Kenya is the 43rd largest country in the world situated in the east coast of Africa along the equator. The country borders Ethiopia to the north, Tanzania to the south and Uganda to the west. It is mostly termed as the cradle of mankind since archaeologists and palaeontologists have discovered very ancient remains of man which shows the earliest evidence of the ancestors of man. Kenya has a population of 41.6 million people (Kenya Ministry of Finance and Planning, 2009). The currency used in the country is the Kenyan shilling. Kenya’s capital city is Nairobi which acts as the commercial herb for the country.
Languages Spoken in Kenya
Kenya is a multilingual country comprising of 42 tribes. Despite the many tribes, the most dominant languages that are commonly used in the country are Swahili and English. The national language of the country though is Swahili which is spoken by almost everyone in the country, even the most illiterate people in the country know some basic Swahili. Pure forms of Swahili is spoken along the coast of Kenya where it originated from. Swahili is not only spoken in Kenya, it is among the most common African languages and is also used in other eastern African countries like Uganda, Tanzania, Zaire, Burundi and Rwanda. English on the other hand is commonly used in Kenya when it comes to formal business settings and in schools, universities and colleges. English was first introduced in the country by British colonialists (Pateman, 2004).
Dominant Religions in Kenya
The two major religions in Kenya are Christianity and Muslim. Christianity though is the religion that is practiced by the largest part of the population, about 82% of the Kenyan population are Christians. Christianity was introduced in the country before colonial rule by missionaries who converted most Kenyans to the faith. Muslim on the other hand is the second largest religion practised in Kenya. It is estimated that 11% of the Kenyan population practice Muslim (Pateman, 2004). Other religions practiced in Kenya are Buddhism, Hinduism and other indigenous traditional religions.
Kenya’s Historical figures
There are many historical figures in Kenya who are known for the famous things they did for the country. The most common historical figure in Kenya is the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta who the first president of the republic of Kenya. He is famous for being at the forefront of freedom fighting in the colonial era. He is termed as the founding father of Kenya among other politicians. Another major historical figure in Kenya is Prof. Wangari Maathai. She is the first woman in Africa to become a Nobel laureate. She won the 2004 Nobel peace prize for her major efforts in sustainable development and the fight for human rights. Field marshal Dedan Kimathi is also among the major historical figures in Kenya, he was a freedom fighter for the Mau Mau revolution to drive out the British colonialists (Hornsby, 2012).
Things that Make Kenya a Unique Country
The very first thing that makes Kenya a unique country is the wildlife. Kenya is home to many national parks and game reserves. The savannah grasslands of Kenya are endowed with rich wildlife that attracts a lot of tourists to the country. The great wildebeest migration that happens every year in Kenya and Tanzania is one of the most amazing spectacles in the world. Over 2 million wildebeests and other animals migrate from the Maasai Mara game national park in Kenya to the Serengeti national park in Tanzania. There is nowhere in the world where such a large number of wild animals migrate. In fact, this spectacle is considered among the Seven Wonders of the World. It is a great tourist attraction for Kenya and it makes the country unique (Briggs et al, 2009).
Kenya is also unique because of the success of its athletes. Kenya has been blessed with excellent athletes who hold many world records especially in long races and marathons. Because of this, Kenya secures many medals in any Olympic competitions in athletics. This makes the country very unique. The uniqueness of Kenya also emanates from the rich cultural diversity that the country possesses (Wirz, 2006).
Kenya is a country that is showing much promise in the future in terms of development. Among all the east African countries, it is the one with the highest GDP. Despite the violence that hit the country in 2007 due to political differences among the people, the country is getting back on track and the people are now living in peace.
Works cited
Briggs, Philip, and Lizzie Williams. Kenya. London: DK, 2009. Print.
Hornsby, Charles. Kenya: A History Since Independence. New York: I.B. Tauris, 2012. Internet resource.
Kenya. Nairobi: Ministry of Finance and Planning, 2009. Print.
Pateman, Robert. Kenya. New York: Benchmark Books, 2004. Print.
Wirz, Jurg. Run to Win: The Training Secrets of the Kenyan Runners. Aachen: Meyer & Meyer Sport, 2006. Print.
