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| | Kenya has an intriguing and colourful history, breathtaking countryside, spectacular wildlife and rich cultural diversity. Kenya more than any other African country, epitomises the image of Africa. The vast plains that make up the Serengeti (Tanzania) and the Masai Mara are the images that most western people have of Africa, and is the home of the traditional ‘African Safari’ as immortalised by Hemingway, Roosevelt, Finch-Hatton and others. Located on the equator, in East Africa, Kenya is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Kenya has a wonderful varied landscape that includes a part of Africa’s famous Great Rift Valley as well as the plateau’s and high mountains and is home to many different ethnic groups. Formerly a British colony, Kenya gained independence in 1963 and has been a republic since 1964. | | | Situation |
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| Kenya has a total area of 582,646 square kilometres, and falls on the equator, with its length from east to west about 890 km, and from north to south about 1,030 km. It is bounded in the north by Sudan and Ethiopia, on the east by Somalia and the Indian Ocean, on the south by Tanzania, and on the west by Lake Victoria and Uganda. Nairobi is the country's capital and largest city. | | | Geography |
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| Kenya is covered with volcanic rock that is split by faults, especially in the west. The Eastern Rift of the Great Rift Valley appears in Kenya as a massive depression, as wide as 50 to 65 km in some places, with cliffs reaching 900 m in height. The country falls into several topographical zones extending from sea level upward to lofty mountain ranges with elevations of more than 3,000 m. In the south-east, Kenya's coastline measures 536 km in length and is fringed with coral reefs. It is bordered by a narrow coastal plain, dotted with tropical forests. From the coast, the terrain rises to a series of low plateau’s that cover most of eastern and northern Kenya and range in elevation from about 150 to 1,000 m (about 500 to 3,000 ft). The region west of the plateaus, known as the Kenya highlands, consists of a series of higher plateaus, ranging from about 900 to 2,000 m (about 3,000 to 5,000 ft). Bisected from north to south by the Eastern Rift Valley, the Kenya highlands are divided into the Mau Escarpment on the east side of the Eastern Rift Valley and the Aberdare Range on the west side. These ranges are marked by numerous extinct volcanoes, the highest of which are Mount Kenya 5,199 m in central Kenya, and Mount Elgon 4,321 m on the country's western border. In the far west is the lower Lake Victoria basin, which includes the hilly regions to the north and south of Winam Gulf. Although earth tremors are felt periodically in Kenya's highlands, the country has experienced no volcanic activity or serious earthquakes over the past several centuries. | | | | Lakes and rivers |
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| Kenya's largest lake, excluding Lake Victoria on its western border, is Lake Turkana, in the north-west. Smaller lakes, including Lake Baringo, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivahsa, and Lake Magadi lie in or near the Eastern Rift. The country's major rivers include the Tana and Galana, known as the Athi in its upper course in the east, and the Kerio, Turkwel, and Nzoia in the west. Parts of each of these rivers are navigable by small vessels, but only the Tana is used by larger boats. Except for the Tana and some of its tributaries, most Kenyan rivers have not been used extensively for irrigation. | | | Travelling |
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| Kenya’s tourism industry is one of its major sources of income. The Masai Mara is world-renowned for the annual migration of wildebeest and zebra that takes place during the period of August/September. Although the migration is over a short concentrated period the wildlife is spectacular throughout the year. The savannah regions of east Africa are vast and prolific and provide the ideal location for an African Safari. The Mara is not the only reserve with Meru, Aberdare, Amboseli, Tsavo, Sabuk, Mt. Kenya, the Great Rift Valley, Lake Victoria and Mombasa, offering fantastic experiences of Africa. Wherever you choose to travel in Kenya you will encounter spectacular scenery and wildlife as well as encountering a wonderful vibrant and energetic people. | | | | |
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