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A region in Africa: Kenya

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Kenya, in East Africa, has snowy mountains, savanna, a coast on the Indian Ocean, and a fast-growing capital city.

Physical geography

Kenya lies in East Africa, with the Equator running through it and a coast on the Indian Ocean.
The Great Rift Valley runs north to south through the country, where tectonic plates are pulling apart. It has volcanoes, hot springs and lakes.
Mount Kenya (5,199 m) is Africa's second-highest mountain. Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake, lies on its south-west border.
The central highlands are cooler and wetter; the north is hot and dry. Most of Kenya has two rainy seasons: the long rains (about March to May) and the short rains (about October to December).

Human geography

Kenya became independent from Britain on 12 December 1963. Official languages: English and Swahili.
The capital, Nairobi, is a fast-growing city and a technology hub. Kenya was where the mobile phone money service M-Pesa launched in 2007. Nairobi also has large informal settlements, such as Kibera.
Mombasa is the main port on the Indian Ocean.

Economy and environment

Farming is very important. Kenya is one of the world's biggest tea exporters, and grows cut flowers (around Lake Naivasha) for Europe.
Tourism: safaris in parks like the Maasai Mara, famous for the great wildebeest migration, and beach holidays on the coast.
The Rift Valley provides geothermal energy (at Olkaria), a large source of Kenya's electricity.
Challenges include droughts in the north and pressure on wildlife habitats.
Worked example

Explain how the Great Rift Valley benefits Kenya.

  1. The Rift Valley formed where plates are pulling apart, so it is volcanic and hot underground.
  2. That heat is used to make geothermal electricity at Olkaria.
  3. Its lakes, volcanoes and wildlife also attract tourists, bringing jobs and money.

Answer: It provides geothermal energy and attracts tourists, both helping Kenya's economy.

Key idea

Kenya: East Africa, on the Equator and the Indian Ocean. Great Rift Valley, Mount Kenya (5,199 m), Lake Victoria; two rainy seasons. Independent 1963; English and Swahili. Nairobi (tech hub, M-Pesa, Kibera) and the port of Mombasa. Tea, cut flowers, safari tourism (Maasai Mara) and geothermal energy.

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