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$Unique_ID{COW02070}
$Pretitle{256}
$Title{Kenya
Front Matter}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Harold D. Nelson}
$Affiliation{HQ, Department of the Army}
$Subject{kenya
political
african
percent
economic
national
government
country
population
foreign}
$Date{1983}
$Log{Global Map*0207001.scf
}
Country: Kenya
Book: Kenya, A Country Study
Author: Harold D. Nelson
Affiliation: HQ, Department of the Army
Date: 1983
Front Matter
Foreword
This volume is one of a continuing series of books prepared by Foreign
Area Studies, The American University, under the Country Studies/Area Handbook
Program. The last page of this book provides a listing of other published
studies. Each book in the series deals with a particular foreign country,
describing and analyzing its economic, national security, political, and
social systems and institutions and examining the interrelationships of those
systems and institutions and the ways that they are shaped by cultural
factors. Each study is written by a multidisciplinary team of social
scientists. The authors seek to provide a basic insight and understanding of
the society under observation, striving for a dynamic rather than a static
portrayal of it. The study focuses on historical antecedents and on the
cultural, political, and socioeconomic characteristics that contribute to
cohesion and cleavage within the society. Particular attention is given to the
origins and traditions of the people who make up the society, their dominant
beliefs and values, their community of interests and the issues on which they
are divided, the nature and extent of their involvement with the national
institutions, and their attitudes toward each other and toward the social
system and political order within which they live.
The contents of the book represent the views, opinions, and findings of
Foreign Area Studies and should not be construed as an official Department of
the Army position, policy, or decision, unless so designated by other official
documentation. The authors have sought to adhere to accepted standards of
scholarly objectivity. Such corrections, additions, and suggestions for
factual or other changes that readers may have will be welcomed for use in
future new editions.
William Evans-Smith
Director, Foreign Area Studies
The American University
Washington, D.C. 20016
Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to those individuals in various governmental,
international, and academic organizations who gave of their time, data,
special knowledge, and authoritative perspective on Kenya. Gratitude is also
extended to members of the Foreign Area Studies support staff who contributed
directly to the preparation of this book. These persons include Kathryn R.
Stafford, Dorothy M. Lohmann, and Andrea T. Merrill, who edited the
manuscript, and Harriett R. Blood, who prepared the graphics with the
assistance of Farah Ahannavard. The authors appreciate as well the assistance
provided by Gilda V. Nimer, librarian; Ernest A. Will, publications manager;
Eloise W. Brandt and Wayne W. Olsen, administrative assistants; and Margaret
Quinn and John Dupont, who typed the manuscript.
The aesthetic touches that enhance the book's appearance are the work of
Marty Ittner, whose illustrations appear on the title pages of the chapters,
and Farah Ahannavard, who illustrated the cover. The inclusion of photographs
has been made possible in part by the generosity of various individuals and
public and private agencies. The authors acknowledge their indebtedness
especially to those persons who contributed original material not previously
published.
Preface
This study replaces the Area Handbook for Kenya, which was completed in
late 1975. During the nearly 12 years of independence since 1963, the
country had been able to maintain a substantial degree of political
stability, a relatively open society, and a high rate of economic growth.
Some of its old problems persisted, however, and several new ones had been
generated. In the period since 1975 a number of developments have reflected
increasing political tensions and economic difficulties. The death in 1978
of the country's first president, veteran leader Jomo Kenyatta, and the
variety of politico-economic problems that have ensued warrant a fresh look
at Kenyan society and its role in world affairs.
Like its predecessor, Kenya: A Country Study seeks to provide a compact
and objective exposition of dominant social, economic, political, and
national security aspects and to give the reader an idea of the forces
involved at this time in the country's history. In presenting this new
study, the authors have relied primarily on official reports of governmental
and international organizations, journals, newspapers, and materials
reflecting recent field research by scholarly authorities. Detailed
information on many aspects of the society was not always readily available,
however, and gaps in the data, as well as varied interpretations of certain
matters, existed among some of the sources consulted. Where appropriate,
such gaps and differences have been noted in the text. Should readers
require greater detail on core area topics, the authors have noted the
availability of amplifying materials in bibliographic statements at the end
of each chapter. Full references to these and other sources used or
considered are included in the detailed Bibliography.
Place-names generally have been spelled in accordance with those
established by the United States Board on Geographic Names in its current
Official Standard Names Gazetteer of March 1978. The gazetteer was prepared
with the cooperation of the Survey of Kenya and Kenya's Standing Committee
on Geographical Names. In the handling of African ethnic names and languages,
the authors of Kenya: A Country Study have omitted the class prefixes
characteristic of those languages that occasionally appear in other
contemporary publications. Thus Kamba, rather than Akamba, has been used as
the term for that ethnic group and Swahili rather than Kiswahili for the
language spoken by many Kenyans.
An effort has been made to limit the use of foreign and technical words
and phrases. When this has not been appropriate, such terms have been defined
briefly where they first appear in any chapter or reference has been made to
the Glossary, which is included at the back of the book for the reader's
convenience.
Although Kenya's monetary system does not include a pound note, the
government's statistics are frequently expressed in Kenya pounds (Kenya Pound
equals KSh20). That practice has also been followed in this study.
All measurements are presented in the metric system. A conversion
table will assist those readers who may not be familiar with metric
equivalents (see table 1, Appendix).
Country Profile
[See Global Map: Map of Kenya on the Globe.]
Country
Formal Name: Republic of Kenya.
Short Form: Kenya.
Term for Citizens: Kenyans.
Capital: Nairobi.
Independence Achieved: December 12, 1963.
Flag: Black, red, and green horizontal bands from top to bottom,
separated by narrow white stripes; warrior's shield and crossed spears
centered on flag.
Geography
Size: Total area of 580,367 square kilometers includes 11,230 square
kilometers of water, mainly in Lake Rudolf (known in Kenya as Lake Turkana)
and Kenya's portion of Lake Victoria.
Topography: Seven geographic divisions encompassed in two macrodivisions
consisting of elevated southwestern one-third of country and outer two-thirds
that form arc of low plateaus and plains. Land rises gradually westward from
narrow coastal plain in series of plateaus culminating in highlands area,
bisected north to south by great Rift Valley. Eastern section of highlands
contains country's highest point, Mount Kenya (5,200 meters). Most of north
and northeast consists of semiarid and arid plains.
Climate: Less than 15 percent of country, mainly in coastal