KenyaGeography
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Location: |
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania
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Geographic coordinates: |
1 00 N, 38 00 E
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Map references: |
Africa
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Area: |
total: 582,650 sq km
land: 569,250 sq km
water: 13,400 sq km
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Area - comparative: |
slightly more than twice the size of Nevada
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Land boundaries: |
total: 3,477 km
border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km
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Coastline: |
536 km
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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Climate: |
varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
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Terrain: |
low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m
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Natural resources: |
limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower
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Land use: |
arable land: 8.08%
permanent crops: 0.98%
other: 90.94% (2001)
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Irrigated land: |
670 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards: |
recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons
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Environment - current issues: |
water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching
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Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note: |
the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value |
More about Kenya:
Introduction
People
Government
Economy
Communications
Transportation
Military
Transnational Issues
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