It is a country of striking topographical and climatic variety. The northern three-fifths is arid, much of it is semidesert, inhabited only by nomadic pastoralists. South of the Tana River, along the coast, tropical temperatures and beautiful beaches have provided the setting for a well-developed tourist resort industry centered at the port city of Mombasa. The land descends gradually from the western rift formation to the shores of Lake Victoria. Although game hunting and trade in ivory and skins have been banned, poaching threatens rhinos, elephants, cheetahs, leopards, and other species.
Most game preserves have comfortable lodges.
Adorned with flowering trees and shrubs and beautiful houses and public buildings, Nairobi has become a hub of communications, international conferences, and commercial and industrial activities in east and central Africa. Elsewhere, due to the altitude, Kenya's climate is cool and invigorating. Kenya's population is richly varied. Traditional herders, Arab Muslims, and cosmopolitan residents of Nairobi all contribute to the culture. The standard of living in major cities is among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.