name derives from the Maasai expression meaning "cool waters," which was used to refer to a local water hole, Enkare Nairobi

chief of state: President William RUTO (since 13 September 2022) head of government: President William RUTO (since 13 September 2022) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, subject to confirmation by the National Assembly election/appointment process: president and deputy president directly elected on the same ballot by majority vote nationwide and at least 25% of the votes cast in at least 24 of the 47 counties; failure to meet these thresholds requires a runoff between the top two candidates most recent election date: 9 August 2022 election results: 2022 : William RUTO elected president in first round; percent of vote - William RUTO (UDA) 50.5%, Raila ODINGA (ODM) 48.9%, other 0.6% expected date of next election: 10 August 2027 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

legislature name: Parliament of Kenya legislative structure: bicameral

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of chief and deputy chief justices and 5 judges) judge selection and term of office: chief and deputy chief justices nominated by Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and appointed by the president with approval of the National Assembly; other judges nominated by the JSC and appointed by president; chief justice serves a nonrenewable 10-year term or until age 70, whichever comes first; other judges serve until age 70 subordinate courts: High Court; Court of Appeal; military courts; magistrates' courts; religious courts

history: current constitution passed by referendum on 4 August 2010 amendment process: amendments can be proposed by either house of Parliament or by petition of at least one million eligible voters; passage of amendments by Parliament requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses in each of two readings, approval in a referendum by majority of votes cast by at least 20% of eligible voters in at least one half of Kenya s counties, and approval by the president; passage of amendments introduced by petition requires approval by a majority of county assemblies, approval by majority vote of both houses, and approval by the president

ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, C, CD, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCT, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO, WTO

1.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Kenya Defense Forces (KDF): Kenya Army, Kenya Navy, Kenya Air Force Ministry of Interior: National Police Service, Kenya Coast Guard (2025) note: the National Police Service maintains internal security and includes a paramilitary General Service Unit and Rapid Deployment Unit, as well as a Border Police Unit

18-26 years of age for voluntary service for men and women (under 18 with parental consent; upper limit 30 years of age for specialists, tradesmen, or women with a diploma; 39 years of age for chaplains/imams); 7-9 year service obligations (2026)

the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) are responsible for protecting the country's sovereignty and territory and assisting civil authorities in responding to emergency, disaster, or political unrest as requested; the KDF's chief security concerns include regional disputes and instability, maritime crime and piracy, and the threat posed by the Somalia-based al-Shabaab terrorist group, which has conducted attacks inside Kenya; it has conducted operations in neighboring Somalia since 2011 and taken part in numerous regional peacekeeping and security missions; the KDF is a leading member of the Africa Standby Force; it participates in multinational exercises, and has ties to a variety of foreign militaries, including those of France, the UK, and the US the Kenya Military Forces were created following independence in 1963; the current KDF was established and its composition laid out in the 2010 constitution; it is governed by the Kenya Defense Forces Act of 2012; the Army traces its origins back to the Kings African Rifles (KAR), a British colonial regiment raised from Britain's East Africa possessions from 1902 until independence in the 1960s; the KAR conducted both military and internal security functions within the colonial territories, and served outside the territories during both World Wars (2025)

400 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); approximately 1,400 Somalia (African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia or AUSSOM) (2025)

$328.632 billion (2024 est.) $314.491 billion (2023 est.) $297.938 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$5,800 (2024 est.) $5,700 (2023 est.) $5,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

4.5% (2024 est.) 5.6% (2023 est.) 4.9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

4.5% (2024 est.) 7.7% (2023 est.) 7.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

53.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

$12.626 billion (2023 est.) $13.954 billion (2022 est.) $11.815 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$22.046 billion (2023 est.) $24.606 billion (2022 est.) $22.001 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

5.5% (2024 est.) 5.6% (2023 est.) 5.8% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $20.202 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $30.924 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

agriculture, transportation, services, manufacturing, construction, telecommunications, tourism, retail

sugarcane, milk, maize, bananas, tea, potatoes, cassava, cabbages, camel milk, mangoes/guavas (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 55,751,717 (2025 est.) male: 27,857,519 female: 27,894,198

2.15% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 35.8% (male 10,464,384/female 10,366,997) 15-64 years: 60.9% (male 17,731,068/female 17,723,012) 65 years and over: 3.4% (2024 est.) (male 896,348/female 1,064,569)

25.93 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

4.72 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

0.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 70.4 years (2024 est.) male: 68.6 years female: 72.2 years

urban population: 29.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Kikuyu 17.1%, Luhya 14.3%, Kalenjin 13.4%, Luo 10.7%, Kamba 9.8%, Somali 5.8%, Kisii 5.7%, Mijikenda 5.2%, Meru 4.2%, Maasai 2.5%, Turkana 2.1%, non-Kenyan 1%, other 8.2% (2019 est.)

English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English) The World Factbook, Chanzo cha Lazima Kuhusu Habari ya Msingi. (Kiswahili)

Christian 85.5% (Protestant 33.4%, Catholic 20.6%, Evangelical 20.4%, African Instituted Churches 7%, other Christian 4.1%), Muslim 10.9%, other 1.8%, none 1.6%, don't know/no answer 0.2% (2019 est.)

limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower

al-Shabaab note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

refugees: 823,904 (2024 est.) IDPs: 284,886 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 9,800 (2024 est.)

368 (2025)

total: 3,819 km (2018) standard gauge: 485 km (2018) 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 3,334 km (2018) 1.000-m gauge

total: 26 (2023) by type: oil tanker 4, other 22

total subscriptions: 71.4 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (2024 est.)

percent of population: 35% (2023 est.)