| Demographics ofKenya | |
|---|---|
 Population pyramid of Kenya in 2020 | |
| Population | 51,044,355 (2022 est.) |
| Growth rate | 2.12% (2022 est.) |
| Birth rate | 26.39 births/1,000 population |
| Death rate | 5.01 deaths/1,000 population |
| Life expectancy | 69.69 years |
| • male | 67.98 years |
| • female | 71.43 years |
| Fertility rate | 3.19 children born/woman (2024)[1] |
| Infant mortality rate | 27.86 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Net migration rate | -0.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population |
| Nationality | |
| Nationality | Kenyan |
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TheDemographics of Kenya is monitored by the Kenyan National Bureau of Statistics.Kenya is amulti-ethnic state inEast Africa. Its total population was at 47,558,296 as of the 2019 census.[2]
A national census was conducted in 1999, although the results were never released. A new census was undertaken in 2009, but turned out to be controversial, as the questions about ethnic affiliation seemed inappropriate after theethnic violence of the previous year.[3] Preliminary results of the census were published in 2010.[4]
Kenya's population was reported as 47.6 million during the 2019 census compared to 38.6 million inhabitants 2009, 30.7 million in 1999, 21.4 million in 1989, and 15.3 million in 1979.[5] This was an increase of a factor of 2.5 over 30 years, or an average growth rate of more than 3 percent per year. The population growth rate has been reported as reduced during the 2000s, and was estimated at 2.7 percent (as of 2010), resulting in an estimate of 46.5 million in 2016.[6] As of 2024 Kenya has770,255 refugees and asylum seekers[7]
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According to the 2022 revision of theWorld Population Prospects[8][9], the total population was 53,005,614 in 2021 compared to 6,077,000 in 1950, and around 1,700,000 in 1900. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 42.5%, 54.9% between the ages of 15 and 65, and 2.7% was 65 years or older.[10] Worldometers estimates the total population at 48,466,928 inhabitants, a 29th global rank.[11]
| Year | Total population | Population percentage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aged 0–14 | aged 15–64 | aged 65+ | ||
| 1950 | 6 077 000 | 39.8% | 56.3% | 3.9% |
| 1955 | 6 980 000 | 42.8% | 53.4% | 3.8% |
| 1960 | 8 105 000 | 46.4% | 49.9% | 3.7% |
| 1965 | 9 505 000 | 48.4% | 48.0% | 3.6% |
| 1970 | 11 252 000 | 49.1% | 47.5% | 3.4% |
| 1975 | 13 486 000 | 49.6% | 47.1% | 3.3% |
| 1980 | 16 268 000 | 50.0% | 47.1% | 3.0% |
| 1985 | 19 655 000 | 50.0% | 47.2% | 2.8% |
| 1990 | 23 447 000 | 49.0% | 48.3% | 2.7% |
| 1995 | 27 426 000 | 46.5% | 50.8% | 2.7% |
| 2000 | 31 254 000 | 44.3% | 52.9% | 2.8% |
| 2005 | 35 615 000 | 42.7% | 54.5% | 2.8% |
| 2010 | 40 513 000 | 42.5% | 54.9% | 2.7% |
| 2019 | 47 564 296 | 39.0% | 57.1% | 3.9% |
Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 24.VIII.2009):[12]
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 19 192 458 | 19 417 639 | 38 610 097 | 100 |
| 0–4 | 3 000 439 | 2 938 867 | 5 939 306 | 15.38 |
| 5–9 | 2 832 669 | 2 765 047 | 5 597 716 | 14.50 |
| 10–14 | 2 565 313 | 2 469 542 | 5 034 855 | 13.04 |
| 15–19 | 2 123 653 | 2 045 890 | 4 169 543 | 10.80 |
| 20–24 | 1 754 105 | 2 020 998 | 3 775 103 | 9.78 |
| 25–29 | 1 529 116 | 1 672 110 | 3 201 226 | 8.29 |
| 30–34 | 1 257 035 | 1 262 471 | 2 519 506 | 6.53 |
| 35–39 | 1 004 361 | 1 004 271 | 2 008 632 | 5.20 |
| 40–44 | 743 594 | 732 575 | 1 476 169 | 3.82 |
| 45–49 | 635 276 | 637 469 | 1 272 745 | 3.30 |
| 50–54 | 478 346 | 477 860 | 956 206 | 2.48 |
| 55–59 | 359 466 | 352 497 | 711 953 | 1.84 |
| 60–64 | 295 197 | 298 581 | 593 778 | 1.54 |
| 65-69 | 183 151 | 207 612 | 390 763 | 1.01 |
| 70-74 | 160 301 | 179 000 | 339 301 | 0.88 |
| 75-79 | 99 833 | 118 675 | 218 508 | 0.57 |
| 80+ | 159 125 | 224 576 | 383 701 | 0.99 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Percent |
| 0–14 | 8 398 421 | 8 173 456 | 16 571 877 | 42.92 |
| 15–64 | 10 191 627 | 10 514 320 | 20 705 947 | 53.63 |
| 65+ | 602 410 | 729 863 | 1 332 273 | 3.45 |
| Unknown | 11 478 | 9 608 | 21 086 | 0.05 |
Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 24.VIII.2019) (The figure for both sexes includes intersex persons.):[13]
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 23 544 372 | 24 011 270 | 47 557 157 | 100 |
| 0–4 | 3 005 496 | 2 985 484 | 5 991 128 | 12.60 |
| 5–9 | 3 116 101 | 3 084 445 | 6 200 719 | 13.04 |
| 10–14 | 3 209 544 | 3 136 149 | 6 345 864 | 13.34 |
| 15–19 | 2 686 476 | 2 599 905 | 5 286 535 | 11.12 |
| 20–24 | 2 112 777 | 2 335 052 | 4 448 037 | 9.35 |
| 25–29 | 1 839 256 | 2 014 546 | 3 853 955 | 8.10 |
| 30–34 | 1 698 354 | 1 871 625 | 3 570 133 | 7.51 |
| 35–39 | 1 347 962 | 1 301 624 | 2 649 679 | 5.57 |
| 40–44 | 1 156 932 | 1 101 867 | 2 258 861 | 4.75 |
| 45–49 | 916 166 | 869 740 | 1 785 957 | 3.76 |
| 50–54 | 662 864 | 645 463 | 1 308 371 | 2.75 |
| 55–59 | 546 852 | 571 000 | 1 117 878 | 2.35 |
| 60–64 | 419 362 | 450 447 | 869 837 | 1.83 |
| 65-69 | 311 281 | 346 756 | 658 052 | 1.38 |
| 70-74 | 235 929 | 278 507 | 514 453 | 1.08 |
| 75-79 | 119 265 | 163 799 | 283 071 | 0.60 |
| 80-84 | 82 909 | 120 944 | 203 856 | 0.43 |
| 85-89 | 43 948 | 69 635 | 113 587 | 0.24 |
| 90-94 | 19 225 | 35 866 | 55 095 | 0.12 |
| 95-99 | 9 768 | 18 233 | 28 001 | 0.06 |
| 100+ | 3 905 | 10 183 | 14 088 | 0.03 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Percent |
| 0–14 | 9 331 141 | 9 206 078 | 18 537 711 | 38.98 |
| 15–64 | 13 387 001 | 13 761 269 | 27 149 243 | 57.09 |
| 65+ | 826 230 | 1 043 923 | 1 870 203 | 3.93 |
| Province | 2019 |
|---|---|
| Kenya (country total) | 47,564,296 |
| Nairobi (capital city) | 4,397,073 |
| Central | 5,482,239 |
| Coast | 4,329,474 |
| Eastern | 6,821,049 |
| North Eastern | 2,490,073 |
| Nyanza | 6,269,579 |
| Rift Valley | 12,752,966 |
| Western | 5,021,843 |
Numbers are in thousands. UN medium variant projections[10]
Registration of vital events is in Kenya not complete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates.[15]
| Period | Population per year | Live births per year | Deaths per year | Natural change per year | CBR* | CDR* | NC* | TFR* | IMR* | Life expectancy (in years) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 5 712 000 | 285,000 | 167,000 | 118,000 | 49.5 | 28.9 | 20.6 | 7.33 | 162.2 | 38.90 |
| 1951 | 5 836 000 | 299,000 | 166,000 | 133,000 | 50.7 | 28.1 | 22.6 | 7.36 | 161.2 | 39.09 |
| 1952 | 5 975 000 | 313,000 | 168,000 | 146,000 | 51.8 | 27.8 | 24.1 | 7.39 | 159.4 | 38.95 |
| 1953 | 6 122 000 | 328,000 | 163,000 | 165,000 | 52.8 | 26.3 | 26.5 | 7.42 | 152.2 | 40.32 |
| 1954 | 6 282 000 | 342,000 | 159,000 | 183,000 | 53.7 | 25.0 | 28.7 | 7.45 | 145.3 | 41.69 |
| 1955 | 6 461 000 | 356,000 | 156,000 | 200,000 | 54.3 | 23.8 | 30.5 | 7.48 | 138.9 | 42.96 |
| 1956 | 6 657 000 | 372,000 | 154,000 | 219,000 | 55.0 | 22.7 | 32.3 | 7.53 | 132.9 | 44.12 |
| 1957 | 6 871 000 | 388,000 | 149,000 | 239,000 | 55.5 | 21.3 | 34.2 | 7.59 | 127.3 | 45.83 |
| 1958 | 7 104 000 | 403,000 | 148,000 | 255,000 | 55.6 | 20.4 | 35.2 | 7.60 | 122.2 | 46.88 |
| 1959 | 7 343 000 | 414,000 | 146,000 | 268,000 | 55.4 | 19.5 | 35.8 | 7.62 | 117.5 | 47.77 |
| 1960 | 7 609 000 | 428,000 | 145,000 | 283,000 | 55.2 | 18.6 | 36.5 | 7.63 | 113.2 | 48.68 |
| 1961 | 7 894 000 | 446,000 | 144,000 | 302,000 | 55.5 | 17.9 | 37.6 | 7.72 | 109.4 | 49.53 |
| 1962 | 8 201 000 | 465,000 | 144,000 | 321,000 | 55.6 | 17.2 | 38.4 | 7.80 | 106.0 | 50.22 |
| 1963 | 8 526 000 | 482,000 | 145,000 | 338,000 | 55.5 | 16.6 | 38.8 | 7.86 | 103.1 | 50.81 |
| 1964 | 8 868 000 | 500,000 | 146,000 | 354,000 | 55.2 | 16.1 | 39.1 | 7.92 | 100.6 | 51.33 |
| 1965 | 9 227 000 | 521,000 | 148,000 | 373,000 | 55.3 | 15.7 | 39.6 | 8.03 | 98.7 | 51.70 |
| 1966 | 9 608 000 | 539,000 | 150,000 | 388,000 | 54.9 | 15.3 | 39.6 | 8.06 | 97.0 | 52.10 |
| 1967 | 9 997 000 | 555,000 | 153,000 | 402,000 | 54.4 | 15.0 | 39.4 | 8.05 | 95.5 | 52.46 |
| 1968 | 10 405 000 | 572,000 | 155,000 | 417,000 | 53.8 | 14.6 | 39.3 | 8.04 | 94.0 | 52.78 |
| 1969 | 10 823 000 | 589,000 | 157,000 | 433,000 | 53.4 | 14.2 | 39.2 | 8.03 | 92.4 | 53.17 |
| 1970 | 11 256 000 | 606,000 | 158,000 | 447,000 | 52.7 | 13.8 | 38.9 | 8.02 | 90.8 | 53.58 |
| 1971 | 11 690 000 | 625,000 | 159,000 | 466,000 | 52.4 | 13.3 | 39.1 | 8.00 | 89.1 | 54.26 |
| 1972 | 12 107 000 | 639,000 | 158,000 | 481,000 | 51.7 | 12.8 | 38.9 | 7.98 | 87.2 | 55.01 |
| 1973 | 12 539 000 | 652,000 | 158,000 | 495,000 | 51.0 | 12.3 | 38.7 | 7.94 | 85.3 | 55.68 |
| 1974 | 12 982 000 | 668,000 | 160,000 | 507,000 | 50.4 | 12.1 | 38.3 | 7.91 | 83.3 | 55.63 |
| 1975 | 13 426 000 | 685,000 | 162,000 | 523,000 | 50.0 | 11.8 | 38.2 | 7.88 | 81.2 | 55.83 |
| 1976 | 13 878 000 | 704,000 | 164,000 | 540,000 | 49.8 | 11.6 | 38.2 | 7.84 | 79.0 | 55.90 |
| 1977 | 14 327 000 | 722,000 | 164,000 | 559,000 | 49.4 | 11.2 | 38.2 | 7.80 | 76.7 | 56.49 |
| 1978 | 14 828 000 | 744,000 | 164,000 | 580,000 | 49.2 | 10.8 | 38.4 | 7.75 | 74.4 | 56.94 |
| 1979 | 15 347 000 | 766,000 | 163,000 | 604,000 | 49.0 | 10.4 | 38.6 | 7.68 | 72.1 | 57.72 |
| 1980 | 15 894 000 | 787,000 | 162,000 | 626,000 | 48.6 | 10.0 | 38.6 | 7.60 | 70.1 | 58.50 |
| 1981 | 16 480 000 | 816,000 | 151,000 | 665,000 | 48.5 | 9.0 | 39.5 | 7.51 | 68.2 | 61.17 |
| 1982 | 17 092 000 | 838,000 | 156,000 | 683,000 | 48.1 | 8.9 | 39.1 | 7.40 | 66.5 | 60.95 |
| 1983 | 17 731 000 | 860,000 | 159,000 | 701,000 | 47.5 | 8.8 | 38.7 | 7.26 | 64.9 | 61.01 |
| 1984 | 18 408 000 | 888,000 | 164,000 | 724,000 | 47.3 | 8.8 | 38.6 | 7.12 | 63.7 | 60.80 |
| 1985 | 19 099 000 | 913,000 | 170,000 | 743,000 | 46.9 | 8.8 | 38.1 | 6.98 | 62.8 | 60.58 |
| 1986 | 19 806 000 | 941,000 | 178,000 | 763,000 | 46.6 | 8.8 | 37.8 | 6.85 | 62.4 | 60.22 |
| 1987 | 20 516 000 | 966,000 | 185,000 | 781,000 | 46.2 | 8.8 | 37.3 | 6.68 | 62.4 | 60.04 |
| 1988 | 21 248 000 | 982,000 | 195,000 | 788,000 | 45.4 | 9.0 | 36.4 | 6.51 | 62.9 | 59.54 |
| 1989 | 22 004 000 | 998,000 | 205,000 | 793,000 | 44.5 | 9.2 | 35.4 | 6.32 | 63.9 | 59.04 |
| 1990 | 22 772 000 | 1,008,000 | 216,000 | 793,000 | 43.5 | 9.3 | 34.2 | 6.13 | 65.2 | 58.61 |
| 1991 | 23 553 000 | 1,019,000 | 228,000 | 791,000 | 42.5 | 9.5 | 33.0 | 5.94 | 66.8 | 58.01 |
| 1992 | 24 284 000 | 1,029,000 | 242,000 | 787,000 | 41.7 | 9.8 | 31.9 | 5.75 | 68.3 | 57.26 |
| 1993 | 25 028 000 | 1,044,000 | 255,000 | 789,000 | 41.1 | 10.0 | 31.0 | 5.57 | 69.4 | 56.62 |
| 1994 | 25 756 000 | 1,062,000 | 266,000 | 796,000 | 40.6 | 10.2 | 30.4 | 5.45 | 70.1 | 56.27 |
| 1995 | 26 512 000 | 1,088,000 | 280,000 | 809,000 | 40.4 | 10.4 | 30.0 | 5.37 | 70.1 | 55.62 |
| 1996 | 27 245 000 | 1,112,000 | 292,000 | 821,000 | 40.2 | 10.5 | 29.7 | 5.31 | 69.7 | 55.16 |
| 1997 | 27 987 000 | 1,139,000 | 303,000 | 836,000 | 40.1 | 10.7 | 29.4 | 5.26 | 68.7 | 54.82 |
| 1998 | 28 742 000 | 1,174,000 | 313,000 | 861,000 | 40.2 | 10.7 | 29.5 | 5.25 | 67.4 | 54.53 |
| 1999 | 29 533 000 | 1,199,000 | 321,000 | 878,000 | 40.0 | 10.1 | 29.3 | 5.18 | 65.6 | 54.50 |
| 2000 | 30 398 000 | 1,232,000 | 329,000 | 903,000 | 39.9 | 9.9 | 29.3 | 5.14 | 63.6 | 54.41 |
| 2001 | 31 306 000 | 1,271,000 | 336,000 | 934,000 | 40.0 | 9.7 | 29.4 | 5.09 | 61.3 | 54.51 |
| 2002 | 32 295 000 | 1,298,000 | 339,000 | 959,000 | 39.6 | 9.5 | 29.3 | 5.02 | 58.9 | 54.99 |
| 2003 | 33 265 000 | 1,318,000 | 337,000 | 981,000 | 39.0 | 9.2 | 29.1 | 4.91 | 56.5 | 55.60 |
| 2004 | 34 270 000 | 1,347,000 | 334,000 | 1,013,000 | 38.7 | 8.9 | 29.1 | 4.83 | 54.0 | 56.36 |
| 2005 | 35 314 000 | 1,380,000 | 328,000 | 1,052,000 | 38.5 | 8.6 | 29.4 | 4.78 | 51.3 | 57.34 |
| 2006 | 36 372 000 | 1,414,000 | 323,000 | 1,091,000 | 38.5 | 8.3 | 30.2 | 4.75 | 48.8 | 58.22 |
| 2007 | 37 479 000 | 1,450,000 | 322,000 | 1,128,000 | 38.3 | 8.1 | 30.2 | 4.72 | 46.5 | 58.87 |
| 2008 | 38 595 000 | 1,471,000 | 317,000 | 1,154,000 | 37.9 | 7.9 | 30.0 | 4.66 | 43.8 | 59.61 |
| 2009 | 39 779 000 | 1,476,000 | 312,000 | 1,164,000 | 37.2 | 7.6 | 29.5 | 4.57 | 41.7 | 60.37 |
| 2010 | 40 950 000 | 1,471,000 | 314,000 | 1,157,000 | 36.3 | 7.4 | 28.8 | 4.45 | 40.2 | 60.65 |
| 2011 | 42 086 000 | 1,461,000 | 317,000 | 1,144,000 | 35.0 | 7.3 | 27.7 | 4.28 | 39.0 | 61.05 |
| 2012 | 43 185 000 | 1,451,000 | 326,000 | 1,125,000 | 33.7 | 7.2 | 26.5 | 4.12 | 38.1 | 61.12 |
| 2013 | 44 267 000 | 1,440,000 | 332,000 | 1,008,000 | 32.4 | 7.2 | 25.3 | 3.96 | 37.0 | 61.39 |
| 2014 | 45 318 000 | 1,436,000 | 335,000 | 1,101,000 | 31.5 | 7.1 | 24.4 | 3.84 | 36.0 | 61.82 |
| 2015 | 46 346 000 | 1,452,000 | 345,000 | 1,107,000 | 30.9 | 7.1 | 23.8 | 3.77 | 34.9 | 61.89 |
| 2016 | 47 357 000 | 1,457,000 | 352,000 | 1,105,000 | 30.2 | 7.2 | 23.0 | 3.69 | 33.8 | 62.16 |
| 2017 | 48 432 000 | 1,458,000 | 357,000 | 1,100,000 | 29.6 | 7.1 | 22.5 | 3.61 | 33.0 | 62.48 |
| 2018 | 49 464 000 | 1,460,000 | 365,000 | 1,094,000 | 29.0 | 7.2 | 21.9 | 3.54 | 32.0 | 62.68 |
| 2019[16] | 47 564 296 | 1,451,000 | 372,000 | 1,079,000 | 28.2 | 7.3 | 20.9 | 3.43 | 31.1 | 62.94 |
| 2020 | 51 460 000 | 1,456,000 | 388,000 | 1,068,000 | 27.8 | 7.9 | 19.8 | 3.36 | 30.4 | 62.68 |
| 2021 | 53 219 000 | 1,469,000 | 432,000 | 984,000 | 27.6 | 8.1 | 19.5 | 3.31 | 31.1 | 61.2 |
| 2022 | 54 252 000 | 1,483,000 | 391,000 | 1,082,000 | 27.3 | 7.2 | 20.1 | 3.26 | 30.2 | 63.3 |
| 2023 | 55 339 000 | 1,500,000 | 399,000 | 1,091,000 | 27.1 | 7.2 | 19.9 | 3.21 | 29.7 | 63.6 |
| 2024 | 27.0 | 7.2 | 19.8 | 3.17 | ||||||
| 2025 | 26.8 | 7.1 | 19.6 | 3.12 | ||||||
| * CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman) | ||||||||||
Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):[17]
| Year | Total | Urban | Rural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR | |
| 1977 | 8.1 | |||||
| 1984 | 7.7 | |||||
| 1989 | 6.7 | 4.5 | 7.1 | |||
| 1993 | 35.8 | 5.40 (3.4) | 35.1 | 3.44 (2.5) | 35.9 | 5.80 (3.7) |
| 1998 | 34.6 | 4.70 (3.5) | 33.6 | 3.12 (2.6) | 34.7 | 5.16 (3.8) |
| 2003 | 37.5 | 4.9 (3.6) | 35.3 | 3.3 (2.6) | 38.1 | 5.4 (3.9) |
| 2008–2009 (census) | 34,8 | 4.6 (3.4) | 32.5 | 2.9 (2.5) | 35.3 | 5.2 (3.7) |
| 2014 | 30.5 | 3.9 (3.0) | 31.0 | 3.1 (2.6) | 30.3 | 4.5 (3.4) |
| 2022 | 27.7 | 3.4 (2.9) | 30.1 | 2.7 (2.5) | 26.6 | 4.0 (3.3) |
Fertility data as of 2014 (DHS Program):[18]
| Region | Total fertility rate | Percentage of women age 15–49 currently pregnant | Mean number of children ever born to women age 40–49 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coast | 4.3 | 6.6 | 5.5 |
| North Eastern | 6.4 | 12.0 | 7.1 |
| Eastern | 3.4 | 4.6 | 4.7 |
| Central | 2.8 | 4.8 | 3.7 |
| Rift Valley | 4.5 | 7.0 | 5.5 |
| Western | 4.7 | 6.7 | 6.1 |
| Nyanza | 4.3 | 5.9 | 5.8 |
| Nairobi | 2.7 | 6.8 | 3.1 |
Kenya has a very diverse population that includes most major ethnic, racial and linguistic groups found in Africa.Bantu,Cushitic andNilotic populations together constitute around 99% of the nation's inhabitants.[19] People from Asian or European heritage living in Kenya are estimated at around 0.3% of the population.[20]
Bantus are the single largest population division in Kenya. Most Bantu are farmers. Some of the prominent Bantu groups in Kenya include theKikuyu, theKamba, theLuhya, theKisii, theMeru, and theMijikenda.
In Kenya's last colonial census of 1962, population groups residing in the territory included European, African and Asian individuals.[21] According to theKenya National Bureau of Statistics, Kenya had a population of 47,564,296 by 2019. The largest native ethnic groups were theKikuyu (8,148,668),Luhya (6,820,000),Kalenjin (6,358,113),Luo (5,066,966),Kamba (4,663,910),Somalis (2,780,502),Kisii (2,703,235),Mijikenda (2,488,691),Meru (1,975,869),Maasai (1,189,522), andTurkana (1,016,174). Foreign-rooted populations includedAsians (90,527),Europeans (42,868) with Kenyan citizenship, 26,753 without, and Kenyan Arabs (59,021).[22] The number of ethnic categories and sub-categories recorded in the census has changed significantly over time, expanding from 42 in 1969 to more than 120 in 2019.[23]
Bantus are the single largest population division in Kenya. The termBantu denotes widely dispersed but related peoples that speak south-centralNiger–Congo languages. Originally from Cameroon-Nigeria border regions, Bantus began a millennium-long series of migrations referred to as theBantu expansion that first brought them south intoEast Africa about 2,000 years ago.
Most Bantu are farmers. Some of the prominent Bantu groups in Kenya include theKikuyu, theKamba, theLuhya, theKisii, theMeru, and theMijikenda. TheSwahili people are descended from Wangozi Bantu peoples that intermarried with Arab immigrants.[24][25]
The Kikuyu, who are one of the biggest tribes in Kenya, seem to have assimilated a significant number of Cushitic speakers. Evidence from their Y DNA shows that 18% of Kikuyu carry the E1b1b Y DNA.[26]
Nilotes are the second-largest group of peoples in Kenya. They speakNilo-Saharan languages and went south intoEast Africa fromWestern Asia andNorth Africa by way ofSouth Sudan.[24] Most Nilotes in Kenya are historicallypastoralists. The Nilotes are divided into the river lake Nilotes and the highland nilotes. These divisions are related to where they occupied after they relocated to Kenya. Where the Luo are affiliated with the river lake occupancy as they can be found near Lake Victoria. The Kalenjin along others are affiliated with the highland occupancy as they are found around the highland areas of the country. The most prominent of these groups include theLuo, the Maasai, theSamburu, the Iteso, the Turkana, and the Kalenjin.[24] Similar to the Bantu, some Nilotic systems of governance (such as Ibinda of the Nandi[27]) bear similarities with those of their Cushitic neighbors (such as the Gada system[28] of the Oromo).[29]
TheCushitic people form a small minority of Kenya's population. They speak languages belonging to theAfroasiatic family and originally came fromEthiopia andSomalia. However, some large ethnic Somali clans are native to the area that used be known as NFD in Kenya. These people are not from Somalia but share the same ethnicity as the majority in Somalia. Most of them are herdsmen and have almost entirely adoptedIslam.[30] Cushites are concentrated in the northernmostNorth Eastern Province, which borders Somalia.[31]
The Cushitic people are divided into two groups: the Southern Cushites and the Eastern Cushites.
An entrepreneurial community, they established themselves in the business sector, particularly inEastleigh, Nairobi.[35]
Asians living in Kenya are descended fromSouth Asian migrants. Significant Asian migration to Kenya began between 1896 and 1901 when some 32,000 indentured labourers were recruited fromBritish India to build theKenya-Uganda Railway.[36] The majority of Kenyan Asians hail from theGujarat andPunjab regions.[37] The community grew significantly during the colonial period, and in the 1962 census Asians made up a third of the population of Nairobi and consisted of 176,613 people across the country.[37]
SinceKenyan independence large numbers have emigrated due to racism-related tensions with the Bantu and Nilotic majority. Most Asians are concentrated in the manufacturing sector.[31] According to the 2019 Census, Kenyan Asians number 47,555 people, while Asians without Kenyan citizenship number 42,972 individuals.[22] In 2017, Kenyans of Asian Heritage were officially recognised as the 44th tribe of Kenya.[38]
Europeans in Kenya are primarily the descendants ofBritish migrants during the colonial period. There is also a significant expat population of Europeans living in Kenya. Economically, all Europeans in Kenya belong to the middle- and upper-middle-class. Nowadays, only a small minority of them are landowners (livestock and game ranchers, horticulturists and farmers), with the majority working in the tertiary sector: in air transport, finance, import, and hospitality. Apart from isolated individuals such as anthropologist and conservationistRichard Leakey,F.R.S., who died in 2022, Kenyan-Europeans have completely retreated from Kenyan politics, and are no longer represented in public service and parastatals, from which the last remaining staff from colonial times retired in the 1970s.[39] According to the 2019 Census, Kenyan Europeans number 42,868 people, while Europeans without Kenyan citizenship number 26,753 individuals. 0.3% of the population of Kenya is either from Asia or Europe.[22]
Arabs form a small but historically important minority ethnic group in Kenya. They are principally concentrated along the coast in cities such asMombasa,Malindi,Lamu, andNairobi. A Muslim community, they primarily came fromOman andHadhramaut inYemen, and are engaged in trade. Arabs are locally referred to asWashihiri or, less commonly, as simplyShihiri in the BantuSwahili language, Kenya'slingua franca.[31] According to the 2019 Census, Kenyan Arabs number 59,021 people.[22]
Kenya's various ethnic groups typically speak theirmother tongues within their own communities. The twoofficial languages,English andSwahili, serve as the mainlingua franca between the various ethnic groups. English is widely spoken in commerce, schooling and government.[40] Peri-urban and rural dwellers are less multilingual, with many in rural areas speaking only their native languages.[41]
According toEthnologue, there are a total of 69 languages spoken in Kenya. Most belong to two broad language families:Niger-Congo (Bantu branch) andNilo-Saharan (Nilotic branch), which are spoken by the country's Bantu and Nilotic populations, respectively. The Cushitic and Arab ethnic minorities speak languages belonging to the separateAfro-Asiatic family, with the Indian and European residents speaking languages from theIndo-European family.[42]
| religion | percent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christianity | 84.5% | |||
| Islam | 10.5% | |||
| None | 2.3% | |||
| Traditionalists | 1.5% | |||
| Other | 1.1% | |||
| Unspecified | 0.1% | |||
CIA World Factbook estimate:[6]
%
Attribution:
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromThe World Factbook (2025 ed.).CIA. (Archived 2006 edition.)
Media related toDemographics of Kenya at Wikimedia Commons
