The Facts
Extent of Poverty in Kenya
The dry poverty statistics in Kenya sum it all up. Somewhere between one quarter and half of the population earn less than $1 US each day (the annual GDP per capita is around $360 US). It was estimated in 1992 that half of all rural Kenyans were living below the poverty line.
That represents approximately 9 million people. The situation is not quite as bad in the urban centers, where such poverty only effects a third of the population.
Geography
- Size: 582,646 square kilometers (comparable to Texas)
- Bordered by: Ethiopia and Sudan (north), Uganda (east), Tanzania (south), Somalia and Indian Ocean (west)
- Capital: Nairobi (3-4 million inhabitants)
- Other major cities: Mombasa, Kisumu
- Climate: arid in the interior, tropical along the coast
- Biggest mountain: Mount Kenya (5200 m)
People
- Population number: estimations are between 32 and 37 million
- Number of tribes: 40 to 70, depending how you count!
- Main tribes: Kikuyu (22%), Luhya (15%), Luo (14%), Kalenjin (12%), Kamba (11%)
Health
- Life expectancy: estimates vary between 46 and 55 years
- Infant mortality rate per 1000 births: 58 deaths
- Main infectious diseases: AIDS, malaria, diarrhoea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, schistosomiasis (bilharzia).
- Percentage of people with HIV or AIDS: 7%
- AIDS deaths per year: 150,000
- There are over 1 million children orphaned by AIDS in Kenya.
Economy
- Currency: Kenyan Shilling (KSH) (1 dollar = 70 KSH)
- GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): estimates vary from 40 to 80 billion dollars
- GDP per capita: estimates vary from 1200 to 2600 dollars
- GDP per sector:
- Economic growth: 1.4% in 2003, 4.3% in 2004 and 5.8% in 2005
- Labour force by occupation: agriculture 75-80%, services and industry 20-25%
- Unemployment rate: 40%
- Percentage of population below the poverty line: 50%
