Fun Facts About Kenya

FUN FACTS ABOUT KENYA
By Alejandro Guevara Onofre

DID YOU KNOW…
Kenya is an African country with vast mountains and beautiful scenery. It is a diverse collection of coastal waters, sanbanks, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, and deserts. This land is home to a staggering diversity of plants and wild animals such as hippopotamus, cheetahs, hyenas, snakes, rhinoceros, lions, and leopards.

There are more than 65 national parks and wildlife preserves Each zone has distinct wildlife. Twenty hectares of rainforest contain more birds species than the whole of Europe. Much of Kenya’s native flora is not found anywhere else in the world.

Furthermore, Kenyan culture reflects a mixture of African, Indian, and British influences, similar in many respects to the traditions and superstitions of Uganda and Tanzania.

DID YOU KNOW…
Kenya, formerly known as British East Africa, became independent in 1963 and a republic in 1964.

DID YOU KNOW…
Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, is an international place with every kind of accommodation. Nairobi has many restaurants that serve everything from monkey to antelope.

DID YOU KNOW…
More than other Third World countries, Kenya is a multicultural country made up of numerous ethnic groups.

DID YOU KNOW…
The flag was designed by the Kenya Africa National Union (KANU); the dominant political party until 2002.

DID YOU KNOW…
Conservation is a global effort, and the African country is doing its part to conserve ecology’s bounty. Different from Peru and Ethiopia, Kenya has introduced wildlife conservation into the public school curriculum. The African country has an established record of cooperation with international conservation organizations.

DID YOU KNOW…
Kenya has become much more stable since the democratic elections of 2002.From 1963 to 2002, Kenya was a dictatorship.

DID YOU KNOW…
The Kenyan people have many idols: Henry Rono (runner), Richard Leakey (paleontologist and conservationist), Mama Ngima (ex-first lady of Kenya), Louise Leakey (paleontologist), Philip Leakey (businessman), Wangari Maathai (environmentalist), Grace Ogot (writer), Rebecca Njau (writer), and Kipchoge Keino (runner).

DID YOU KNOW…
In 2004, Wangari Maathai received the Nobel Prize for Peace for her dedication to women’s rights, ecology, and democracy. Wangari became the second woman from Africa to win the Nobel Prize. She is a really important model for the world.

DID YOU KNOW…
Since 1963, the economy has revolted around tourism. Kenya is one of the most prosperous black African countries.

DID YOU KNOW…
Paul Evans, a British runner, once said, "Only two Europeans men have made the stop three at the past four Olympics, one being the Italian Baldini, who won in Athens". It is a problem of numbers. There are not many Europeans. In Kenya, you have tens and tens of new athletes every year…

Certainly, Kenya is famous for its athletes. Physical education is an important subject in every primary school, secondary school and college. The African country is the birthplace of Henry Rono, one of the best runners in the 20th century. In 1978, Henry broke four world’s records: the 3,000 meters steeplechase (8:05.4), the 5,000 (13:08.4), the 3,000 meters (7:32.1), and the 10,000 meters (7.32.1).In 1980, Henry qualified for the Kenyan Olympic team at the 1980 Moscow Games. But Kenya boycotted that year’s Olympics in Moscow to protest the USSR’s invasion of Afghanistan. This supreme athlete, the idol of millions of Kenyans, is a symbol in Africa.

Today Kenyan Bernard Barmasai is the fastest man in the 3,000 meters steeplechase with a time of 7 minutes, 55.72s.

DID YOU KNOW…
UNESCO has declared Lake Turkana National Park and Mount Kenya National Park World Heritage Sites.

DID YOU KNOW…
In fact, Isak Dinesen, best known as Karen Dixen, loved Kenya so much. Her first novel Out of Africa (1938) focuses on Kenya’s scenery. Furthermore, Out of Africa was also the basis of a 1985 Hollywood film starring Meryl Streep, one of the best American actresses.

DID YOU KNOW…
The most popular sports are cricket, track and field, box, soccer, volleyball, rugby, tennis, and field hockey.