Kenya Uganda

Author: Zhou Min, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-08-01
Features: Kenya: Natural Geography: Area of 582,646 square kilometers. Located in eastern Africa, spanning the equator. To the east is Somalia, to the north are Ethiopia and Sudan, to the west is Uganda, to the south is Tanzania, and to the southeast it borders the Indian Ocean. The coastline is about 536 kilometers long. The coastal area is flat, while most of the rest is highland at an altitude of 1,000-1,200 meters. The eastern branch of the East African Rift cuts through the highland from north to south, dividing it into eastern and western parts. The eastern branch of the East African Rift cuts through the highland from north to south, dividing it into eastern and western parts. The rift valley floor is 450-1,000 meters below the highland, 50-100 kilometers wide, and is dotted with lakes of varying depths, as well as numerous volcanoes. The northern part is desert and semi-desert, accounting for about 56% of the country's total area. Mount Kenya in the eastern highlands, with an elevation of 5,199 meters, is the highest peak in the country and the second-highest in Africa, with snow-capped peaks year-round. Mount Wagagai, a dormant volcano, stands at 4,321 meters and is famous for its massive crater (up to 15 kilometers in diameter). There are many rivers and lakes, the largest rivers being the Tana River and the Galana River. The country is influenced by the southeast monsoon and the northeast monsoon, with most areas having a tropical grassland climate. The highland region in the southwest, except for the dry and hot areas in the rift valley, has a subtropical forest climate. The climate is mild, with average monthly temperatures ranging between 14-19°C, and annual precipitation of 750-1,000 millimeters. The coastal plain in the east is hot and humid, with an average annual temperature of 24°C and annual precipitation of 500-1,200 millimeters, concentrated mainly in May. The northern and eastern semi-desert areas have a dry and hot climate with little rainfall, with annual precipitation of 250-500 millimeters. The long rainy season lasts from March to June, the short rainy season from October to December, and the rest of the months are dry seasons. Population: 29.4 million (2000). The country has 48 ethnic groups, with the Kikuyu being the largest, accounting for 25% of the population, followed by the Luo, Luhya, Kamba, and others. There are also small communities of Indo-Asians, Arabs, and Europeans. 38% of the population adheres to Protestant Christianity, 28% to Catholicism, 6% to Islam, and the rest follow traditional religions and Hinduism. Swahili is the national language, and English is also an official language.