Location: | Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania |
| Geographic coordinates: | 1 00 N, 38 00 E |
| Map references: | Africa |
| Area: | total: 582,650 sq km
water: 13,400 sq km
land: 569,250 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly more than twice the size of Nevada |
| Land boundaries: | total: 3,477 km
border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km |
| Coastline: | 536 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
| Climate: | varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior |
| Terrain: | low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m |
| Natural resources: | gold, limestone, soda ash, salt, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife, hydropower |
| Land use: | arable land: 8.08%
permanent crops: 0.98%
other: 90.94% (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | 670 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural hazards: | recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons |
| 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 |
| Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, 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 |
| 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
Source: CIA World Factbook
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