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KENYA |
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| Size km/s | 580367 |
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| Population | 24080000 | |
| Time Difference | +2 hours from GMT | |
| Currency | Kenyan
Shilling, US $ or Travellers' cheques |
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| GB Embassy number | 00254 2714 699 | |
| Main Religion | Roman Catholic ,Protestant, other Christianity | |
| For Kenya/Uganda photo page click here | ||
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Geography |
| Nairobi (the capital) and Mombassa dominate this east African country. Straddling the equator, Kenya stretches from Lake Victoria in the West to the Indian Ocean in the East. The Rift Valley dissects the country from North to South. East of this is arid, West of this is hot and humid, while the highlands are cooler and the rainfall is heavier. Apart from the Tana River, most natural watercourses disappear in dry seasons. Kenya is famous for its savannah safari. For information on the geography of locations visited click here |
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Culture |
| Originally nomadic, Kenya is a country of rich and diverse cultural traditions. Newly formed libraries and museums have been established by the National Archive Service to develop wildlife and archaeological collections. Music, Dance and Painting play an integral role in Religious and village life. |
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Society |
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98% of the population of Kenya are African, the majority are in the fertile South and are Bantu people. The North and West is occupied by Nilotes- a village people with a pastoral lifestyle who have been subject to famine, drought and desertification Bantu and English are the official languages although the multipurpose language is Swahili. Recent population explosion in Kenya has resulted in the country’s inability to generate finance for housing and education, although state funded primary and secondary education is relatively good. Kenya’s judicial system acknowledges the validity of Islamic law and indigenous customs. |
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Economy |
| Kenya’s mixed economic policy has suffered due to drought and rising oil prices. Unemployment has spiraled and many areas suffer from chronic poverty. Coffee and tea are the main exchange earners and agriculture dominates the Kenyan economy. |
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Health, Safety and Crime |
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Non of the countries visited are classified as medium or high risk (as of 8/5/03) although it is worth visiting the website for the Home Office for up to date info and advice regarding medical requirements, political stability and general safety advice in these regions. www.fco.gov.uk Petty crime is to be expected as it is in the UK. This can be a problem if students/tourists don’t think defensively – Stay in groups, keep passports in a communal safe, be cautious after dark- whether in urban or country environments, and stay with or take advice from local guides- they know the place better than anyone. |
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UGANDA |
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| Size km/s | 235880 km/s |
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| Population | 17,000, 000 | |
| Time Difference | +2 hours from GMT | |
| Currency | UK sterling, US $ or Ugandan shilling | |
| GB Embassy number | 00 256 78 31 2000 | |
| Main Religion | RomanCatholic , Protestantism, Sunni Islam |
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Geography |
| A landlocked country in east central Africa, the capital city, Kampala, is built around seven hills near the shores of Lake Victoria (the worlds’ second largest freshwater lake). Most of the rivers are seasonal and even the watercourses feeding the Nile River are not permanent. Uganda is probably known best for its’ volcanic Virunga mountain range which borders Rwanda and the Congo and is Mountain Gorilla territory. |
| Culture |
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With literacy slowly increasing, especially in the urban areas, cultural diversity is expanding and a wide variety of lifestyles may be experienced. Theatre plays a large part in entertaining and informing the public, although video booths in smaller rural trading centers are becoming more popular. Both include education regarding gender related sexually transmitted diseases. Sports play a big part in local culture, football is the most popular in the urban areas. In the countryside festivals and ritual celebrations fill the year. Each ethnic group are guaranteed their cultural heritage. The staple diet is matoke, root and other vegetable based foods . |
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Society |
| Uganda is inhabited by a large number of ethnic groups, the main being Bantu (90%) and Nilotic (9%). English is the official language, although there are 32 recognised languages. Divided into ten provinces, Uganda is a republic and a member of the Commonwealth and is one of the few African countries to champion women's rights. Many of the oldest schools in Uganda were established by Christian missionaries and Uganda’s educational system has superseded this, offering primary, secondary and further education. Makerere University in Kampala was the first HE in East Central Africa. |
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Economy |
| The economy is basically agricultural and is also reliant on reserves of copper, gold, apatite and tungsten. Political instability has impeded the economic growth although this has improved rapidly during the 1990s. Praised by the World Bank, Uganda has been able to focus on eradicating poverty and distributing wealth. |
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Health, Safety and Crime |
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Non of the countries visited are classified as medium or high risk (as of 8/5/03) although it is worth visiting the website for the Home Office for up to date info and advice regarding medical requirements, political stability and general safety advice in these regions. www.fco.gov.uk Petty crime is to be expected as it is in the UK. This can be a problem if students/tourists don’t think defensively – Stay in groups, keep passports in a communal safe, be cautious after dark- whether in urban or country environments, and stay with or take advice from local guides- they know the place better than anyone. |
