Introduction
Kenya, officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is an East African nation whose capital city is Nairobi. It has an area of 582,646 sq km (224,961 sq miles) which is almost the size of France (Our Africa n.p.). The national language of this East African nation is Swahili, while English is used for official purposes. According to 2011 UN estimate, the population of Kenya was about 41.6 million (Our Africa n.p.). In addition, the country is considered a tourism, economic and political leader in Eastern and Central Africa as well as enjoying political stability. As a result, travelling to this part of Africa requires one to visit the nation and explore the diversity that makes it so renown. Also, Kenya has ties with the USA in that former president Barrack Obama's father hailed from this country. Therefore, this research discusses the various aspects of this nation in order to fully assess its suitability as a travel destination.
History
The name Kenya is derived from the name that was traditionally given to the country's tallest mountain, Mt. Kenya. Local tribes such as the Kamba likened the snow-capped mountain and its black slopes to ostrich feathers, thus they named it Kii nyaa (the place of the male ostrich). The Kikuyu worshipped at the foot of this mountain, thus they named it Kirinyaga (God's resting place). Thus, when the explorers arrived, they coined the name Kenya (Waweru n.p.).
This name wasn't used until 1920, when the country was declared a British protectorate. This meant that as per the terms of the Berlin Conference of 1885, the British were to obtain control and colonize the country. Following over 40 years of a bloody struggle, Kenya achieved independence in 1963 and self-internal rule in 1964. At the forefront of this success were Kenya's founding fathers; Jomo Kenyatta and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. Mr.Kenyatta eventually became the first president, with Jaramogi as his vice-president (Kenya n.p.)
Mr. Kenyatta passed on in 22 August 1978 after 15 years of rule which saw great economic development. He was succeeded by\u00a0 his deputy at the time, Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi. Mr. Moi ruled for 24 years in an era characterized by totalitarianism, which saw a second struggle for democracy that was spearheaded by the likes of Jaramogi's son, Raila Amolo Odinga. It wasn't until 2002 when Mwai Kibaki ascended to power that Kenya became a democratic state (Kenya n.p.). This meant that a sitting-president could only serve a maximum two five-year term, with significantly lesser control over state organs.
Geography and Climate
Climate
Kenya is located in an equatorial area, but experiences varying inter- tropical climates (Aquastat 1). Almost 80% of the country is considered to be arid and semi-arid, with some areas such as Northern Kenya experiencing as little as 200 mm of annual rainfall (Aquastat 1). The rest of the country is dominated by highlands that are located centrally. These highlands receive about 1800 mm of annual rainfall and are therefore Kenya's food basket. Most of the rainfall received in Kenya is convectional, due to the presence of Lake Victoria to the west and the Indian Ocean to the southeast. However, the highlands experience relief rainfall due to their mountainous nature. Also, the rainfall is bimodal and falls as long rains from March to June and short rains from October to November (Aquastat 1).
Geography
A quick glance at an atlas provides an interesting fact about Kenya; that the equator seems to divide the country into two equal halves. It is located in East Africa, with neighbours such as Somalia to the east, Ethiopia the north, South Sudan to the northeast, Uganda to the west and Tanzania to the south. In addition, Lake Victoria which is the world's largest freshwater lake borders the nation to the west, while the Indian ocean forms about 500 kilometres of coastline to the southeast (Aquastat 1). The highest point is Kenya is Mt. Kenya at 5,199 metres above sea level, and the lowest point is found in Chalbi Desert in Marsabit County.
Kenya's relief is simple; it rises from the lakeside and coastal lowlands in the west and southeast respectively to the plateau formations and finally to the central highlands and mountains (SoftKenya n.p.). However, the northern part is mainly arid. In addition, the great rift valley bisects Kenya from the north to the south. This feature is associated with numerous lakes such as Lake Nakuru and Lake Turkana, escarpments and volcanic mountains like Mount Longonot. The geographical formation therefore serves as a major tourist attraction. On the other hand, the plateaus are covered by savannah grassland plains. These grasslands offer a natural habitat for wildlife hence most of the national parks can be found here. In addition, there are numerous hills such as the Chyulu Hills which complement these plains (SoftKenya n.p.).
Demographics and Ethnic Distribution
Demographics
As earlier noted Kenya's population stood at 41.6 million in 2011, majority of who are Christians (82.5%). Characteristic to most developing countries, the country has a relatively young population. As of 2013, over 60% of its inhabitants were below the age of 25. This means that Kenya has a high dependency rate, since the working population (25-54 years) only accounts for 32% of the population. Life expectancy is also quite high for a developing nation, sitting at 63.29 years. Most Kenyans prefer the countryside life, accounting for over 75% of the total population (KenyaTravelTips n.p.). This is partly due to the fact that Kenya's urbanization is highly centralized. There is only one major city that is the capital Nairobi. The city is located to the south of the central highlands and has about 6.5 million inhabitants, making it Africa's 14th largest city. Other smaller cities are the coastal port city of Mombasa with 1.2 million residents and the lakeside fishing city of Kisumu with 400,000 residents (World Population Review n.p.).
Ethnic Distribution
Another important fact about the Kenyan population is that it is diverse. There are over 40 tribes found within three main language groups; Bantus, Nilotes and Cushites. Over 98% of Kenyans belong to these ethnic groups, while Indian, European and Arab minorities account for the rest. The Bantus mainly occupy the highlands and plateaus, and are the largest ethnic group. Nilotes follow closely and have dominated the lakeside plains and the rift valley region, while Cushites mainly reside in the arid northern regions. The Bantu tribe of Kikuyu is also the largest, accounting for 22% of the population. Nilotes are dominated by the Luo tribe (13%), while Somalis are the largest Cushitic group (KenyaTravelTips n.p.).
Political Climate
Kenya is a relatively peaceful nation, with a decentralized form of government. This form of governance was introduced under a new progressive constitution in 2010, which divided the country into 47 counties each headed by an administrative governor (Life & Peace Institute n.p.). Therefore, the regions of Kenya are relatively autonomous, although most of the government organs such as the police are yet to be devolved. County governments have improved distribution of resources in the country, thus fostering national cohesion.
Although it is surrounded by hostile nations such as Somalia and South Sudan, Kenya is one of the most peaceful countries in Africa. This makes it a leader in peacekeeping efforts especially in Eastern Africa. Nevertheless, Kenya's politics are deeply ethnic, making election periods very tense. This was evident after the flawed 2007 elections when ethnic violence erupted as a result of the Luo community feeling that victory had been stolen from them by the Kikuyu. A deeper analysis into this conflict shows that Kenya is still dominated by the founding political dynasties of the Kenyattas and the Odingas (Gaffey n.p.). As a result of the conflict, thousands of people died and the situation could only be mitigated by a coalition government between the conflicting parties. Since then, however, the country has rebuilt itself and has experienced no violence for the two electioneering periods that have passed.
Tourism
Kenya is a leading tourism destination in Africa, due to its diversity in wildlife, culture, and its sunny coasts. All these factors provide the country with natural attractions that have greatly boosted the growth of this sector.
Culture
With over 40 tribes, Kenya has a diverse cultural base. Every culture is interesting in its own way. For example, the Masai culture is attractive due to its cultural conservatism in the aspects of ornamental wear, traditional dances and military (morans) (Magical Kenya n.p.). Other cultures such as the Swahili culture offer festivities and delicacies such as pilau, wali, chapati and mabuyu that are truly enticing (Magical Kenya n.p.). In addition, the local communities are warm towards foreigners. A trip to Kenya cannot be concluded without visiting former president Barrack Obama's paternal grandmother in the lakeside village of Kogelo, Siaya County.
Wildlife
Wildlife is Kenya's main tourism earner. With over 60 national parks all offering diverse wildlife, the following stand out (Magical Kenya n.p.):
Amboseli National Park
It is considered as the land of giants due to its large African elephant populations. The park also offers scenic views for bird watching as well as Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Masai Mara Game Reserve
It is home to the great wildebeest migration which is considered a wonder of the world. In addition, the reserve offers a rare view of human-wildlife coexistence since part of the Masai community resides here.
Lake Nakuru National Park
This saltwater lake is found on the floor of the Rift Valley and is home to one of the world's largest population of flamingoes. In addition, it is a wildlife sanctuary for the endangered black rhino.
Tsavo National Park
This is the largest wildlife park in the world, and is home to a large population of lions, elephants and giraffes.
Nairobi National Park
This is the only wildlife park in the world that is found in a city. Located in Kenya's capital, the park offers a getaway from the business of the city life to view a wide variety of wildlife.
Coasts
Kenyan coasts are sandy and warm, making them suitable tourist destination sites. The country boasts of some of the best beaches in Africa such as Diani. These beaches allow for water sports such as snorkeling and swimming as well as sunbathing in the moderately-warm sunshine. In addition, there are numerous marine national water parks such as the Watamu Marine that offer sanctuaries to endangered sea creatures and dolphins. One can even take a deep-dive to mingle with these animals, thus giving a full complementary experience (Magical Kenya).
Conclusion
From the above descriptions, it is clear that Kenya is a diverse, stable and scenic nation. It has a lot to offer in terms of tourism, culture, history and climate. The country also offers a lot of economic prospects from its young population and busy cities. I would therefore recommend it as a suitable travel destination for anyone looking to escape the monotony of life. Kenya is indeed the sure place to offer a perfect getaway safari.
Works Cited
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