About Kenya
The area of present-day Kenya is considered one of the oldest known regions of human settlement on Earth. The skeletal remains of the early human Homo erectus were discovered in Kenya. The country covers an area of 580,370 km².
To the north, Kenya borders South Sudan and Ethiopia, to the northeast Somalia, to the south Tanzania, to the southeast the Indian Ocean, to the southwest Lake Victoria, and to the west Uganda.
The highest mountain peak, at 5,199 meters, is Mount Kenya in Kirinyaga County. Around 56.4 million people live in Kenya, with about a quarter of the population residing in cities. Nairobi is both the largest city and the capital of the country.
Life expectancy in Kenya is 65.9 years for women and 61.5 years for men, compared to 84 years for women and 79.2 years for men in Austria.
Kenya gained independence within the Commonwealth of Nations in December 1963 and became a republic in 1964. It has also been a member of the United Nations since 1963. The official languages are Swahili and English. The currency is the Kenyan shilling (KES), and the country’s GDP is approximately €111.18 billion.
The Corruption Perceptions Index is 32 (poor) and the unemployment rate is 5.4%. In comparison, Austria has a GDP of €494.08 billion, the Corruption Perceptions Index is 67 (moderate) and the unemployment rate is 5.4%. The data must always be considered with the current corruption index in mind.
The climate in Kenya is mainly influenced by its proximity to the equator, the altitude, and the influence of the Indian Ocean, and shows strong regional differences. Along the coast there is a humid tropical climate with temperatures between 24 °C and 32 °C, while the central highlands around Nairobi, at about 1,600 meters above sea level, are significantly cooler with temperatures ranging from 10 °C to 26 °C. The dry regions in the north and in the Great Rift Valley can reach temperatures of up to 35 °C during the day, while the mountainous regions are considerably cooler and temperatures can occasionally drop to close to 0 °C.
The wildlife of Kenya is very diverse; here you can encounter Lion, Zebra, Cheetah, Wildebeest, Antelope, Gazelle, Giraffe, African buffalo, Rhinoceros, Baboon, and African elephant.
Credentials:
Klein-Arendt R, (2007) Kenia. Die Außenpolitik der Staaten Afrikas. Brill | Schöningh. 174–184.
Doi: https://doi.org/10.30965/9783657764730_022
Länderdaten und Statistiken- Kenia (27.01.2026) https://www.laenderdaten.info/Afrika/Kenia/index.php
Länderdaten und Statistiken- Österreich
(27.01.2026) https://www.laenderdaten.info/Europa/Oesterreich/index.php
Länderdaten und Statistiken- Mitgliedsstaaten der UN- United Nations
(27.01.2026) https://www.laenderdaten.info/staatenbuendnis/un-united-nations.php