Kenya Natural Resources
Kenya Natural Resources : Kenya is known for its rich biodiversity and stunning views. Discovering oil, enormous water springs, gas, and coal became major supporting factors in helping Kenya with its social-economic development. It is also increasingly gaining popularity among travelers and tourists.
Kenya, officially called the Republic of Kenya, is a country in Eastern Africa and the world’s 48th biggest country by area. Kenya is a home to more than 47.6 million individuals, Kenya is the 29th most populated country. Its capital is Nairobi, also the country’s biggest city. The country’s climatic condition shifts from tropical along the coast to bone-dry or arid.
Natural Resources in Kenya.
Kenya is blessed with plenty of natural resources, wildlife, water, biodiversity, land, and remarkable ecosystem. These assets affect the country through income, generation of revenue, and capital inflows. In the past few years, the discovery of the numerous oil deposits, gas, and other rare and valuable mineral has really put Kenya on the world’s economic map.
Natural resources and minerals found abundantly in Kenya include zinc, soda ash, salt, limestone, gemstones, gypsum, fluorspar, diatomite, hydropower, petrol, hydropower and different resources that have great commercial significance like the rare earth elements. In 2010, Kenya’s portion of the world’s soda ash production added up to 4%. Concrete, fluorspar, and petroleum/oil refining were the other mining and mineral handling exercises attempted. Future creation of fluorspar and gemstones will rely incredibly upon world economic situations.
Natural Tourism resources.
The rich natural resources found in Kenya are the county’s strength in attracting tourists. Wildlife in its natural habitat has made Kenya synonymous with the word ‘’safari’’. Kenya has 29 national parks including 4 marine parks (Malindi, Watamu, Kisite and Mombasa), and 22 game reserves. There are also five marine reserves located in Kisinga, Malindi, Mombasa, Watamu and Mpunguti and a national sanctuary in Maralal.The parks cover a total of 7.7% of the country.
Abundant water resources provide tourists with sufficient water related tourism. The world’s second largest fresh water lake is in Kenya. Lake Victoria situated in western Kenya offers wonderful sunset attraction plus watersport safari. The Great Rift Valley from Jordan cuts across Kenya with wonderful lakes along it within the country. Lake Bogoria, Naivasha, Nakuru, Turkana, Baringo and Elementaita are known for their birding safari; especially the rare pink flamingos (popular in lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha)
The natural Kakamega forest in western Kenya, and Arabuko Sokoke forest in the coast are well known attractions for bird watching, snake watching, and nature walk an adventure tourism.
Tourism Resources.
The tourism sector in Kenya is an important economic activity committed to provision of high quality facilities and services for enjoyment by both the citizen and visitors alike. It is an instrument for promoting the economy in terms of job creation, good living standards and foreign exchange sources. Tourism further encourages international social integration through inter-cultural marriages and other interactions. Many Kenyans have encountered their life patterns through tourism. Tourism therefore plays a significant role in international social, cultural and racial understanding and tolerance.
Kenya offers a variety of tourist attractions which range from wildlife safaris, beach holidays, ornithology, camping and hiking safaris to conference tourism as well as sports tourism. The latter includes golf, fishing, sailing, river rafting, cycling, marathons and bungee jumping. Kenya tourism products and services can therefore be broadly categorized as based on natural, cultural, human and capital resources.
Cultural Tourism Resources.
Forty-two ethnic groups living harmoniously with their diverse cultural practices offer tourists a unique experience. Right from traditional dances, pastoral life, and bull fighting to polygamous practices, festivals and celebrations, Kenyan cultural life is rich, offers academic and study tourists a fascinating destination. The myths surrounding ‘’Kaya’’ in the coast, ’Kit Mikayi’’ and ‘’simba Nyaima’’ in the west among others are great destination attraction. Several museums preserving national heritage are spread across the country: Nairobi, Kisumu, Kitale, Kapenguria, Lamu and Meru. Other safari attractions includes Fort Jesus in Mombasa, Gedi Ruins in Malindi, Thimlich Ohinga in south Nyanza, Jumba la Mtwana ruins in Kilifi. Every corner of Kenya has unique cultural features of tourist interest.
Capital Tourism resources.
Geographical dispersion of tourist resorts in Kenya is country wide. Kenya due to her varies tourist products from sandy beaches, cultural safaris, ornithology, and game watching to leisure through sports and conferencing, has quality accommodation and lodging facilities at every product point. From Rusinga Island in western Kenya to Lamu in the east, tourists have quality accommodation befitting to spend. From the Aberdares and Mount Kenya in the north to Amboseli and Masaai Mara in the south, exotic lodges and hotels adorn the destinations.
Kenya has highly trained travel agents and tour operators with sound capital investment to meet the demands of tourists of all classes. A good network of travel connections is available to any destination in the country. Air, rail, maritime and road travel are well connected.
Investment has further been made in the development of security apparatus. Surveillance equipment installation, flying doctor services and tourist police services among other measures have been instituted to make Kenya one of the safest tourist destinations in the world. The country also continues to welcome more investment in the tourism industry.
Human Tourism Resources.
Sustaining tourism in Kenya has been successful due to the development undertaken in human resources. The country has several institutions both public and private undertaking requisite training in the hotel and hospitality industry. For example, the Kenya Utalii College located in Nairobi has built over the years, a resource capacity that has facilited quality training the hotel and tourism industry for all cadres of personnel in Kenya and the African continent.
A number of local universities also offer degree and post-graduate related to tourism and hospitality industry. Some of these are Moi University, University of Nairobi, Maseno University, Kenyatta University and the Nairobi campus of United States International University. Kenya Wildlife Services also offers specialized training for wildlife and park management for the sustainability of the wildlife in their natural habitat.
How are the resources used?
Most of Kenya’s natural resources come from its forests which are slowly depleting. They are famous for their coffee and tea plantations, and their prestigious scenery, and rich biodiversity.
The vast majority of forest reserves are shrubbery, bamboo, and grass. The remaining softwoods presently support a domestic paper industry. Kenya has chopped down quite a bit of its woodlands to help support the industrial sector.
Horticulture has a significant influence on the Kenyan economy. Kenyan horticulture is mostly covered by tea, tobacco and coffee businesses. This East African country holds titanium, gold, and coal deposits and also contains critical copper, niobium, and manganese, just like oil and gas reserves.
Limestone deposits at the coast and inland are taken advantage of for concrete production and horticulture. Gold, vermiculite, rubies, topazes, and salt are very important. Fluorite, otherwise called fluorspar, is also very important and is utilized in metallurgy.it is mined along the Kerio River in the north.
Natural resources are used to make food, fuel and raw materials for the production of goods. All of the food that people eat comes from the plans and animals. Natural resources such as coal, natural gas and oil provide heat, light and power.
Natural resources enable and helps tourism as in tourism based natural attractions and activities done under natural resources like bird watching, game viewing, photography, stargazing, camping, hiking, fishing safaris and visiting parks.
