Kenya

American  

[ken-yuh, keen-] / ˈkɛn jə, ˈkin- /

noun

1. a republic in E Africa: member of the Commonwealth of Nations; formerly a British crown colony and protectorate. 223,478 sq. mi. (578,808 sq. km). Nairobi.

2. Mount, an extinct volcano in central Kenya. 17,040 feet (5,194 meters).

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Kenya British  

/ ˈkɛnjə, ˈkiːnjə /

noun

1. a republic in E Africa, on the Indian Ocean: became a British protectorate in 1895 and a colony in 1920; gained independence in 1963 and is a member of the Commonwealth. Tea and coffee constitute about a third of the total exports. Official languages: Swahili and English. Religions: Christian majority, animist minority. Currency: shilling. Capital: Nairobi. Pop: 44 037 656 (2013 est). Area: 582 647 sq km (224 960 sq miles)

2. Local name: Kirinyaga.  an extinct volcano in central Kenya: the second highest mountain in Africa; girth at 2400 m (8000 ft) is about 150 km (95 miles). The regions above 3200 m (10 500 ft) constitute Mount Kenya National Park . Height: 5199 m (17 058 ft)

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Kenya Cultural  

1. Republic in eastern Africa bordered by Sudan and Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the east, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, Tanzania to the southwest, and Uganda to the west. Its capital and largest city is Nairobi.

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Discover More

The Great Rift Valley in Kenya is the site of some major archaeological discoveries, including remains of the earliest known humans.

Other Word Forms

• Kenyan
  adjective

Example Sentences

I’ve seen community health workers in action in Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Malawi, among many others, as well as in Congo’s Ituri province, not far from the town where this current outbreak occurred.

From Slate • Jun. 9, 2026

A US official told the BBC that Kenya was selected due to "proximity, airports in the region having limited capability, and to ensure Americans can be treated in a timely manner".

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

It follows a controversial health deal between the two countries last year, in which Kenya agreed to hand over vast amounts of health data to the US in exchange for billions of dollars in aid.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

Freeman joined the Army in 2016 and had also served in South Sudan, Cyprus, the Falklands, Jordan, Romania and Kenya.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

This visit was a long way from my first trip to Kenya in 1991, when I’d ridden around with Barack in matatus and pushed Auma’s broken-down VW along the side of a dusty road.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama