20 October: Kenya

Today is Mashujaa, formerly known as Kenyatta day, a public holiday in Kenya. Here are ten things you may not know about Kenya.

1. The Republic of Kenya is named after Mount Kenya, which is the highest mountain in the country and the second highest in Africa. The name is thought to derive from words which translate as "God's resting place".
2. The name of the capital, Nairobi, comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nairobi, which translates to "cool water". It is the only capital city to have a game reserve in it, the Nairobi National Park.
3. The second largest city is Mombasa.
4. One of the country's most important exports is Coffee, but Kenyans don't tend to drink coffee themselves. They prefer Tea or Beer. They're not keen on cold drinks, either - their beverages are usually either hot or served at room temperature.
5. Tourism is also very important. Safaris in the various national parks are the biggest attractions. Lake Nakuru is known in particular as a nesting site for thousands of Flamingos.
6. In Kenya, a man's family will still pay a dowry to the bride's family, a minimum price of ten Cows. Men can have more than one wife (provided they have enough cows to pay the dowries).
7. There are a lot of young people in Kenya. 73% of the 45 million population is under 30.
8. Kenyan environmentalist Professor Maathai won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. She was the first African woman to do so.
9. Kenya's famous residents have included the naturalist Joy Adams, whose book Born Free describes her experiences raising the Lion cub, Elsa, in Kenya, and Karen Blixen, best known for her book Out of Africa, an account of her life while living in Kenya.
10. There is a Black, Red, and White traditional Maasai shield with two spears on the national Flag, which symbolises the defence of the nation, its natural wealth and culture.