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The great majority of Kenyans are engaged in farming, largely of the subsistence type. Coffee, tea, sisal, pyrethrum, corn, and wheat are grown in the highlands, mainly on small African-owned farms formed by dividing some of the large, formerly European-owned estates. Coconuts, pineapples, cashew nuts, cotton, sugarcane, sisal, and corn are grown in the lower-lying areas. Much of the country is savanna, where large numbers of cattle are pastured. Kenya also produces dairy goods, pork, poultry, and eggs. The country's leading manufactures include consumer goods such as plastic, furniture, textiles, cigarettes, and leather goods; refined petroleum; processed food; cement; and metal products. Industrial development has been hampered by shortages in hydroelectric power and inefficiency and corruption in the public sector; however, steps have been taken to privatize some state-owned companies. The chief minerals produced are limestone, soda ash, gold, salt, and fluorospar. Kenya attracts many tourists, largely lured by its coastal beaches and varied wildlife, which is protected in the expansive Tsavo National Park (8,034 sq mi/20,808 sq km) in the southeast.
Kenya's chief exports are tea and coffee; fluctuations in their world prices have tremendous economic impact. The leading imports are machinery, transportation equipment, consumer goods, and petroleum and petroleum products. Major trading partners are the United Kingdom, Uganda, Tanzania, and the United Arab Emirates. Kenya's population growth continually exceeds the rate of economic growth, resulting in large budget deficits and high unemployment. The country's well-developed transportation system has suffered from neglect in recent years.
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