Kenya
Country profile
The people
Total population: 32 million
Major languages: Swahili, English
Major religions: Christianity
Literacy rate: 78%
Life expectancy: male – 50; female – 49
The country
Capital: Nairobi
Area: 582,646 sq. km (224,961 sq. miles)
Main exports: tea, coffee, horticultural products, petroleum products
Gross National Income per capita: US$460 compared to $33,630 in the UK (World Bank, 2005)
HIV/AIDS situation
>> Adults and children living with HIV: 1.3 million
>> Women living with HIV: 740,000
>> AIDS-related deaths: 140,000
>> Number of orphans (0-17 years) due to AIDS: 1.1 million
>> Estimated HIV prevalence rate in adults: 6%
>> HIV-infected Kenyans on antiretrovirals: 20%
The epidemic in Kenya peaked in the late 1990s with an adult HIV prevalence rate of 10%, which declined to 7% in 2003 and just over 6% in 2005.
HIV infection among adults in urban areas (10%) is almost twice as high as in rural areas (5–6%). Trends indicate that the annual number of AIDS deaths is still rising steeply, but the number of new infections each year may be dropping to around 80,000. The majority of new infections are among the young: especially women aged 15–24 years and men under the age of 30.
The president and government have demonstrated strong political leadership in the battle against HIV and AIDS. The National AIDS Control Council (NACC) was established in 1999 to spearhead the national response, and to serve as the Government of Kenya's co-ordinating body. This national response has been rapidly accelerated by a significant increase in external funding.
Source: UNAIDS