Kenya is officially the Republic of Kenya, is a sovereign state in the African Great Lakes

region of East Africa. Its capital and largest city is Nairobi. Kenya lies on the equator with
the Indian Ocean to the south-east, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, South Sudan to
the north-west, Ethiopia to the north and Somalia to the north-east. Kenya covers 581,309 km
2(224,445 sq mi) and has a population of about 44 million in July 2012.
Kenya has a warm and humid climate along its Indian Ocean coastline, with wildlife-rich
savannah grasslands inland towards the capital. Nairobi has a cool climate that gets colder
approaching Mount Kenya, which has three permanently snow-capped peaks. Further inland,
there is a warm and humid climate around Lake Victoria, and temperate forested and hilly
areas in the western region. The north eastern regions along the border with Somalia and
Ethiopia are arid and semi-arid areas with near-desert landscapes. Lake Victoria, the world's
second largest fresh-water lake and the world's largest tropical lake, is situated to the
southwest and is shared with Uganda and Tanzania. Kenya is famous for its safaris and
diverse wildlife reserves and national parks such as the East and West Tsavo National Park,
the Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru National Park, and Aberdares National Park. There are
several world heritage sites such as Lamu and world renowned beaches; such as Kilifi where
international yachting competitions are held each year.
The African Great Lakes region, which Kenya is a part of, has been inhabited by humans
since the Lower Paleolithic period. The Bantu expansion reached the area from West-Central
Africa by the first millennium AD and the borders of the modern state comprise the
crossroads of the Niger-Congo, Nilo-Saharan and Afro-Asiatic ethno-linguistic areas of the
continent, making Kenya a multi-cultural country. European and Arab presence in coastal
Mombasa dates to the Early Modern period. European exploration of the interior began in the
19th century. The British Empire established the East Africa Protectorate in 1895, known
from 1920 as the Kenya Colony. The Republic of Kenya became independent in December
1963. Following a referendum in August 2010 and adoption of a new constitution, Kenya is
now divided into 47 semi-autonomous counties, governed by elected governors.
The capital, Nairobi, is a regional commercial hub. The economy of Kenya is the largest by
GDP in Southeast and Central Africa. Agriculture is a major employer and the country
traditionally exports tea and coffee, and more recently fresh flowers to Europe. The service
industry is a major economic driver. Kenya is a member of the East African Community.
Compared with other African countries, Kenya enjoys relatively high political and social
stability.








Until the country was granted independence from Britain, its name was pronounced "Keen-
ya", but at Independence the pronunciation was changed to "Ken-ya".
The word Kenya,originates from the Kikuyu, Embu and Kamba names for Mount Kenya,
"Kirinyaga", "Kirinyaa" and "Kiinyaa".
Prehistoric volcanic eruptions of Mount Kenya (now extinct) may have resulted in its
association with divinity and crenation among the indigenous Kikuyu-related ethnic groups
who are the native inhabitants of the agricultural land surrounding Mount Kenya.
The Kamba people first pointed out the second mountain to Dr. Krapf called "K-Nyaa" or
"Kma- Kyaa" which is similar to Krma Krnyaga in Kikuyu probably because the pattern
of black rock and white snow on its peaks reminded them of the feathers of the cock ostrich.
The word "Nyaga" is a Kikuyu-Embu word meaning "spot". It is a diminutive for
"Manyaganyaga" (spots). The spots of the black rock and the white snow could be the origin
of the words "Kr-nyaga" which in this case means 'spotted'. Therefore, Mwene-Nyaga
(Agikuyu: "God") means "The owner or guardian of the spotted mountain".
In the 19th century, the German explorer Ludwig Krapth recorded the name as
both Kenia and Kegnia believed by some to be a corruption of the Kamba version. Others say
that this wason the contrarya very precise notation of a correct African pronunciation
knj An 1882 map drawn by Joseph Thompsons, a Scottish geologist and naturalist,
indicated Mt. Kenya as Mt. Kenia, 18620. Controversy over the actual meaning of the word
Kenya notwithstanding, it is clear that the mountain's name became widely accepted, pars po
toto, as the name of the country












PICTURE 1 : MAPS OF KENYA

At 580,367 km
2
(224,081 sq mi), Kenya is the world's forty-seventh largest country
(after Madagascar). It lies between latitudes 5N and5S, and longitudes 34 and 42E. From the
coast on the Indian Ocean, the low plains rise to central highlands. The highlands are bisected
by the Great Rift Valley, with a fertile plateau lying to the east.
The Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in
Africa. The highlands are the site of the highest point in Kenya and the second highest peak on
the continent: Mount Kenya, which reaches 5,199 m (17,057 ft) and is the site of glaciers.Mount
Kiliminjaro (5,895 m or 19,341 ft) can be seen from Kenya to the South of the Tanzanian border.



Kenya's climate varies from tropical along the coast to temperate inland to arid in the north and
northeast parts of the country. The area receives a great deal of sunshine every month, and
summer clothes are worn throughout the year. It is usually cool at night and early in the morning
inland at higher elevations.
The "long rains" season occurs from March/April to May/June. The "short rains" season occurs
from October to November/December. The rainfall is sometimes heavy and often falls in the
afternoons and evenings. The temperature remains high throughout these months of tropical
rain. The hottest period is February and March, leading into the season of the long rains, and the
coldest is in July and August.




















Average annual temperatures
City Elevation (m) Max (C) Min (C)
Mombasa coastal town 17 32.3 23.8
Nairobi capital city 1,661 25.2 13.6
Kisumu lakeside city 1,131 31.8 16.9
Eldoret Rift Valley town 2,085 23.6 9.5
Lodwar dry north plainlands 506 34.8 23.7
Mandera dry north plainlands 506 34.8 25.7






Picture 3:Kenyan boys and girls performing a traditional dance.

Picture 4: Nation Media House which hosts the Nation Media Group
Kenya is a diverse country and, although tribalism is a major problem in Kenya,
tribal stereotypes and regional accents are a great source of amusement all over the country.
Addressing someone by their ethnicity is not offensive.
Notable peoples include the Swahili on the coast, pastoralist communities in the north, and
several different communities in the central and western regions. The Masaai culture is well
known because of tourism, despite being a minor percentage of the Kenyan population. They
are renowned for their elaborate upper body adornment and jewellery.
Kenya has an extensive music, television and theatre scene




Swahili culture and trade (1st century-19th century)



Picture 5 : A traditional Swahili carved wooden door in Lamu.
The Kenyan coast had served host to communities of ironworkers and communities of Bantu
subsistence farmers, hunters and fishers who supported the economy with agriculture, fishing,
metal production and trade with foreign countries.
Arabs from southern Arabia settled on the coast among the Bantu people and helped to
establish many new autonomous city-states, including Mombasa, Malindi and Zanzibar. The
Arab migrants also introduced Islam to the area. This blending of cultures left a notable
Arabian influence on the local Bantu Swahili culture and language of the coast.

Pottery sherds from the Kilwa Sultanate, founded in the 10th century by
the Persian Sultan Ali ibn al-Hassan Shirazi.
The Kilwa Sultanate was a medieval sultanate, centred at Kilwa in modern-day Tanzania. At
its height, its authority stretched over the entire length of the Swahili Coast, including Kenya.



It was founded in the 10th century by Ali ibn al-Hassan Shirazi, a Persian Sultan
from Shiraz in southern Iran. The subsequent Swahili rulers would go on to build elaborate
coral mosques and introduced copper coinage.
The Swahili built Mombasa into a major port city and established trade links with other
nearby city-states, as well as commercial centres in Persia, Arabia, and even India. By the
15th-century, Portuguese voyager Duarte Barbosa claimed that "Mombasa is a place of great
traffic and has a good harbour in which there are always moored small craft of many kinds
and also great ships, both of which are bound from Sofala and others which come from
Cambay and Melinde and others which sail to the island of Zanzibar."
Later on in the 17th century, once the Swahili coast was conquered and came under direct
rule of Omani Arabs, the slave trade was expanded by the Omani Arabs to meet the demands
of plantations in Oman and Zanzibar. Initially these traders came mainly from Oman, but
later many came from Zanzibar (such as Tippu Tip). In addition, the Portuguese started
buying slaves from the Omani and Zanzibari traders in response to the interruption of the
transatlantic slave trade by British abolitionists.
Swahili, a Bantu language with Arabic, Persian, and other Middle Eastern and South
Asian loanword, later developed as a lingua franca for trade between the different
peoples. Swahili now also has loan words from English.
Throughout the centuries, the Kenyan Coast has played host to many merchants and
explorers. Among the cities that line the Kenyan coast is the City of Malindi. It has remained
an important Swahili settlement since the 14th century and once rivalled Mombasa for
dominance in the African Great Lakes region. Malindi has traditionally been a friendly port
city for foreign powers. In 1414, the Swahili Sultan of Malindi initiated diplomatic relations
with Ming Dynasty, China during the voyages of the explorer Zheng He. Malindi authorities
welcomed Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, in 1498.














The country has very significant overpopulation problems.


Picture 7: Kikuyu woman in traditional attire.
Kenya has a diverse population that includes most major ethnoracial and linguistic groups
found in Africa. There are an estimated 42 different communities, with Bantus (67%)
and Nilotes (30%) constituting the majority of local residents. Cushitic groups also form a
small ethnic minority, as do Arabs, Indians and Europeans.
According to the CIA World Fact Book, ethnic groups in the nation are represented as
follows: Kikuyu 22%,Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin12%,Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%
, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) 1%.
The country has a young population, with 73% of residents aged below 30 years because of
rapid population growth; from 2.9 million to 40 million inhabitants over the last century.
Kenya's various ethnic groups typically speak their mother tounges within their own
communities. The two official languangea, English and Swahili, are used in varying degrees
of fluency for communication with other populations. English is widely spoken in commerce,
schooling and government. Peri-urban and rural dwellers are less multilingual, with many in
rural areas speaking only their native languages.



According to Ethologue, there are a total of 69 languages spoken in Kenya. Most belong to
two broad language families: Niger-Congo(Bantu branch) and Nilo-Saharan(Nilotic branch),
spoken by the country's Bantu and Nilotic populations, respectively. The Cushitic and Arab
ethnic minorities speak languages belonging to the separate Afro-Asiatic family, with the
Indian and European residents speaking languages from the Indo-European family.
In addition, Kenya's capital, Nairobi, is home to Kibera, one of the world's largest slums. The
shanty town is believed to house between 170,000 and 1 million locals. The UNHCR base
in Dadaab in the north also currently houses around 500,000 people.






Main article: List of cities and towns in Kenya by population
RANK NAME COUNTRY POPULATI ON
1 Nairobi Nairobi 3 375 000
2 Mombasa Mombasa 1 200 000
3 Kisumu Kisumu 409 928
4 Nakuru Nakuru 307 990
5 Eldoret Uasin Gishu 289 380
6 Kehanca Migori 256 086
7 Ruiru Kiambu 238 858
8 Kikuyu Kiambu 233 231
9 Kangudo-Tala Machakos 218 557

















Picture 8 : Holy Ghost RC cathedral in Mombasa.



The vast majority of Kenyans are Christian (83%), with 47.7% regarding themselves
as Protestant and 23.5% as Roman Catholic of the Latin Rite. The Presbyterian Church of
East Africa has 3,000 000 followers in Kenya and the surrounding countries. There are
smaller conservative Reformed churches, the Africa Evangelical Presbyterian
Church, the Independent Presbyterian Church in Kenya, and the Reformed Church of East
Africa. 621,200 of Kenyans are Orthodox Christians. Notably, Kenya has the highest number
of Quakers in the world, with around 133,000 members.
Sizeable minorities of other faiths do exist (Muslim 11.2%, irreligious 2.4%, indigenous
beliefs 1.7%). Sixty percent of the Muslim population lives in Kenya's Coastal Region,
comprising 50% of the total population there. Roughly 8% of Muslims are Shia and another
8% are non-denominational Muslims, while 73% are Sunni. Western areas of the Coast
Region are mostly Christian. The upper part of Kenya's Eastern Region is home to 10% of the
country's Muslims, where they constitute the majority religious group. In addition, there is a
large Hindu population in Kenya (around 300,000), who have played a key role in the local
economy, they are mostly of Indian origin. There is also a small group of Bahais.








Harambee is a Kenyan tradition of community self-help events, e.g. fundraising or
development activities. Harambee literally means "all pull together" in Swahili, and is also
the official motto of Kenya and appears on its coats of arms.

Harambee events may range from informal affairs lasting a few hours, in which invitations
are spread by word of mouth, to formal, multi-day events advertised in newspapers. These
events have long been important in parts of East Africa, as ways to build and maintain
communities.

Following Kenyas independence in 1963, the first Prime Minister, and later first President
of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta adopted "Harambee" as a concept of pulling the country together
to build a new nation. He encouraged communities to work together to raise funds for all
sorts of local projects, pledging that the government would provide their startup costs. Under
this system, wealthy individuals wishing to get into politics could donate large amounts of
money to local harambee drives, thereby gaining legitimacy; however, such practices were
never institutionalised during Kenyatta's presidency .













Ugali is a mainstay of the cuisine throughout the African Great Lake region. Served here with
beef and sauce.There is no singular dish that represents all of Kenya. Different communities
have their own native foods. Staples are maize and other cereals depending on the region
including millet and sorghum eaten with various meats and vegetables. The foods that are
universally eaten in Kenya are ugali,sukuma wiki, and nyama choma.
Sukuma wiki, a Swahili phrase which literally means "to push the week," is a simple dish
made with greens similar to kale or collards that can also be made with cassava leaves, sweet
potato leaves, or pumpkin leaves. Its Swahili name comes from the fact that it is typically
eaten to "get through the week" or "stretch the week." Nyama choma is grilled meat usually
goat or sheep. It is grilled over an open fire. It is usually eaten with ugali and kachumbari.
Among the Luhyas residing in the western region of country, ingokho (chicken) and ugali is a
favourite meal. Other than these, they also eat tsisaka, miroo, managu and other dishes. Also
among the Kikuyu of Central Kenya, a lot of tubers, including ngwaci (sweet
potatoes), ndma (taro roots) known in Kenya as arrowroot, ikwa (yams), mianga (cassavana)
are eaten as well as legumes like beansand a Kikuyu bean known as njahi. Among the Luos
residing on the western region around Lake Victoria "kuon" (Ugali) and fish is a favourite as
well as "gweno"(chicken),"Aliya"(sun dried meat) and green vegetables such
as"Osuga","Akeyo","Muto" and "Bo",all consumed with Ugali.
As you travel around the country distinct differences are noted mainly based on what foods
are locally available around such areas. Grains are a staple food for groups that grow grains
e.g. Kikuyu, Embu, Meru, Kisii, etc. Other communities such as the Luo and the Coastal
community have fish and seafood for their staple food as available in such areas. In semi-arid
areas like Turkana foods made from sorghum are more common staple foods. As you move
towards the city food eaten by working families vary according to preference. Rice and
stew is more common with working families and other dishes like chapati (parantha), chicken
stew, etc












Picture 10 : A traditional Kenyan drum, similar to the Djembe of West Africa.



Kenya is home to a diverse range of music styles, ranging from imported popular music, afro-
fusion and benga music to traditional folksongs. The guitar is the most popular instrument in
Kenyan music, and songs often feature intricate guitar rhythms. The most famous guitarist of
the early 20th century was Bonie Makie. Other notable musicians of the 60s era
include Fadhili Williams, recognised by many as the author of the hit song "Grace Phillips"
that was later re-done by Miriam Makeba,Boney M and Daudi Kabaka.
Popular music in the 1980s and 90s in Kenya could be divided into two genres: the Swahili
sound and the Congolese sound. There are varying regional styles, and some performers
create tourist-oriented "hotel pop" that is similar to western music. Them Mushrooms, later
renamed Uyoga, was one of the popular groups in this era.
In the recent past, newer varieties of modern popular music have arisen which are mostly
local derivatives of western hip-hop. Two sub-genres have emerged: "Genge" and "Kapuka"
beats. This has revolutionised popular Kenyan music and created an industry dominated by
the youth. There is also underground Kenyan hip hop that gets less radio play than Kapuka or
Genge because it is less club oriented and more focussed on social commentary. Early



pioneers include Poxi Presha, Klamashaka, and K-South. In Nairobi, hip-hop is viewed as
more of a style than as a musical culture. There is a great correlation between the youth who
listen to rap music and their economical status in the country with the majority of them
coming from wealthy economic backgrounds. Since hip-hop is portrayed through clothing,
magazines, and CDs, all of which are expensive, only the wealthier individuals are able to
enjoy these luxuries.
Main streamartists include Nameless,Redsan,Necessary Noize, Nonini Juacali,Kleptomaniax,
Longombas,Suzanna Owiyo, Achieng Abura, Eric Wainiana and others. Their sounds run the
gamut from Reggae/Ragga, Pop, Afro-Fusion to Hip-Hop. Contemporary Kenyan music is
becoming quite popular, with African based music channels such as Channel O and MTV
Base, giving them a greater aud (a hybrid of Kenyan languages and English/Swahili).
The Kisima Music Awards, which recognise musical talent across East Africa, were founded
and are currently based in Kenya. Every year numerous Kenyan artists take out categories in
the scheme.
The African Childrens Choir features children, many of whom are orphaned, from Kenya,
as well as from other neighbouring African countries.
Kenya has a diverse assortment of popular music forms, in addition to multiple types of folk
music based on the variety over 40 regional languages.
The guitar is the most dominant instrument in Kenyan popular music. Guitar rhythms are
very complex and include both native beats and imported ones, especially the Congolese
cavacha rhythm. Music usually involves the interplay of multiple parts, and more recently,
showy guitar solos as well.
Lyrics are most often in Swahili or English. There's also some emerging aspect
of Lingala borrowed from Congolese musicians. Lyrics are also written in the indigenous
languages, though urban radio will generally not play music in one of the "tribal" languages.
This however has been seen through the emergence of vernacular radio stations that
broadcast in native languages.
Benga music has been popular since the late 1960s, especially in the area around Victoria
Lake. The word benga is occasionally used to refer to any kind of pop music. Bass, guitar and
percussion are the usual instruments.









Picture 11 : Massai woman in traditional headdress and attire.
Apart from its National flag , Kenya does not have national dress that transcends its diverse
ethnic divisions. With more than 42 ethnic communities having their own traditional
practices and symbols unique to them, this is a task that has proved elusive. However, several
attempts have been made to design an outfit that can be worn as a national dress, much like
the Kente cloth of Ghana.
Kitenge is a cotton fabric made into colours and design through tie-and-dye and heavy
embroidery. It is commonly worn by a number of Kenya's populations. Though also worn in
many other African countries, Kitenge is yet to be accepted in Kenya as an official dress as it
is only worn during ceremonies and non-official functions. The Maasai wear dark red
garments to symbolise their love for the earth and their dependence on it. It also stands for
courage and blood that is given to them by nature.
The Kanga (Khanga, Lesso) is another cloth that is in common use in practically every
Kenyan home. The Kanga is a piece of clothing about 1.5 m by 1 m, screen printed with
beautiful sayings in Swahili (or English) and is largely worn by women around the waist and
torso.






Independent Kenya (1963)

Picture 2 : The first President and founding father of Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta.

The first direct elections for native Kenyans to the Legislative Council took place in 1957.
Despite British hopes of handing power to "moderate" local rivals, it was the Kenya African
National Union (KANU) of Jomo Kenyatta that formed a government shortly before Kenya
became independent on 12 December 1963, on the same day forming the first Constitution of
Kenya.
Concurrently, the Kenyan army fought the Shifta War against ethnic Somali rebels inhabiting
the Northern Frontier District, who wanted to join their kin in the Somali Republic to the
north. A cease fire was eventually reached with the signature of the Arusha Memorandum in
October 1967, but relative insecurity prevailed through 1969. To discourage further
invasions, Kenya signed a defence pact with Ethiopia in 1969, which is still in effect.
On 12 December 1964 the Republic of Kenya was proclaimed, and Jomo Kenyatta became
Kenya's first president.

Vision 2030
In 2007, the Kenyan government unveiled Vision 2030, an economic development
programme it hopes will put the country in the same league as the Asian Economics
Tigers by the year 2030. In 2013, it launched a National Climate Change Action Plan,
Development Knowledge Network, sets out the Government of Kenya's vision for a 'low
carbon climate resilient development pathway'. At the launch in March 2013, the Secretary
having acknowledged that omitting climate as a key development issue in Vision 2030 was
an oversight. The 200-page Action Plan, developed with support from the Climate & of the
Ministry of Planning, National Development and Vision 2030 emphasised that climate will
be a central issue in the renewed Medium Term Plan that will be launched in the coming
months. This will create a direct and robust delivery framework for the Action Plan and
ensure climate change is treated as an economy-wide issue.







A traditional Kenyan wedding will differ from culture to culture within the country. These
practices are what were doing historically in Kenya traditions when it came to weddings. In
today's modern world, things have changed but some practices may still be re-enacted for
traditions' sake.
Among the Pokot, the groom is required to pay a bride price. During the wedding ceremony,
the groom circles the bride's wrist with a leather wedding band.
Members of the Samburu tribe cross wooden sticks during the wedding ceremony, this
symbolizes that a marriage will grow deep, have lasting roots, and maintain the strength and
natural life force of trees.
Among the Rendille, a man will send beads to the girl whom he is interested in. If she accepts
the beads then they will proceed to become engaged. Her parents will demonstrate their
acceptance of the man by having the girl's mother place a wooden ornament over the beads.
Prior to the official marriage ceremony, the girl's earlobes will be pierced and she will have
some tattoos applied to her body. The groom will give the girl's family and relatives some
camels.




Picture 12 : Masaai women
Among members of tribes like the Kipsigis, even though the giving of bride wealth is not a
strict requirement for marriage, if the wife is unable to bear any children, then her family
must return it to the husband. He is also permitted to marry another wife. Kipsigis men are
allowed to marry as many wives as they can afford as long as they have the approval of the
first wife.
If you laugh at your mother-in-law, you'll get dirt in your eye
- Kenyan proverb














MRSM PDRM, KULIM KEDAH






NAME: SYAZANA NABIHAH BINTI SAMSUDIN
CLASS: 4 BATANI
COLLEGE NUMBER : 11055
TEACHERS NAME : MISS SULIANA BINTI ISA











My opinion about Kenya is, firstly I think Kenya is the great country because they can
continue their cultural in their daily life until now even their in independent country.
Nowadays, most modern country doesnt highlight their cultural but their cultural look like
disappear with the modern technology.
Secondly, my opinion about Kenya is, I think Kenya can achieve their Vision 2030
because their effort on it was to many like economic development programme it hopes will
put the country in the same league as the Asian Economics Tigers by the year 2030. In 2013,
it launched a National Climate Change Action Plan, Development Knowledge Network, sets
out the Government of Kenya's vision for a 'low carbon climate resilient development
pathway'. At the launch in March 2013, the Secretary having acknowledged that omitting
climate as a key development issue in Vision 2030 was an oversight. The 200-page Action
Plan, developed with support from the Climate & of the Ministry of Planning, National
Development and Vision 2030 emphasised that climate will be a central issue in the renewed
Medium Term Plan that will be launched in the coming months. This will create a direct and
robust delivery framework for the Action Plan and ensure climate change is treated as an
economy-wide issue.
Thirdly, I think we should share the same spirit with Kenyan to take care of our earth.
The Maasai wear dark red garments to symbolise their love for the earth and their
dependence on it. It also stands for courage and blood that is given to them by nature.
Nowadays, most war had happened, the big country abused the weak country like in Gaza.
We should love each other to create the peaceful world without war.
As the conclusion, I hope I can visit Kenya one day soon. I want to see through my eyes
how their lifestyle and their cuisine and I want to learn it. For me, Kenya is an amazing
country with their cultural.