Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania
Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 38 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 582,650 sq km
water: 13,400 sq km
land: 569,250 sq km
Area – comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada
Land boundaries:
total: 3,477 km
Border countries:
- Ethiopia 861 km,
- Somalia 682 km,
- Sudan 232 km,
- Tanzania 769 km,
- Uganda 933 km
Coastline: 536 km
Maritime claims – as described in UNCLOS 1982 :
- territorial sea: 12 NM
- exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
- continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
- Climate: varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
- Terrain: low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west
Elevation extremes:
- lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
- highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m
- Natural resources: gold, limestone, soda ash, salt, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife, hydropower
Land use:
- Arable land: 7.03%
- permanent crops: 0.91%
- other: 92.06% (1998 est.)
- Irrigated land:
- 670 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons
Environment – current issues:
water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching
Environment – international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography – note:
The Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on Mount Kenya, Africa’s second highest peak; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value