Kenya, located on the equator east-central Africa, is roughly twice the size of Nevada. With part of its south-eastern border on the Indian Ocean, Kenya’s other sides are bordered by Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and Lake Victoria.

Landforms: Several plateaus rise from coastal Kenya, spreading like steps into the interior. This, along with many mountain peaks and low valleys, are huge factors in Kenya's climate and ecology.

Climate: The creation of the Great Rift Valley also caused huge climatic changes. Before its creation, Kenya had a tropical climate. Today, however, climates range from temperate to alpine, semi-arid to tropical, and even arctic. 

Regions: Kenya has three regions, each with its own climate and vegetation.

   Coast: Kenya’s coast runs along the Indian Ocean, with Somalia in the north and Tanzania in the south. The area's beaches are protected by barrier reefs. These reefs have been used in coastal cities for building materials. The coast has three marine parks; Kisite, Watumu, and Malindi. Rainfall is plentiful with 40-50 inches per year, but falls in short spurts, except during the monsoon season from April to June. The climate is hot and humid with steady temperatures that rarely stray from the averages. Sugar cane grows well there because of the region's low-lying and fertile land.

    Interior: Beyond the coast, a plateau rises to the central Highlands in the south and the country of Ethiopia in the north. In the northeastern part of the plateau, there is little variety in the land, with little vegetation other than the occasional thorn or boabab tree. The region, with its arid and semi-arid climate, is more extreme than the rest of Kenya since temperatures can range from 104 degrees during the day to 68 degrees at night. The entire northern part of the plateau is agriculturally unproductive, and therefore is sparsely populated. There are few towns or roads, leaving huge expanses of untouched land. The only human inhabitants of the area are nomads, forever seeking water for their cattle and themselves.

     To the east of the Rift Valley are the Aberdare Mountains, which include Mount Kenya; while to the west is the Mau Escarpment. The eastern Highlands are very fertile because of frequent rain and rich volcanic soil, and has been cultivated by Europeans as well as Kenyans.

     South-central Kenya first became known as the Highlands by the Europeans during the colonial days. The area has many deep valleys, canyons, and mountains, making it much more geographically varied than the rest of the Interior. It is also the most fertile part of the Interior, and also the most thickly populated. The climate is generally considered temperate, but there's a huge difference in temperature and precipitation between the valleys and the mountains. Rainy seasons occur twice a year: between March and May with the long rains, and again between October and December with the short rains.