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

Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, will build a 700,000-barrels per day east African oil refinery in Lamu on the Kenya coast, a senior company official said Tuesday, ending speculation over the mega-project's location.

From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026

Realizing they were unmoved, he stalled by asking for time to consult on the fee, while calling senior officials at the Kenya Copyright Board.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 5, 2026

He warned that the new curriculum, which was designed to address inequality in education - free for all children in Kenya - could end up doing the opposite if the problems were not urgently addressed.

From BBC • Jul. 4, 2026

Its competitors have accused it of irregular business practices, including winning illegal tax breaks in Kenya and swamping the market with bikes before the battery infrastructure is in place to handle the load.

From Barron's • Jun. 30, 2026

I go home to Kenya during the school vacations, and I spend two or three weeks with her, telling her what I’m doing and finding out from her about life at home.

From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola