Terrorist attacks by region in Kenya

Kenya: Terrorist attacks by region was 33 attacks in 2021. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2021)
33 attacks
Change on year
down 50.0%
World rank
23rd
of 187 countries
All-time high
115 attacks
in 2014
All-time low
0 attacks
in 1999
Years of data
29
1992–2021

Terrorist attacks by region in Kenya, 1992–2021

02550751001251992200620211992: 30 attacks1994: 5 attacks1995: 4 attacks1996: 3 attacks1997: 17 attacks1998: 2 attacks1999: 0 attacks2000: 4 attacks2001: 7 attacks2002: 2 attacks2003: 2 attacks2004: 0 attacks2005: 2 attacks2006: 2 attacks2007: 12 attacks2008: 11 attacks2009: 1 attacks2010: 12 attacks2011: 42 attacks2012: 80 attacks2013: 80 attacks2014: 115 attacks2015: 70 attacks2016: 65 attacks2017: 97 attacks2018: 52 attacks2019: 50 attacks2020: 66 attacks2021: 33 attacks

Source: National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in attacks.

Analysis

The most recent figure for terrorist attacks by region in Kenya is 33 attacks, measured in 2021.

The figure is down 50.0% on the previous year and down 21.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, terrorist attacks by region in Kenya peaked at 115 attacks in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0 attacks, in 1999.

That places Kenya 23rd out of 187 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Terrorist attacks by region in Kenya, year by year

Annual values for Terrorist attacks by region in Kenya, 1992 to 2021.
Year attacks Change
1992 30 attacks
1994 5 attacks -83.3%
1995 4 attacks -20.0%
1996 3 attacks -25.0%
1997 17 attacks +466.7%
1998 2 attacks -88.2%
1999 0 attacks -100.0%
2000 4 attacks
2001 7 attacks +75.0%
2002 2 attacks -71.4%
2003 2 attacks +0.0%
2004 0 attacks -100.0%
2005 2 attacks
2006 2 attacks +0.0%
2007 12 attacks +500.0%
2008 11 attacks -8.3%
2009 1 attacks -90.9%
2010 12 attacks +1100.0%
2011 42 attacks +250.0%
2012 80 attacks +90.5%
2013 80 attacks +0.0%
2014 115 attacks +43.8%
2015 70 attacks -39.1%
2016 65 attacks -7.1%
2017 97 attacks +49.2%
2018 52 attacks -46.4%
2019 50 attacks -3.8%
2020 66 attacks +32.0%
2021 33 attacks -50.0%

Kenya compared with similar countries

  • Kenya's 33 attacks is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1 attacks, 33.0× the median. (45 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Terrorist attacks by region in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2010 +1100.0% 1 attacks 12 attacks
2007 +500.0% 2 attacks 12 attacks
1997 +466.7% 3 attacks 17 attacks

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 8.71 attacks 0 attacks 30 attacks 7
2000s 4.3 attacks 0 attacks 12 attacks 10
2010s 66.3 attacks 12 attacks 115 attacks 10
2020s 49.5 attacks 33 attacks 66 attacks 2

Countries ranked near Kenya

  1. 20 United Kingdom 40 attacks compare
  2. 21 Niger 38 attacks compare
  3. 22 Ethiopia 36 attacks compare
  4. 24 Thailand 27 attacks compare
  5. 25 Indonesia 26 attacks compare
  6. 25 United States 26 attacks compare

See the full ranking of 187 places →

More reference data data for Kenya

All data for Kenya →

Frequently asked questions

What is terrorist attacks by region in Kenya?
Terrorist attacks by region in Kenya was 33 attacks in 2021, according to National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest terrorist attacks by region recorded in Kenya?
The highest recorded value was 115 attacks in 2014.
What is the lowest terrorist attacks by region recorded in Kenya?
The lowest recorded value was 0 attacks in 1999.
How does Kenya rank for terrorist attacks by region?
Kenya ranks 23rd out of 187 countries with data for 2021.
Is terrorist attacks by region rising or falling in Kenya?
Over the last ten years it is down 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Kenya data come from?
The figures come from National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Terrorist attacks by region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 29 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Terrorist attacks by region in Kenya. Statizoid, drawing on National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/terrorist-attacks-by-region/kenya/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/terrorist-attacks-by-region/kenya/">Terrorist attacks by region in Kenya</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Terrorist attacks by region
Unit
attacks
Source
National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
187 places, 5,394 data points, 1992–2021
Last refreshed

Total number of terrorist attacks.