Sub-Saharan Africa · Lower middle income
Kenya: the economy in numbers
Per person: $2,363, or $7,016 at purchasing power parity. Population: 57.5 million (2025).
GDP in 2025, current US dollars: #62 of 204 economies. IMF forecast for 2026: +4.5%.
GDP
Adjusted for US inflation, in 2025 dollars: $8.62 billion in 1960, $136 billion in 2025.
GDP per capita
In 2025 dollars: $1,120 per person in 1960, $2,363 in 2025.
Real GDP growth
Average over 2016–2025: 4.6% a year. Years of falling GDP since 1961: 4 of 65.
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Inflation
Consumer prices rose 7.03 times from 2000 to 2025. Highest annual inflation: 46.0% in 1993.
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Government debt, % of GDP
Highest since 1998: 73.4% of GDP in 2023. IMF forecast for 2031: 74.0%.
Stock market capitalization, % of GDP
In 2025 listed domestic companies were worth $22.8 billion, or 16.8% of GDP.
Population
1960: 7.7 million · 2025: 57.5 million.
Unemployment rate
1991: 2.8% · 2025: 5.4%.
Life expectancy at birth
1960: 48.5 years · 2024: 63.8 years.
Exports of goods and services
1960: 31.1% · 2025: 15.8%.
Data by year
Show the year-by-year table
| Year | GDP | GDP per capita | Per capita, PPP | Real growth | Inflation | Gov. debt, % GDP | Population | Unemployment | Stock market, % GDP | Life expectancy | Exports, % GDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2031 | 5.0%f | 5.0%f | 74.0%f | ||||||||
| 2030 | 5.0%f | 5.0%f | 74.3%f | ||||||||
| 2029 | 5.0%f | 5.2%f | 74.4%f | ||||||||
| 2028 | 4.9%f | 5.3%f | 74.4%f | ||||||||
| 2027 | 4.7%f | 5.0%f | 73.8%f | ||||||||
| 2026 | 4.5%f | 6.0%f | 72.9%f | ||||||||
| 2025 | $136B | $2,363 | $7,016 | 4.6% | 4.1% | 71.3% | 57.5M | 5.4% | 16.8% | 15.8% | |
| 2024 | $120B | $2,133 | $6,650 | 4.7% | 4.5% | 67.3% | 56.4M | 5.5% | 12.5% | 63.8 | 16.9% |
| 2023 | $108B | $1,943 | $6,322 | 5.7% | 7.7% | 73.4% | 55.3M | 5.4% | 8.6% | 63.6 | 16.7% |
| 2022 | $114B | $2,110 | $5,882 | 4.9% | 7.7% | 67.8% | 54.3M | 5.6% | 14.1% | 63.5 | 16.0% |
| 2021 | $110B | $2,061 | $5,339 | 7.6% | 6.1% | 68.2% | 53.2M | 5.7% | 20.9% | 61.2 | 13.1% |
| 2020 | $101B | $1,928 | $4,793 | −0.3% | 5.4% | 68.0% | 52.2M | 5.6% | 21.3% | 61.6 | 11.4% |
| 2019 | $100B | $1,960 | $4,687 | 5.1% | 5.2% | 59.1% | 51.2M | 5.0% | 25.0% | 62.9 | 11.4% |
| 2018 | $92.2B | $1,836 | $4,412 | 5.6% | 4.7% | 56.4% | 50.2M | 4.3% | 62.8 | 12.5% | |
| 2017 | $82B | $1,667 | $4,177 | 3.8% | 8.0% | 53.9% | 49.2M | 3.5% | 62.7 | 12.7% | |
| 2016 | $74.8B | $1,554 | $3,917 | 4.2% | 6.3% | 50.4% | 48.1M | 2.8% | 62.5 | 13.2% | |
| 2015 | $70.1B | $1,489 | $3,678 | 5.0% | 6.6% | 45.8% | 47.1M | 2.8% | 62.3 | 15.1% | |
| 2014 | $68.3B | $1,483 | $3,359 | 5.0% | 6.9% | 41.3% | 46.1M | 2.8% | 62.0 | 16.5% | |
| 2013 | $61.7B | $1,371 | $3,106 | 3.8% | 5.7% | 39.8% | 45M | 2.8% | 61.7 | 17.8% | |
| 2012 | $56.4B | $1,285 | $2,847 | 4.6% | 9.4% | 37.6% | 43.9M | 2.7% | 61.5 | 19.9% | |
| 2011 | $46.9B | $1,096 | $2,750 | 5.1% | 14.0% | 35.7% | 42.8M | 2.7% | 21.8% | 61.3 | 21.5% |
| 2010 | $45.4B | $1,092 | $2,635 | 8.1% | 4.0% | 36.7% | 41.6M | 2.8% | 31.8% | 60.9 | 20.1% |
| 2009 | $42.3B | $1,048 | $2,480 | 3.3% | 9.2% | 36.0% | 40.4M | 2.8% | 25.9% | 60.5 | 18.8% |
| 2008 | $35.9B | $916 | $2,459 | 0.2% | 26.2% | 34.3% | 39.2M | 2.8% | 30.2% | 60.0 | 22.7% |
| 2007 | $32B | $840 | $2,481 | 6.9% | 9.8% | 34.2% | 38M | 2.6% | 41.8% | 59.4 | 21.9% |
| 2006 | $25.8B | $700 | $2,330 | 6.5% | 14.5% | 37.1% | 36.9M | 2.7% | 44.1% | 59.1 | 23.0% |
| 2005 | $18.7B | $523 | $2,189 | 5.9% | 10.3% | 37.4% | 35.8M | 2.7% | 34.1% | 58.5 | 28.5% |
| 2004 | $16.1B | $464 | $2,066 | 5.1% | 11.6% | 40.8% | 34.7M | 2.8% | 24.2% | 57.9 | 26.6% |
| 2003 | $14.9B | $443 | $1,975 | 2.9% | 9.8% | 43.8% | 33.7M | 2.9% | 28.1% | 57.4 | 24.1% |
| 2002 | $13.1B | $403 | $1,940 | 0.5% | 2.0% | 42.0% | 32.6M | 2.9% | 10.9% | 56.8 | 24.9% |
| 2001 | $13B | $411 | $1,961 | 3.8% | 5.7% | 41.3% | 31.6M | 2.9% | 8.0% | 56.5 | 22.9% |
| 2000 | $12.7B | $415 | $1,907 | 0.6% | 10.0% | 43.1% | 30.6M | 2.9% | 9.9% | 56.1 | 21.6% |
| 1999 | $12.9B | $434 | $1,910 | 2.3% | 5.7% | 38.4% | 29.7M | 2.9% | 55.9 | 20.8% | |
| 1998 | $14.1B | $488 | $1,895 | 3.3% | 6.7% | 38.5% | 28.9M | 2.8% | 14.8% | 55.6 | 20.2% |
| 1997 | $13.1B | $467 | $1,865 | 0.5% | 11.4% | 28.1M | 2.8% | 13.8% | 55.5 | 22.7% | |
| 1996 | $12B | $441 | $1,875 | 4.1% | 8.9% | 27.3M | 2.8% | 14.9% | 55.6 | 25.2% | |
| 1995 | $9.05B | $340 | $1,818 | 4.4% | 1.6% | 26.6M | 2.8% | 22.3% | 55.9 | 32.6% | |
| 1994 | $7.15B | $276 | $1,754 | 2.6% | 28.8% | 25.9M | 3.0% | 42.6% | 56.1 | 37.0% | |
| 1993 | $5.75B | $229 | $1,723 | 0.4% | 46.0% | 25.1M | 3.0% | 18.5% | 56.7 | 38.9% | |
| 1992 | $8.21B | $337 | $1,728 | −0.8% | 27.3% | 24.4M | 2.9% | 57.1 | 26.3% | ||
| 1991 | $8.15B | $345 | $1,756 | 1.4% | 20.1% | 23.6M | 2.8% | 57.8 | 27.0% | ||
| 1990 | $8.57B | $374 | $1,729 | 4.2% | 17.8% | 22.9M | 58.3 | 25.7% | |||
| 1989 | $8.28B | $374 | 4.7% | 13.8% | 22.1M | 60.0 | 23.0% | ||||
| 1988 | $8.36B | $391 | 6.2% | 12.3% | 21.4M | 60.3 | 22.4% | ||||
| 1987 | $7.97B | $387 | 5.9% | 8.6% | 20.6M | 60.7 | 21.3% | ||||
| 1986 | $7.24B | $364 | 7.2% | 2.5% | 19.9M | 60.8 | 25.8% | ||||
| 1985 | $6.14B | $320 | 4.3% | 13.0% | 19.2M | 60.9 | 25.3% | ||||
| 1984 | $6.19B | $334 | 1.8% | 10.3% | 18.5M | 60.6 | 26.7% | ||||
| 1983 | $5.98B | $335 | 1.3% | 11.4% | 17.8M | 60.3 | 25.9% | ||||
| 1982 | $6.43B | $374 | 1.5% | 20.7% | 17.2M | 59.9 | 26.7% | ||||
| 1981 | $6.85B | $413 | 3.8% | 11.6% | 16.6M | 59.6 | 30.5% | ||||
| 1980 | $7.27B | $454 | 5.6% | 13.9% | 16M | 59.2 | 29.5% | ||||
| 1979 | $6.23B | $403 | 7.6% | 8.0% | 15.5M | 58.7 | 25.8% | ||||
| 1978 | $5.3B | $355 | 6.9% | 16.9% | 14.9M | 58.2 | 28.9% | ||||
| 1977 | $4.49B | $311 | 9.5% | 14.8% | 14.4M | 57.7 | 35.0% | ||||
| 1976 | $3.47B | $249 | 2.2% | 11.4% | 14M | 57.2 | 32.5% | ||||
| 1975 | $3.26B | $241 | 0.9% | 19.1% | 13.5M | 56.6 | 29.8% | ||||
| 1974 | $2.97B | $227 | 4.1% | 17.8% | 13.1M | 56.0 | 33.7% | ||||
| 1973 | $2.51B | $199 | 5.9% | 9.3% | 12.6M | 55.5 | 27.4% | ||||
| 1972 | $2.11B | $173 | 17.1% | 5.8% | 12.2M | 55.0 | 26.6% | ||||
| 1971 | $1.78B | $151 | 22.2% | 3.8% | 11.8M | 54.5 | 28.6% | ||||
| 1970 | $1.6B | $141 | −4.7% | 2.2% | 11.4M | 54.1 | 29.8% | ||||
| 1969 | $1.46B | $133 | 8.0% | −0.2% | 10.9M | 53.7 | 29.5% | ||||
| 1968 | $1.35B | $129 | 8.0% | 0.4% | 10.5M | 53.3 | 29.4% | ||||
| 1967 | $1.23B | $122 | 3.4% | 1.8% | 10.1M | 52.8 | 28.5% | ||||
| 1966 | $1.16B | $120 | 14.7% | 5.0% | 9.72M | 52.4 | 32.4% | ||||
| 1965 | $998M | $107 | 2.0% | 3.6% | 9.34M | 51.9 | 31.4% | ||||
| 1964 | $999M | $111 | 5.0% | −0.1% | 8.97M | 51.3 | 33.4% | ||||
| 1963 | $927M | $107 | 8.8% | 0.7% | 8.63M | 50.8 | 32.0% | ||||
| 1962 | $868M | $105 | 9.5% | 3.1% | 8.3M | 50.1 | 32.0% | ||||
| 1961 | $793M | $99 | −7.8% | 2.5% | 7.99M | 49.3 | 32.7% | ||||
| 1960 | $791M | $103 | 1.2% | 7.7M | 48.5 | 31.1% |
e: IMF estimate; f: IMF forecast.
Nearby economies in Sub-Saharan Africa
Nearest by distance between capitals, with GDP per capita.
Angola · Benin · Botswana · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Cameroon · Central African Republic · Chad · Comoros · Côte d’Ivoire · DR Congo · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Gabon · Gambia · Ghana · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Kenya · Lesotho · Liberia · Madagascar · Malawi · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mozambique · Namibia · Niger · Nigeria · Republic of the Congo · Rwanda · Senegal · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Somalia · South Africa · South Sudan · Sudan · São Tomé and Príncipe · Tanzania · Togo · Uganda · Zambia · Zimbabwe
Rankings
GDP by country · GDP per capita · Real GDP growth · Inflation by country · Government debt to GDP · Stock market to GDP · Population by country · Unemployment by country
Data and methods
- GDP: gross domestic product in current US dollars, converted from the local currency at market exchange rates (World Bank); not adjusted for inflation.
- Purchasing power parity (PPP): GDP per person in international dollars, which buy the same basket of goods and services in every country. It compares living standards across countries in the same year; it is not adjusted for inflation over time.
- In 2025 dollars: the charts can remove US inflation (US consumer price index, annual average) so that dollar amounts from different years compare in today's money. Exchange rate swings still show.
- Growth and inflation: World Bank data (calendar years). Years the World Bank does not cover yet, and the estimates and forecasts, come from the IMF World Economic Outlook (October 2026): its forecasts start in 2026, and the years after a country's last actual year are IMF estimates.
- Government debt: gross debt of the general government (central, state and local government and social security funds) as a percentage of GDP, IMF. The World Bank's central government debt is narrower and covers fewer countries.
- Stock market capitalization: the end-of-year value of domestic companies listed on the country's exchanges (World Federation of Exchanges via the World Bank; before 2016, Standard & Poor's), as a percentage of GDP: the “Buffett indicator”. Investment funds are excluded, and so are companies listed only abroad; companies from elsewhere that list on an exchange count for its country (Hong Kong lists many mainland Chinese companies).
- Unemployment: ILO modeled estimates (share of the labor force); comparable across countries, but they may differ from national figures.
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)