"There's something about safari life," Isak Dinesen wrote, "that makes you feel as if you'd drunk half a bottle of champagne, bubbling over with gratitude for being alive." And when it comes to safariing among the greatest collection of wildlife on the planet, Kenya is at the vanguard.

• TOTAL AREA: 582,650 sq km

• LAND AREA: 569,250 sq km

• WATER AREA: 13,400 sq km

• POPULATION: 13,400 sq km

• RELIGIONS: Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Muslim 10%, other 2%

• LANGUAGES: English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages

• GOVERNMENT TYPE: Republic

• CAPITAL CITY: Nairobi

• OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Kenyan shilling (KES)

• TIME ZONE: GMT/UTC +3