About Kenya

Kenya at a glance

Country information, government structure, national symbols, public holidays and official reference links for visitors, investors, partners, students and the Kenyan diaspora.

Country snapshot

General overview

Kenya is an East African republic with a strategic location on the Indian Ocean, a young and dynamic population, and a growing role as a regional hub for diplomacy, trade, transport, finance, tourism, technology and innovation.

Nairobi is the capital city and a major diplomatic, commercial and technology centre. Other important urban centres include Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret. Kenya borders Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia, and serves as a gateway to the East African region.

Official nameRepublic of Kenya

Capital cityNairobi

Official languagesEnglish and Kiswahili

CurrencyKenyan Shilling

GovernmentNational Government and 47 County Governments

PopulationSee latest KNBS data

ConstitutionConstitution of Kenya, 2010

Governance

Government and Constitution

Executive

The President is Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces. Official updates and information on the Presidency are published by the Office of the President.

Visit Office of the President

Parliament

Kenya has a bicameral Parliament made up of the National Assembly and the Senate. Parliament enacts legislation, represents citizens and provides oversight.

Visit Parliament of Kenya

Judiciary

The Judiciary is an independent arm of government responsible for exercising judicial authority and administering justice under the Constitution and laws of Kenya.

Visit the Judiciary

County Governments

Kenya’s devolved system includes 47 County Governments that work alongside the National Government to deliver services and advance local development.

Visit Council of Governors

The Constitution

The Constitution of Kenya, 2010 is the supreme law of the Republic and provides the framework for governance, rights, citizenship, devolution and public institutions.

Read the Constitution

Government services

Many public services are accessed through digital government platforms. For consular users, service-specific links are also provided under Consular Services and Official Links.

Visit eCitizen

Diplomatic hub

United Nations Office in Nairobi

Kenya hosts the United Nations Office in Nairobi, one of the four major United Nations duty stations globally and the only one in the Global South. This reinforces Nairobi's role as a diplomatic, environmental, humanitarian and multilateral hub.

National identity

National symbols and national days

The Constitution identifies Kenya’s national symbols as the national flag, national anthem, coat of arms and public seal. Kenya’s national days are Madaraka Day, observed on 1 June; Mashujaa Day, observed on 20 October; and Jamhuri Day, observed on 12 December.

The Consulate publishes local closure notices when Kenyan or United States public holidays affect office operations in Los Angeles.

National Symbols and Days Consulate Notices

Official references

Useful links for About Kenya

ConstitutionKenya Law ExecutiveOffice of the President LegislatureParliament JusticeJudiciary StatisticsKNBS Foreign affairsMinistry of Foreign & Diaspora Affairs Country brandMake It Kenya