| Kenya | UK |
| Population (millions): | 37 | 60.8 |
| Poverty (% of population below national poverty line): | 40% | 17% |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years (42.1%),
15-64 years (55.2%),
65 years + (2.6%) | 0-14 years (17.2%),
15-64 years (67%),
65 years + (15.8%) |
| Life expectancy: | 55 years | 78.7 years |
| Population growth rate: | 2.799% | 0.28% |
| HIV/AIDS (% of adult population infected) : | 6.7% | 0.2% |
| Religions: | Protestant 45%,
Roman Catholic 33%,
Muslim 10%,
indigenous beliefs 10%,
other 2% | Christian (71.6%),
Muslim (2.7%),
Hindu (1%),
other (1.6%),
unspecified or none (23.1%) |
| Literacy: | 85.1% | 99% |
| Gross Domestic Product1 | $41.36 billion | $2.346 trillion |
| Gross National Income per capita2: | $530 | $33,630 |
| Labour force by occupation: | Agriculture (16.3%),
Industry (18.8%),
Services (65%) | Agriculture (1%),
Industry (25.6%),
Services (73.4%) |
| Household income consumption3: | Lowest 10% (2%),
Highest 10% (37.2%) | Lowest 10% (2.1%),
Highest 10% (28.5%) |
Situated on the equator on Africa's east coast, Kenya has been described as “the cradle of humanity”. It is rich in agricultural resources, boasts a diverse private sector and plays a key position within East Africa.
Kenya's ethnic diversity has produced a vibrant culture but is also a source of conflict, particularly over land.
Economic and social progress made since independence in 1963 was largely lost through the 1990s with declining economic performance, worsening poverty and increasing corruption.
The hopes of Kenyans were lifted by the landslide victory of President Mwai Kibaki's National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) government in 2002's free and fair elections, which ended 24 years in power by President Daniel arap Moi and almost 40 years of uninterrupted rule by the KANU party.
Despite election promises to fight endemic corruption and to address Kenya's economic woes the government has become mired in a major corruption scandal. Some donors estimate that up to $1bn had been lost to graft between 2002 and 2005.
There have been successes:
- introduction of free primary education has improved enrolment;
- the fight against HIV and AIDS has seen prevalence fall from over 11% to 6.7% over the last five years;
- access to better water and sanitation is improving; and
- Kenya has recorded three years of positive growth (4.3% in 2004, 5.8% in 2005, and 5.7% in 2006).
Despite this growth, Kenya has been slipping down in the UNDP’s Human Development Report, and is now ranked 152nd out 177 countries (2006). GNI is just US $530 (World Bank, 2006).
Main exports include tea, coffee, horticultural products and petroleum.
Notes
1: GDP is the value of goods and services that a country's citizens produce. GNP is one measure of the economic condition of a country.
2: GNI is a country’s gross national income. GNI divided by total population gives GNI per capita.This indicator represents the well being of the population. However, it is anaverage that does not take into account inequalities of income within a country.
3: The percentage of total national household income held by the bottom 10% of households compared to the top 10% of households.
