Kenya Travel Information
Kenya was named after Mount Kenya or ' Kirinyaga' the mountain of whiteness. Kenya is part of East Africa, straddles the Equator and is on The Indian Ocean. It covers an area of 583, 000 sq km. Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya. Nairobi has a Maasai meaning of 'the place of cool waters' is the highest city in East Africa - 1700m. It is also the most modern and the fastest growing in the region with a population of approximately 3 million. Mombasa is the coastal capital and the largest port in the East African coast

Full country name: Republic of Kenya
Area: 583,000 sq km
Population: 30,339,770
Capital city: Nairobi
People: 24% Kikuyu, 16% Luhya, 13% Luo, 12% Kalenjin, 11% Kamba, 6% Kisii, 6% Meru, 16% other
Languages: English, Swahili, indigenous.
Religion: 40% Protestant, 36% Roman Catholic, 16% Muslim, 6% Animist
Government: Republic (multiparty state)
President: Emilio Mwai Kibaki

GDP: US $42.4 billion
GDP per head: US $1525
Annual growth: 1.6%
Inflation: 2.5%
Major industries: small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural processing, oil refining, cement, tourism
Major trading partners: Uganda, Tanzania, UK, Germany, UAE, South Africa

Facts for the Traveler
Visas: All visitors require a visa except citizens of some Commonwealth countries and citizens of selected countries such as Denmark, Germany, the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Norway, Spain, South Africa and Sweden. Apply well in advance for your visa - especially if doing it by mail.
Health risks: Malaria (except in Nairobi and high-altitude areas), cholera, hepatitis, meningitis, mugging, typhoid, schistosomisis, HIV, Rift Valley fever and yellow fever.
Time: GMT/UTC plus three hours
Electricity: 240V
Weights & measures: Metric
Tourism: About 700,000 visitors per year

When to Go
The main tourist season is in January and February, since the hot, dry weather at this time of year is generally considered to be the most pleasant. It's also when Kenya's bird life flocks to the Rift Valley lakes in the greatest numbers. June to September could be called the 'High season' as the weather is still dry and Low season begins in April and end in May. During these months things are much quieter - places tend to have rooms available and prices drop. The rains generally don't affect travellers' ability to get around.
Events
Kenya's most spectacular annual event is organized by an unlikely group ? wildebeests. Literally millions of these ungainly antelopes move en masse in July and August from the Serengeti in search of lush grass. They head south again around October. The best place to see this phenomenon is at the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Kenya's more orthodox annual events include public holidays such as Kenyatta Day (20 October) and Independence Day (12 December).