Kenya is in East Africa sitting on the equator and the Indian Ocean. The country borders Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania. Kenya is home to a fantastic array of animal species and is one of the most geographically diverse countries on the planet. The Central Highlands, where most ELI programs are based, experience two rainy seasons each year: the long rains from March to June and the short rains during October and November.

The Rift Valley runs north to south through central Kenya and is known as the cradle of humanity. Fossil remains of hominids dating back millions of years have been discovered around Lake Turkana in northern Kenya. Over the millennia,Kenya has been home to hundreds of tribes from all regions of Africa. The migration of the tribes through what is now Kenya has continued up to the 20th century. Today around 70 distinct tribes call Kenya home. Each tribe is distinguished by their language and unique cultural heritage. Kenya has also experienced centuries of influence from outside Africa, especially on the coast.

In the 700s A.D., Persian and Arab traders started visitng Kenya's coast and setting up trading posts. The Arab traders intermarried with Africans and gave rise to the Swahili culture. The Swahili city-statesalong the east coast of Africa grew wealthy trading spices, ebony, gold, ivory, and sandalwood. Most Swahili people were Muslim. The food, arts, and music reflected the diverse background of the Swahili people. In 1505, the Portuguese arrived, sacking Mombasa on the way to India. At the end of the 16^th century, the Portuguese built Fort Jesus in Mombasa to create a permanent presence in the region, but they were never able to maintain control over the region. In the 17^th century, Arabs from Oman arrived and grew very wealthy trading spices and slaves. The Omani Arabs maintained control of the coast until the British and Germans moved in during the 19^th century. Kenya became a British colony in the late 19^th century around the same time Tanzania became a German colony.

The white population in Kenya lingered around 2500 until after WWI. During the war, almost two thirds of the white settlers invaded neighboring Tanzania to kill Germans. After WWI, the white population in Kenya ballooned to over 80,000 due to a scheme to give war vetrans plots of land in the Kenyan highlands. The African population grew restive with the influx of white people. The first movements to reclaim Kenya started in the 1920s. The Kenyan nationalist movement culminated with the Mau Mau rebellion in the 1950s, and Kenya gained independence from Britain in 1963. Jomo Kenyatta became the first president of Kenya and ruled until his death in 1978.

Kenyatta was succeeded by his vice president, Daniel Arap Moi. Moi held the office of president until 2002 and was one of the most prominent of Africa's "big men". Moi's administration was known for its corruption and repression of dissidents. in 1992 and 1997, Moi won elections and managed to hold onto power despite allegations of electoral fraud and political killings. In August 1998, simultaneous explosions destroyed the American embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania killing over 200 people and injuring over 4000. Most of the victims were Kenyan and Tanzanian citizens. The attacks were linked to Osama bin Laden and the Al Qaeda network, bringing them to international attention for the first time. In 2002, Mwai Kibaki won the presidency with almost two thirds of the popular vote. Since taking office, Kibaki has tackled corruption and constitutional reform. Kenya's economy has been growing strongly since Kibaki has taken office, but there is still a long way to go because almost 50% of Kenya's population lives beneath the international poverty line.

Quick Facts

Official Country Name: Republic of Kenya

Size: 582,650 km², about twice the size of Nevada

Population: 36,913,721

Government: Republic

Currency: Kenyan Shilling, currently US $1 is about 70 Kenya Shillings

Official Languages: English, Kiswahili