Overview

Kenya, also called the Republic of Kenya is an East African country named after Mount Kenya. The country motto is ‘Harambee’ which literally means “all pull together” in Swahili. Its capital city Nairobi is a regional centre of commerce. It is a country famous for its safaris and wildlife reserves. Kenya has considerable land area devoted to wildlife habitats, including the Masai Mara, where Blue Wildebeest and other bovids participate in a large scale annual migration.

Kenya is the largest country in eastern Africa, with a population of approximately 38.6 million people (1). The population has tripled in the past 40 years. Approximately 43 per cent of Kenyans are under the age of 15 (1). The estimated prevalence of HIV in Kenya has declined since the mid-1990s and now appears to have stabilised (2). HIV prevalence among people aged 15-49 year olds is estimated to be 6.3 per cent, although rates vary across regions and population groups (3). Between 1.3 and 1.6 million people are estimated to be living with HIV (2).

1. Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (2010) Population and Housing Census 2009
2. UNGASS on HIV and AIDS (2010) Country Report – Kenya
3. Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (2010) Demographic and Health Survey 2008-09

The Masai Mara, Kenya