Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Kenya, here I come!

Hi friends! I leave for Nairobi in 1 week (!!!) so I thought I'd give you some Kenya information.
Kenya is part of East Africa - on the Indian Ocean, bordered by Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Kenya is roughly twice the size of Nevada.
Highest elevation: Mount Kenya (where glaciers are found!) at 5199 m
Capital City: Nairobi
Climate where I will be (as it varies throughout the country): 60's in evenings/mornings, 80's in day; the rainy season will just be beginning when I arrive
Population: approx. 33,829,590
- approx. 42.5% of population is under age 14 and the median age is 18
- approx. 6.7% of population suffers from AIDS (2003 est.)
- high literacy rate of approx. 85.1%
Religions: 45% Protestant, 33% Roman Catholic, 10% Indigenous beliefs, 10% Muslim
Official languages: English and Swahili (there are numerous native tongues spoken throughout the country)
Some exciting natural wonders include several national parks as well as a Giraffe Centre and and animal orphanage - you can see lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras, wildebeests, giraffes and many many other animals in these different parks.
Some famous people/movies made in or about Kenya: Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen); I dreamed of Afrika by Kiki Galman (not sure if that's the right last name)
Fun Swahili for: hello = jambo; friend = rafiki; safari = journey

Just a taste...I'm so pumped, what a fantastic place to adventure in!!!

(all info from the CIA World Factbook and the Lonely Planet Guide to Kenya)

1 comment:

sarita said...

ha, you make me laugh brandi! thanks! i wish you could come with me : ) another time i suppose...