As of 2043, Nairobi was the most populated city in Kenya, with more than 2.7 million people living in the capital. The city is also the only one in the country with a population exceeding one million. For instance, Mombasa, the second most populated, has nearly 800 thousand inhabitants. As of 2020, Kenya's population was estimated at over 53.7 million people.

This statistic shows the biggest cities in Kenya as of 2019. In 2019, approximately 4.4 million people lived in Nairobi, making it the biggest city in Kenya.

Major Towns by PopulationTowns in Kenya: Kenya’s capital city is Nairobi. It is the largest city in East Africa and the region’s Financial, Communication and Diplomatic Capital. In Kenya there are only three incorporated cities but there are numerous municipalities and towns with significant urban populations. Two of the cities, Nairobi and Mombasa are cities whose county borders run the same as their city limits, so in a way they could be thought of as City-CountiesNairobi is the only city in the world with a game park. Nairobi National Park is a preserved ecosystem where you can view wildlife in its natural habitat. Hotels, airlines and numerous tour firms and agencies offer tour packages for both domestic and foreign tourists visiting Nairobi and the park. The tourism industry provides direct employment to thousands of Nairobi residents.

Lagos, in Nigeria, ranked as the most populated city in Africa as of 2024, with an estimated population of roughly nine million inhabitants living in the city proper. Kinshasa, in Congo, and Cairo, in Egypt, followed with some 7.8 million and 7.7 million dwellers. Among the 15 largest cities in the continent, another two, Kano, and Ibadan, were located in Nigeria, the most populated country in Africa. Population density trends in Africa As of 2022, Africa exhibited a population density of 48.3 individuals per square kilometer. At the beginning of 2000, the population density across the continent has experienced a consistent annual increment. Projections indicated that the average population residing within each square kilometer would rise to approximately 54 by the year 2027. Moreover, Mauritius stood out as the African nation with the most elevated population density, exceeding 640 individuals per square kilometre. Mauritius possesses one of the most compact territories on the continent, a factor that significantly influences its high population density. Urbanization dynamics in Africa The urbanization rate in Africa was anticipated to reach close to 44 percent in 2021. Urbanization across the continent has consistently risen since 2000, with urban areas accommodating 35 percent of the total population. This trajectory is projected to continue its ascent in the years ahead. Nevertheless, the distribution between rural and urban populations shows remarkable diversity throughout the continent. In 2021, Gabon and Libya stood out as Africa’s most urbanized nations, each surpassing 80 percent urbanization. In 2023, Africa's population was estimated to expand by 2.35 percent compared to the preceding year. Since 2000, the population growth rate across the continent has consistently exceeded 2.45 percent, reaching its pinnacle at 2.59 percent between 2012 and 2013. Although the growth rate has experienced a deceleration, Africa's population will persistently grow significantly in the forthcoming years.

Kenya had a Muslim population of roughly 5.6 million people, according to the last country census conducted in 2019. Nearly 50 percent of individuals adhering to Islam lived in the Northern-East counties of Mandera (856.5 thousand people), Garissa (815.8 thousand people), and Wajir (767.3 thousand people). Overall, around 10 percent of Kenya's population identified as Muslim.

Abstract

The Mombasa Informal Settlement Survey 2009 is a representative sample survey drawn using the informal settlement classification of 1999 Census Enumeration Areas (EAs) as the sample frame. The classification of 1999 Census EAs was carried out in major cities of Kenya by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) under a project funded by United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in 2003. The 45 EAs were sampled using the probability proportional to size sampling methodology, and information from a total of 1,080 households were collected using structured questionnaires. The Mombasa informal settlement survey is one of the largest household sample surveys ever conducted exclusively for the informal settlements in Mombasa district.

The survey used a two-stage design. In the first stage, EAs were selected and in the second stage households were selected circular systematically using a random start from the list of households. The data was collected by three teams comprising of six members each (one supervisor, one editor, one measurer and three investigators).

The objective of the Mombasa Informal Settlement Survey 2009 is to provide estimates relating to the wellbeing of children and women living in the informal settlements of Mombasa, to create baseline information and to enable policymakers, planners, researchers, and program managers to take actions based on credible evidence. In Mombasa Informal Settlement Survey 2009, information on specific areas such as reproductive health, child mortality, child health, nutrition, child protection, childhood development, water and sanitation, hand washing practices, education, and HIV/AIDS and orphans were collected. The results indicate that the conditions of people living in the informal settlements are very poor and need immediate attention.

Geographic coverage

Mombasa district

Analysis unit

• individuals,
• households.

Universe

The survey covered all de jure household members (usual residents), all women aged between 15-49 years, all children under 5 living in the household.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The primary objective of the sample design for the Mombasa Informal Settlement Survey, Kenya (MICS4) was to produce statistically reliable estimates of development indicators related to children and women living in the informal settlements of Mombasa. A two-stage cluster sampling approach was used for the selection of the survey sample.

The target sample size for the Mombasa Informal Settlement Survey was calculated as 1,080 households. For the calculation of the sample size, the key indicator used was proportion of institutional deliveries.

The resulting number of households from this exercise was 1,074 households which is the sample size needed, however, it was decided to cover 1,080 households. The average cluster size was determined as 24 households, based on a number of considerations, including the budget available, and the time that would be needed per team to complete one cluster. This implies a total of 45 clusters for the Mombasa informal settlement survey.

The sampling procedures are more fully described in "Kenya Mombasa Informal Settlements Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2009 - Report" pp.95-96.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The questionnaires for the Generic MICS were structured questionnaires based on the MICS4 model questionnaire with some modifications and additions. Household questionnaires were administered to a knowledgeable adult living in the household. The household questionnaire includes Household Listing, Education, Water and Sanitation, Indoor Residual Spraying, Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets (ITN), Children Orphaned & Made Vulnerable By HIV/AIDS, Child Labour, Child Discipline, Disability, Handwashing Facility, and Salt Iodization.

In addition to a household questionnaire, the Questionnaire for Individual Women was administered to all women aged 15-49 years living in the households. The women's questionnaire includes Child Mortality, Birth history, Tetanus Toxoid, Maternal and Newborn Health, Marriage/Union, Contraception, Attitude towards Domestic Violence, Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, Sexual Behaviour and HIV/AIDS.

The Questionnaire for Children Under-Five was administered to mothers or caretakers of children under 5 years of age living in the households. The children's questionnaire includes Birth Registration and Early Learning, Childhood Development, Vitamin A, Breastfeeding, Care of Illness, Malaria, Immunization, and Anthropometry.

Cleaning operations

Data were entered using the CSPro software. In order to ensure quality control, all questionnaires were double entered and internal consistency checks were performed, and the whole process was monitored initially by the MICS Global data processing specialist, followed by KNBS data processing expert. Procedures and standard programs developed under the global MICS project and adapted to the modified questionnaire were used throughout. Data entry began simultaneously with data collection in February 2009 and was completed at the end of March 2009. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software program, and the model syntax and tabulation plans developed by UNICEF were customized for this purpose.

Response rate

Of the 1,080 households selected for the sample, 1,076 were found occupied. Of these, 1,016 were successfully interviewed yielding a household response rate of 94.4 percent. In the interviewed households, 878 women (age 15-49) were identified and information collected from 821 women in these households, yielding a response rate of 93.5 percent. In addition, 464 children under age five were listed in the household questionnaire, and information on 454 children were obtained, which corresponds to a response rate of 97.8 percent. Overall response rates of 88.3 and 92.4 are calculated for the women's and under-5's interviews respectively.

Sampling error estimates

Sampling errors are a measure of the variability between all possible samples. The extent of variability is not known exactly, but can be estimated statistically from the survey results.

The following sampling error measures are presented in this appendix for each of the selected indicators: - Standard error (se): Sampling errors are usually measured in terms of standard errors for particular indicators (means, proportions etc). Standard error is the square root of the variance. The Taylor linearization method is used for the estimation of standard errors. - Coefficient of variation (se/r) is the ratio of the standard error to the value of the indicator. - Design effect (deff) is the ratio of the actual variance of an indicator, under the sampling method used in the survey, to the variance calculated under the assumption of simple random sampling. The square root of the design effect (deft) is used to show the efficiency of the sample design. A deft value of 1.0 indicates that the sample design is as efficient as a simple random sample, while a deft value above 1.0 indicates the increase in the standard error due to the use of a more complex sample design. - Confidence limits are calculated to show the interval within which the true value for the population can be reasonably assumed to fall. For any given statistic calculated from the survey, the value of that statistics will fall within a range of plus or minus two times the standard error (p + 2.se or p - 2.se) of the statistic in 95 percent of all possible samples of identical size and design.

For the calculation of sampling errors from the survey data, SPSS Version 17 Complex Samples module has been used. The results are shown in the tables that follow. In addition to the sampling error measures described above, the tables also include weighted and un-weighted counts of denominators for each indicator.

Sampling errors are calculated for indicators of primary interest. Three of the selected indicators are based on households, 10 are based on household members, 14 are based on women, and 14 are based on children under 5. All indicators presented here are in the form of proportions.

Data appraisal

A series of data quality tables are available to review the quality of the data and include the following:

• Age distribution of household population
• Age distribution of eligible and interviewed women
• Age distribution of eligible and interviewed under-5s
• Age distribution of under-five children
• Heaping on ages and periods
• Completeness of reporting
• Presence of mother in the household and the person interviewed for the under-5 questionnaire
• School attendance by single age
• Sex ratio at birth among children ever born and living
• Distribution of women by time since last birth

The results of each of these data quality tables are shown in appendix D in document "Kenya Mombasa Informal Settlements Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2009 - Report" pp.102-109.

Abstract

The STEP (Skills Toward Employment and Productivity) Measurement program is the first ever initiative to generate internationally comparable data on skills available in developing countries. The program implements standardized surveys to gather information on the supply and distribution of skills and the demand for skills in labor market of low-income countries.

The uniquely-designed Household Survey includes modules that measure the cognitive skills (reading, writing and numeracy), socio-emotional skills (personality, behavior and preferences) and job-specific skills (subset of transversal skills with direct job relevance) of a representative sample of adults aged 15 to 64 living in urban areas, whether they work or not. The cognitive skills module also incorporates a direct assessment of reading literacy based on the Survey of Adults Skills instruments. Modules also gather information about family, health and language.

Geographic coverage

• The STEP target population is the urban population aged 15 to 64 (inclusive).

Analysis unit

The units of analysis are the individual respondents and households. A household roster is undertaken at the start of the survey and the individual respondent is randomly selected among all household members aged 15 to 64 included. The random selection process was designed by the STEP team and compliance with the procedure is carefully monitored during fieldwork.

Universe

The target population is defined as all non-institutionalized persons aged 15 to 64 (inclusive) living in private dwellings in the urban areas of the country at the time of the data collection. This includes all residents, except foreign diplomats and non-nationals working for international organizations
The following are considered "institutionalized" and excluded from the STEP survey:
- Residents of institutions (prisons, hospitals, etc)
- Residents of senior homes and hospices
- Residents of other group dwellings such as college dormitories, halfway homes, workers' quarters, etc

Other acceptable exclusions are:
- Persons living outside the country at the time of data collection, e.g., students at foreign universities
Deviation Requested from the Standard: The statistical population is composed of core urban households and excludes the categories identified here, as well as itinerants (as classified in the Population Census 2009 in Kenya).

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sample size was 3894 households. The Kenya sample design is a stratified 3 stage sample design. The sample was stratified by 4 geographic areas: 1-Nairobi, 2-Other Large Cities (over 100,000 households), 3- Medium cities (60,000 to 100,000 HHs), and 4-Other Urban Areas. For detailed description of the sample design and sampling methodologies, refer to Part 3 of the National Survey Design Planning Report (NSDPR) as well as the STEP Survey Weighting Procedures Summary. Both documents are provided as external resources.

Sampling deviation

War marred and unstable regions of Kenya were excluded from the survey. Itinerants (as classified in the Population Census 2009 in Kenya) were also excluded.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The STEP survey instruments include: (i) A Background Questionnaire developed by the WB STEP team. (ii) A Reading Literacy Assessment developed by Educational Testing Services (ETS).

All countries adapted and translated both instruments following the STEP Technical Standards: 2 independent translators adapted and translated the Background Questionnaire and Reading Literacy Assessment, while reconciliation was carried out by a third translator. In Kenya the section of the questionnaire assessing behavior and personality traits (Module 6) was translated into Swahili to adapt to respondents' language preferences, so that the respondent could choose to answer in either English or Swahili.
- The survey instruments were both piloted as part of the survey pretest. - The adapted Background Questionnaires are provided in English as external resources. The Reading Literacy Assessment is protected by copyright and will not be published.

Cleaning operations

EEC Canada Inc. was responsible for data entry and processing.

The STEP Data management process is as follows:

1. Raw data is sent by the survey firm
2. The WB STEP team runs data checks on the Background Questionnaire data.
   • ETS runs data checks on the Reading Literacy Assessment data.
   • Comments and questions are sent back to the survey firm.
3. The survey firm reviews comments and questions. When a data entry error is identified, the survey firm corrects the data.
4. The WB STEP team and ETS check the data files are clean. This might require additional iterations with the survey firm.
5. Once the data has been checked and cleaned, the WB STEP team computes the weights. Weights are computed by the STEP team to ensure consistency across sampling methodologies.
6. ETS scales the Reading Literacy Assessment data.
7. The WB STEP team merges the Background Questionnaire data with the Reading Literacy Assessment data and computes derived variables.

Response rate

An overall response rate of 91.8% was achieved in the Kenya STEP Survey. Table 21 of the STEP Survey Weighting Procedures Summary provides the detailed percentage distribution by final status code.

The average household size in Kenya was 3.9 members according to the last census done in the country in 2019. Nairobi City was the county with the smallest households, formed by an average of 2.9 people. By contrast, Mandera registered the largest household size. In the county located in North Eastern Kenya, households had 6.9 members.

The share of urban population in Kenya increased by 0.5 percentage points (+1.72 percent) compared to the previous year. Therefore, the share in Kenya reached a peak in 2023 with 29.52 percent. Notably, the share continuously increased over the last years.A country's urbanization rate refers to the share of the total population living in an urban setting. International comparisons of urbanization rates may be inconsistent, due to discrepancies between definitions of what constitutes an urban center (based on population size, area, or space between dwellings, among others).Find more key insights for the share of urban population in countries like Zambia and Madagascar.

Nairobi has been the Kenyan county most affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As of March 31, 2022, the capital registered most of the confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, around 129 thousand. The amount corresponded to nearly 40 percent of the total cases in Kenya. In Kiambu, within the Nairobi Metropolitan Region, 19,778 infected people were registered, whereas Mombasa, Kenya's oldest and second largest city, had 17,794 cases. As of March 2021, Kenya started the vaccination campaign against the coronavirus with doses received through the COVAX initiative.

Kenya's economy rebounds amid vaccination campaign

The coronavirus outbreak had a significant negative impact on Kenya's economy. In the second quarter of 2020, the quarterly country’s GDP decreased by 5.5 percent, the first contraction in recent years. Around one year later, in the third quarter of 2021, Kenya already registered an improved economic performance, with the quarterly GDP growth rate measured at 9.9 percent. The educational sector pushed the result, with an expansion of 65 percent. Mining and quarrying, and accommodation and food services followed, each with a 25 percent growth rate.

Signs of recovery in the tourism sector

Extensively known for its rich nature and wildlife, Kenya felt dramatically the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the tourism industry. The sector's contribution to the country’s GDP roughly halved in 2020, compared to 2019. By the end of 2021, however, signals of recovery were already spotted. The monthly number of arrivals in both Jomo Kenyatta and Moi international airports in December that year corresponded to roughly 70 percent of that registered in December 2019. Additionally, as of March 2022, the bed occupancy rate in Kenyan hotels amounted to 57 percent, against 23 percent in March 2021.

Nigeria has the largest population in Africa. As of 2024, the country counted over 232.6 million individuals, whereas Ethiopia, which ranked second, has around 132 million inhabitants. Egypt registered the largest population in North Africa, reaching nearly 116 million people. In terms of inhabitants per square kilometer, Nigeria only ranks seventh, while Mauritius has the highest population density on the whole African continent. The fastest-growing world region Africa is the second most populous continent in the world, after Asia. Nevertheless, Africa records the highest growth rate worldwide, with figures rising by over two percent every year. In some countries, such as Niger, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Chad, the population increase peaks at over three percent. With so many births, Africa is also the youngest continent in the world. However, this coincides with a low life expectancy. African cities on the rise The last decades have seen high urbanization rates in Asia, mainly in China and India. However, African cities are currently growing at larger rates. Indeed, most of the fastest-growing cities in the world are located in Sub-Saharan Africa. Gwagwalada, in Nigeria, and Kabinda, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, ranked first worldwide. By 2035, instead, Africa's fastest-growing cities are forecast to be Bujumbura, in Burundi, and Zinder, Nigeria.