BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao will visit Kenya on April 27-29 as part of his current five-nation tour, which has taken him to the United States, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Nigeria.

The following are some key facts about Kenya.

GEOGRAPHIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC FACTS

Kenya is located on Africa's east coast and straddles the equator. It borders with Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania. With the Indian Ocean on its southeast, Kenya boasts a territory of over 580,000 square kilometers and a 536-km coastline. Coastal lowlands are cool and most inland highlands mild.

There are 42 ethnic groups in Kenya with a population of more than 31.5 million.

BRIEF HISTORY

Known to most anthropologists as one of the cradles of humanity, Kenya was proclaimed by the British government as its colony in 1920. It declared independence in December of 1963, and the Republic of Kenya was established one year later, but it remained a member of the Commonwealth.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

As one of the most famous African countries with enchanting tourist sites, including the capital Nairobi, the coastal city Mombasa, the Great Rift Valley, Africa's second highest mountain, Mt. Kenya, the country attracts visitors from across the world every year.

Kenya also boasts dozens of national wildlife parks, where many kinds of animals such as elephants, lions, rhinoceros, zebras and giraffes live.

ECONOMY

Agriculture, service and industry are three mainstays of Kenya's economy, and tea, coffee and flowers are three major foreign currency earners. Kenya is Africa's top flower exporter, accounting for about 25 percent of the European Union's market share.

RELATIONS WITH CHINA

Kenya and China established diplomatic ties in 1963. Bilateral trade volume reached 470 million U.S. dollars in 2005. Enditem