AbiriKenya

general information about kenya

Kenya offers mountains and deserts, rainforest, rolling grassland, colorful tribal cultures, beaches and coral reefs, islands, the Great Rift Valley and, of course, outstanding wildlife displays. Safaris have been at the core of Kenya’s tourism for decades. Kenya’s national parks are models for the world and abundant with wildlife; lions, elephants, leopards, rhinoceros, hippopotamuses, and buffaloes. Kenya is home to more than 359 different species of animals and 500 species of birds. For conservation, Kenya has set aside some 47,674 km2 in 29 National Parks, 27 Reserves, 4 Sanctuaries, and 100+ Wildlife Conservancies. It entices adventure tourists with trekking in Mount Kenya, ballooning in the Mara and scuba diving in the Indian Ocean. Other sports enthusiasts, content with less adventure, are drawn to Kenya’s golf offering. And that’s just the tip of it. There are more than 1,500 places of interest in Kenya with unrepeatable stories and experiences – from insightful cultural sites, to modern heritage and historical sites with extraordinary histories. There is a reason they call it ‘Magical Kenya’.

Discover the Counties of Kenya

Each County of Kenya holds the promise of unique and memorable adventures – in abundance. One is assured that in any direction they take around Kenya, great experience awaits. The original 40 boundaries of Kenya, marking districts and provinces, were first defined in the 1963 Independence Constitution and they were largely based on ethnic boundaries, affirmed by political positions taken at the Lancaster House Conferences. Between 1968 to 1989, seven new districts were created. In 2010, the 47 Districts were replaced by the 47 Counties of Kenya in accordance to the August 05, referendum. Rather uniquely, nearly all counties of Kenya are named after their largest town that also serves as the capital town.

About 80% of Kenya’s land surface area is classifies as arid to semi-arid, swayed by the enigmatic pastoralist communities. Most of the heavily populated counties of Kenya are located away from these arid and semi-arid zones and confined to an area of about 20% of Kenya. Almost 70% of the Kenya’s population live in the constellation of small counties in the Central and Western. In Central Kenya, Kiambu, Nairobi, Nyeri, Meru, Embu, Kirinyaga and Muranga. In Western Kenya, Bomet, Bungoma, Kericho, Kakamega, Trans Nzioa, Uasin Gishu, Migori and Siaya. Other regions with a sizeable population lie along the Great Rift Valley region.

Peneplains scape a huge part of Kenya. Vast wide-open plains of flat country, accounting for almost 50% of the land in Kenya, including the famed Masai Mara National Reserve, Tsavo and Amboseli National Parks, continue unbroken for hundreds of kilometres. All the large counties of Kenya, which happen to be the least populated, lie within this semi-arid landscape. These include Baringo, Garissa, Mandera, Isiolo, Kajiado, Kitui, Laikipia, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana, Wajir and West Pokot. In the extremity, the semi-arid country gives way to treacherous arid wildernesses epitomized by the Chalbi Desert, in Marsabit.

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The history of Kenya is rich and diverse, shaped by various peoples, cultures, and external influences over millennia. Portuguese explorers arrived in the late 15th century, followed by Omani Arabs in the 17th century. Kenya’s coast became a nexus of trade and cultural exchange. In the late 19th century, the British took over control of Kenya. In 1963, Kenya gained independence and self-governance.

Index of Fascinating Histories - Kenya & Africa



Brief Overview of Kenya's History: Kenya Before 1900s, The British Colonial Era, Kapenguria 6 Trial, Capture of Dedan Kimathi, The Struggle for Independence, The Massacres; Hola, Wagalla, Garissa

Brief History of the Counties of Kenya: Baringo, Bomet, Bungoma, Busia, Elgeyo Marakwet, Embu, Garissa, Homa Bay, Isiolo, Kakamega, Kajiado, Kericho, Kiambu, Kilifi, Kirinyaga, Kisii, Kisumu, Kitui, Kwale, Laikipia, Lamu, Machakos, Makueni, Mandera, Marsabit, Meru, Migori, Mombasa, Muranga, Nairobi, Nakuru, Nandi, Narok, Nyamira, Nyandarua, Nyeri, Samburu, Siaya, Tana River, Taita Taveta, Tharaka Nithi, Trans Nzoia, Turkana, Uasin Gishu, Vihiga, Wajir, West Pokot

The Conquest of Swahili Coast: The Portuguese Voyages, The Arrival of Vasco da Gama, The Downfall of the Portuguese Empire, The Rise of the Omani-Arabs, The Takeover, Rise and Assimilation of Islam, Arrival of the Imperial British East African Company, Seyyid Said and the Colony and Protectorate Debate

Brief Overview of Africa's History: Trans-Saharan Trade, Trans-Atlantic Trade, Cultural Diversity of Africa