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Kenya Travel GuideINTRODUCTION The east African nation of Kenya is bordered on land by Ethiopia, Uganda, Somalia, Tanzania, and Sudan, and to the southeast by the Indian Ocean. It has a population of 34 million, where about 3 million reside in Nairobi, the nation's capital. The country is rich in natural beauty with abundant wildlife such as Tsavo national park, Samburu and the famous Masai Mara. There are many places for climbing and hill walking around Mount Kenya as well as places to sit back and relax along the beaches of Mombassa and Malindi, and Lake Nakuru, and Lake Turkana in the North. The island of Lamu is also a "must-sea" destination off the coast of Kenya. HISTORY Humans have likely inhabited Africa’s east coast for at least two million years. By the first century CE, the area had an influential role in trade. Its Arab neighbors used Kenya as a trade center, letting goods from central Africa make their way to the coast. In 1498, the Portuguese came to Kenya in order to set up naval ports to control the Indian Ocean. Arabs from Oman fought with the Portuguese until the Portuguese withdrew in 1730. The Omani Arabs strictly controlled the area until the British outlawed the slave trade and managing Kenya became more difficult and less profitable. The British established a protectorate, British East Africa, in the late 19th century – roughly modern Kenya. In 1963, the bloody “Mau Mau” rebellion that had lasted over ten years overthrew the British, and Kenya won its independence. Under its first two presidents, Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel arap Moi, Kenya operated under a single-party government, until 1992, when the public rallied for and outside powers insisted on multi-party elections. Though technically multiparty, Kenya had Moi as its president for ten more years, due to corruption and conflict. The 2002 election brought the opposition into power under Mwai Kibaki, who caused some reform but not as much as the people had hoped. Massive conflict broke out after the 2007 election. The party candidates came from two different tribes, one Luo and one Kikuyu, making any suspected fraud into a tribal insult. More than 1,000 people died in three months. Since then, several constitutions and power balances have brought relative peace. ATTRACTIONS HISTORY KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Capital: Nairobi Languages: English, Kiswahili, and native languages. Time Zone: UTC+3 Climate: Hot all year round. Currency: Kenyan Shilling Power: 240V, 50 Hz RESTAURANTS NIGHTLIFE LODGING PERSONAL STORIES 
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