Geography of Kenya
This article describes the geography of Kenya.
- Location
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- Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania
- Geographic coordinates
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- Map references
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- Africa
- Area
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- Total: 582,650 km²
- Land: 569,250 km²
- Water: 13,400 km²
- Land boundaries
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- Coastline
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- 536 km
- Maritime claims
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- Continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
- Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
- Territorial sea: 12 nm
- Climate
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- Varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
- Terrain
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- Low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west
- Elevation extremes
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- Natural resources
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- Gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barites , rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife, hydropower
- Land use
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- Arable land: 7%
- Permanent crops: 1%
- Permanent pastures: 37%
- Forests and woodland: 30%
- Other: 25% (1993 est.)
- Irrigated land
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- 660 km² (1993 est.)
- Natural hazards
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- Recurring drought in northern and eastern regions; flooding during rainy seasons
- Environment--current issues
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- Water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching
- Environment--international agreements
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- Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
- Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
- Geography--note
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- The Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers on Mt. Kenya; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value
See also
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