Background of Kenya:
Research of our target location was essential to the development of our buildingintegrated photovoltaic cells. We needed to learn about the location where the photovoltaic
cells would be situated so that our design would be efficient as possible.
Geography:
Kenya has a diverse and a varied geography. The country is known of its geographical
variety, which is amply reflected through its mountains, coastlines, landscapes and flat lands.
The Kenyan coast is a low-lying area, which is extremely fertile. The coast has a coral
reef and is supported by a dry coastal plain that is covered by thorny bushes and savanna. The
terrain of the country gradually changes from the low-lying coastal plains to the Kenyan
highlands, from the east of the country to the west. The highest point of the country lies in
Mount Kenya, which is 5,199 meters high. Other mountain ranges include Mount Elgon and
Mount Kilimanjaro.
The biggest feature of Kenya is the Great Rift Valley located in the central and western
part of the country. The valley splits the Kenyan highlands into eastern and western parts. The
highlands have a cool climate and are known for their fertile soil. It is one of the major
agricultural regions of the country. However, most regions of the country are mostly arid and
have desert-like characteristics.
Apart from these, the geography of Kenya also includes its numerous forests also. To the
east one can find a large number of rainforests. Some of the major forest areas of the country
include the Kakamega Forest and the Mau Forest.
Climate:
The climate in Kenya is predominantly tropical although the geography of the country is
varied. Kenya remains warm all through the year. Droughts are common periodically mainly
due to the delays in the start of the rainy seasons. Climate in Kenya has proved to have a
profound effect on settlement patterns. Populations form in areas where water can be found.
Kenya is hot and humid at the coast, temperate inland and very dry in the north and
northeast parts of the country. The average annual temperature for the coastal town of
Mombasa is 30.30 Celsius as a high and 22.40 Celsius as a low, the capital city, Nairobi 25.20
Celsius as a high and 13.60 Celsius as a low. Kenya gets abundant sunshine all the year round.
However, nights and early mornings are slightly cold.
Most parts of Kenya get seasonal rainfall. The coast, eastern plateaus, and lake basin
experience two rainy seasons: the "long rains" extends roughly from March to June, and the
"short rains" lasts from approximately October to December. The highlands of western Kenya
have a single rainy season, lasting from March to September.