Fun Facts

Kenya will be my new “home-country,” if you will.  

So, what can I tell you about it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10. Kenya spans an area about 85% the size of France or Texas; Nairobi, its capital, is the second largest city in Africa.

9.  Swahili (Kiswahili) is the nation’s single, most widely used language in Kenya, and its official language.  About 35% of the Swahili vocabulary derives from Arabic.

8. Kenya is a presidential, representative, democratic party, whereby the President (currently, Mwai Kibaki) is both the head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system.

7. The Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa.  One of their largest natural resources and exports is coffee, tea, and petroleum products.   

6.  Kenya is known for its amazing landscape “tour” spots–Mount Kenya, the Nairobi National Park, Mt. Kilimanjaro, the Great Rift Valley, the coast of Mombassa, Victoria Falls, and much more.

5.  I am bringing a rain-jacket and galoshes.  It RAINS a lot!  The long rain season occurs from April to June. The short rain season occurs from October to December.  The hottest period is from February to March and coldest in July to August. 

4. Most Kenyans are Christian, with 45% regarding themselves as Protestant and 33% as Roman Catholic.

3.  Kenya uses an Education system called 8-4-4, which emphasizes vocational subjects and degrees. 

2.  At the Beijing Olympics, 5 gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze medal were awarded to Kenyan athletes, making it Africa’s most successful Nation in the 2008 Olympics.  They even have a Rugby Union being formed!

1.  The book,Weep Not, Child, is one of the best known books of Kenya. It was written by Ngugi wa Thiong’o, and is an illustration of life in Kenya during the British occupation, and focuses on the themes of love, education, and colonialism.

More on Rift Valley Academy later!