The Kipsigis (Kipsigiis or Kipsikiis) are the largest tribe of the Kalenjin ethnic group and speak Kipsigis, a dialect of the Kalenjin language which is classified as a Southern Nilotic. Their dialect is identified by their community eponym Kipsigis. While often cited as representing nearly half of all Kalenjin people, official 2019 data placed their share at approximately (30.1%) with a population at 1,916,317. Joshua Project provides modern population estimates reaching 2.6 million in 2025–2026 and explores the "Pharaoh's army" oral tradition alongside standard Nilotic migration theories.
As Highland Nilotes geographically, their ancestral heartland spans the highlands of Kericho and Bomet counties, stretching from Timboroa in the north to the Mara River in the south, and from the Mau Escarpment in the east to Kebeneti in the west; additionally, significant populations reside in Nakuru, Narok, Uasin Gishu, and Trans Nzoia. The Kipsigis maintain a closely intertwined identity with the Ogiek, another indigenous sub-tribe considered one of the earliest inhabitants of Kenya, sharing many linguistic and cultural traits through centuries of inter-assimilation and common social structures.{ "type": "FeatureCollection", "features": [
"type": "Feature", "properties": {}, "geometry": { "type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [ [ [ 35.592785, -0.371987 ], [ 35.580597, -0.391383 ], [ 35.585403, -0.404945 ], [ 35.59227, -0.407861 ], [ 35.705395, -0.360498 ], [ 35.720158, -0.365464 ], [ 35.733376, -0.357398 ], [ 35.735092, -0.36856 ], [ 35.74419, -0.378515 ], [ 35.761185, -0.376966 ], [ 35.773201, -0.354993 ], [ 35.7938, -0.354993 ], [ 35.806503, -0.344694 ], [ 35.815773, -0.327871 ], [ 35.81131, -0.307616 ], [ 35.81646, -0.302123 ], [ 35.821609, -0.257148 ], [ 35.830879, -0.237922 ], [ 35.865898, -0.237579 ], [ 35.893364, -0.257148 ], [ 35.892677, -0.284957 ], [ 35.853882, -0.317572 ], [ 35.877228, -0.323065 ], [ 35.896797, -0.354993 ], [ 35.913277, -0.36392 ], [ 35.888901, -0.376968 ], [ 35.887527, -0.386235 ], [ 35.895424, -0.388982 ], [ 35.898857, -0.396535 ], [ 35.912933, -0.397908 ], [ 35.91259, -0.410094 ], [ 35.928469, -0.409494 ], [ 35.947609, -0.414387 ], [ 35.965891, -0.419538 ], [ 35.971298, -0.440135 ], [ 35.979195, -0.472921 ], [ 35.978594, -0.482878 ], [ 35.982542, -0.494636 ], [ 35.991983, -0.511544 ], [ 35.993614, -0.509742 ], [ 35.995674, -0.509227 ], [ 35.995417, -0.508025 ], [ 35.994387, -0.506995 ], [ 35.995073, -0.504592 ], [ 35.996618, -0.502618 ], [ 36.000223, -0.50485 ], [ 36.002197, -0.506652 ], [ 36.005459, -0.50751 ], [ 36.006575, -0.509227 ], [ 36.008463, -0.510085 ], [ 36.011639, -0.509227 ], [ 36.013269, -0.509055 ], [ 36.0149, -0.508883 ], [ 36.017904, -0.504163 ], [ 36.022968, -0.50279 ], [ 36.02623, -0.502446 ], [ 36.02932, -0.502446 ], [ 36.032066, -0.506394 ], [ 36.035328, -0.506738 ], [ 36.038418, -0.507081 ], [ 36.043053, -0.503991 ], [ 36.044769, -0.509484 ], [ 36.045113, -0.514462 ], [ 36.046658, -0.518925 ], [ 36.039963, -0.516522 ], [ 36.03241, -0.515835 ], [ 36.026402, -0.510343 ], [ 36.01799, -0.513261 ], [ 36.019363, -0.517895 ], [ 36.02211, -0.518925 ], [ 36.022797, -0.524247 ], [ 36.028633, -0.530169 ], [ 36.03447, -0.536091 ], [ 36.040306, -0.542013 ], [ 36.046143, -0.547935 ], [ 36.047173, -0.549136 ], [ 36.050262, -0.548106 ], [ 36.051464, -0.546819 ], [ 36.051636, -0.545746 ], [ 36.053138, -0.545274 ], [ 36.053953, -0.544459 ], [ 36.05567, -0.544845 ], [ 36.056743, -0.54463 ], [ 36.058717, -0.542571 ], [ 36.061506, -0.541498 ], [ 36.062751, -0.540339 ], [ 36.064253, -0.53961 ], [ 36.065025, -0.538322 ], [ 36.065154, -0.536734 ], [ 36.065712, -0.536048 ], [ 36.066871, -0.536391 ], [ 36.066699, -0.533945 ], [ 36.066055, -0.533258 ], [ 36.066914, -0.5324 ], [ 36.068201, -0.5321 ], [ 36.069703, -0.533173 ], [ 36.071506, -0.533773 ], [ 36.072364, -0.532658 ], [ 36.072793, -0.531842 ], [ 36.073866, -0.52828 ], [ 36.076398, -0.527379 ], [ 36.079574, -0.52592 ], [ 36.081033, -0.525191 ], [ 36.083393, -0.523732 ], [ 36.093693, -0.524247 ], [ 36.102448, -0.519097 ], [ 36.108284, -0.51841 ], [ 36.149654, -0.493349 ], [ 36.150341, -0.480131 ], [ 36.161156, -0.479788 ], [ 36.161842, -0.537292 ], [ 36.183901, -0.557976 ], [ 36.186047, -0.563555 ], [ 36.190338, -0.574713 ], [ 36.187592, -0.584154 ], [ 36.177635, -0.582952 ], [ 36.170168, -0.583295 ], [ 36.162701, -0.583639 ], [ 36.155963, -0.581622 ], [ 36.149225, -0.579605 ], [ 36.141758, -0.578832 ], [ 36.13575, -0.575571 ], [ 36.12957, -0.549308 ], [ 36.117554, -0.539867 ], [ 36.094723, -0.543815 ], [ 36.084938, -0.560122 ], [ 36.081676, -0.576601 ], [ 36.07687, -0.58484 ], [ 36.067944, -0.594453 ], [ 36.051807, -0.598229 ], [ 36.050777, -0.593594 ], [ 36.046486, -0.590333 ], [ 36.040306, -0.590505 ], [ 36.034126, -0.59205 ], [ 36.01387, -0.593938 ], [ 36.00666, -0.598744 ], [ 35.997219, -0.595998 ], [ 35.992928, -0.588445 ], [ 35.990181, -0.578661 ], [ 35.989838, -0.56716 ], [ 35.981083, -0.555144 ], [ 35.974216, -0.555152 ], [ 35.946579, -0.558578 ], [ 35.933189, -0.55034 ], [ 35.905724, -0.547592 ], [ 35.891304, -0.526652 ], [ 35.854225, -0.505026 ], [ 35.833626, -0.492308 ], [ 35.837746, -0.468623 ], [ 35.830193, -0.465878 ], [ 35.827103, -0.474459 ], [ 35.816803, -0.473773 ], [ 35.817146, -0.464854 ], [ 35.811653, -0.4573 ], [ 35.797234, -0.457645 ], [ 35.795174, -0.46777 ], [ 35.79586, -0.47344 ], [ 35.780411, -0.51326 ], [ 35.776291, -0.522872 ], [ 35.773544, -0.537975 ], [ 35.747108, -0.531796 ], [ 35.736809, -0.531455 ], [ 35.721016, -0.55205 ], [ 35.711746, -0.55514 ], [ 35.712433, -0.564409 ], [ 35.71312, -0.573678 ], [ 35.707283, -0.590841 ], [ 35.694237, -0.600454 ], [ 35.685997, -0.619334 ], [ 35.685654, -0.639244 ], [ 35.678444, -0.657093 ], [ 35.670891, -0.65984 ], [ 35.662994, -0.677004 ], [ 35.639648, -0.701713 ], [ 35.606689, -0.675642 ], [ 35.59845, -0.637179 ], [ 35.572357, -0.630325 ], [ 35.549011, -0.587759 ], [ 35.450478, -0.591708 ], [ 35.488586, -0.549288 ], [ 35.491333, -0.484752 ], [ 35.467987, -0.447675 ], [ 35.451508, -0.402362 ], [ 35.450134, -0.359794 ], [ 35.474854, -0.33508 ], [ 35.48996, -0.293885 ], [ 35.533905, -0.295257 ], [ 35.57785, -0.302114 ], [ 35.60257, -0.274661 ], [ 35.625916, -0.287017 ], [ 35.638275, -0.273285 ], [ 35.64497, -0.272769 ], [ 35.65012, -0.268992 ], [ 35.65321, -0.260409 ], [ 35.653553, -0.250283 ], [ 35.659561, -0.244103 ], [ 35.651665, -0.235521 ], [ 35.652866, -0.226595 ], [ 35.656643, -0.213719 ], [ 35.652351, -0.210801 ], [ 35.649433, -0.205993 ], [ 35.659561, -0.199813 ], [ 35.660248, -0.193977 ], [ 35.652008, -0.194325 ], [ 35.649261, -0.178534 ], [ 35.634155, -0.173722 ], [ 35.613556, -0.2005 ], [ 35.612869, -0.221783 ], [ 35.590897, -0.22247 ], [ 35.568237, -0.229335 ], [ 35.553818, -0.227278 ], [ 35.53442, -0.252169 ], [ 35.524979, -0.273283 ], [ 35.505409, -0.272254 ], [ 35.472965, -0.278607 ], [ 35.458202, -0.286502 ], [ 35.444813, -0.293883 ], [ 35.423012, -0.298861 ], [ 35.414257, -0.304182 ], [ 35.408421, -0.310876 ], [ 35.403271, -0.306243 ], [ 35.366192, -0.348477 ], [ 35.372028, -0.36203 ], [ 35.383701, -0.359456 ], [ 35.396061, -0.352762 ], [ 35.395718, -0.36306 ], [ 35.399666, -0.363576 ], [ 35.391941, -0.368039 ], [ 35.384731, -0.372845 ], [ 35.38353, -0.376106 ], [ 35.360012, -0.37027 ], [ 35.349197, -0.376107 ], [ 35.338898, -0.378683 ], [ 35.336151, -0.394129 ], [ 35.321388, -0.41164 ], [ 35.318298, -0.41885 ], [ 35.311432, -0.423313 ], [ 35.314178, -0.435502 ], [ 35.285854, -0.489223 ], [ 35.292549, -0.490603 ], [ 35.310059, -0.50124 ], [ 35.311604, -0.509999 ], [ 35.315552, -0.512402 ], [ 35.311604, -0.518238 ], [ 35.3092, -0.520813 ], [ 35.306969, -0.529396 ], [ 35.305767, -0.53815 ], [ 35.326366, -0.570073 ], [ 35.337353, -0.579174 ], [ 35.350399, -0.551196 ], [ 35.360184, -0.529912 ], [ 35.367393, -0.521844 ], [ 35.379925, -0.519798 ], [ 35.381813, -0.525791 ], [ 35.37838, -0.528537 ], [ 35.375805, -0.530598 ], [ 35.379581, -0.533002 ], [ 35.383358, -0.54124 ], [ 35.386276, -0.551025 ], [ 35.390396, -0.558062 ], [ 35.392456, -0.565959 ], [ 35.391941, -0.585698 ], [ 35.400867, -0.59514 ], [ 35.408421, -0.607156 ], [ 35.391769, -0.627581 ], [ 35.396233, -0.636679 ], [ 35.398464, -0.648179 ], [ 35.426788, -0.720961 ], [ 35.47863, -0.762152 ], [ 35.506096, -0.774169 ], [ 35.519142, -0.774856 ], [ 35.538025, -0.779429 ], [ 35.550041, -0.787557 ], [ 35.570297, -0.767993 ], [ 35.617676, -0.722684 ], [ 35.639305, -0.741559 ], [ 35.69149, -0.728517 ], [ 35.69767, -0.758035 ], [ 35.724792, -0.75735 ], [ 35.733032, -0.786871 ], [ 35.750885, -0.813649 ], [ 35.752945, -0.831498 ], [ 35.741272, -0.841797 ], [ 35.730286, -0.865823 ], [ 35.730972, -0.899462 ], [ 35.702133, -0.926931 ], [ 35.673981, -0.942732 ], [ 35.612869, -0.98185 ], [ 35.548325, -0.980478 ], [ 35.46524, -0.933798 ], [ 35.378723, -0.992835 ], [ 35.332031, -1.002447 ], [ 35.271606, -1.018211 ], [ 35.241851, -1.036551 ], [ 35.216675, -1.018211 ], [ 35.189552, -1.029219 ], [ 35.164833, -1.030595 ], [ 35.131187, -1.028869 ], [ 35.115051, -1.069716 ], [ 35.089302, -1.058057 ], [ 35.076942, -1.021676 ], [ 35.062866, -0.998677 ], [ 35.059776, -0.981858 ], [ 35.043297, -0.987519 ], [ 35.034027, -0.992325 ], [ 35.029135, -0.993526 ], [ 35.024242, -0.994728 ], [ 35.025272, -0.997731 ], [ 35.026302, -1.000735 ], [ 35.022526, -1.003138 ], [ 35.019436, -1.005541 ], [ 35.017033, -1.008973 ], [ 35.014458, -1.014637 ], [ 35.009136, -1.02013 ], [ 35.0033, -1.022361 ], [ 35.002785, -1.025794 ], [ 34.99918, -1.028368 ], [ 34.993858, -1.028196 ], [ 34.989052, -1.025107 ], [ 34.986649, -1.027853 ], [ 34.985275, -1.031972 ], [ 34.982357, -1.036263 ], [ 34.983215, -1.040554 ], [ 34.946136, -1.07797 ], [ 34.930344, -1.101998 ], [ 34.909058, -1.115042 ], [ 34.893265, -1.132205 ], [ 34.876785, -1.13701 ], [ 34.867859, -1.148681 ], [ 34.856873, -1.159665 ], [ 34.837646, -1.170649 ], [ 34.835587, -1.15074 ], [ 34.854126, -1.148681 ], [ 34.860992, -1.12328 ], [ 34.874725, -1.116415 ], [ 34.884338, -1.07797 ], [ 34.883652, -1.050509 ], [ 34.889832, -1.018242 ], [ 34.880905, -1.008287 ], [ 34.936523, -0.97293 ], [ 34.931374, -0.966064 ], [ 34.932404, -0.955766 ], [ 34.94339, -0.937573 ], [ 34.944763, -0.928647 ], [ 34.940643, -0.921095 ], [ 34.942703, -0.907021 ], [ 35.006905, -0.891576 ], [ 35.015792, -0.892985 ], [ 35.007935, -0.883726 ], [ 35.073853, -0.823344 ], [ 35.091705, -0.803349 ], [ 35.048532, -0.707742 ], [ 35.049906, -0.704995 ], [ 35.051279, -0.702249 ], [ 35.054541, -0.701048 ], [ 35.057201, -0.699331 ], [ 35.064325, -0.695212 ], [ 35.069196, -0.694782 ], [ 35.071042, -0.694031 ], [ 35.071836, -0.693452 ], [ 35.072608, -0.692937 ], [ 35.072393, -0.692315 ], [ 35.072072, -0.691693 ], [ 35.072072, -0.691242 ], [ 35.072222, -0.690405 ], [ 35.071063, -0.689397 ], [ 35.070956, -0.688968 ], [ 35.070848, -0.68738 ], [ 35.070827, -0.686972 ], [ 35.06984, -0.684462 ], [ 35.069089, -0.684183 ], [ 35.068102, -0.684119 ], [ 35.067501, -0.683711 ], [ 35.067308, -0.682939 ], [ 35.067222, -0.681801 ], [ 35.066814, -0.68075 ], [ 35.066471, -0.6803 ], [ 35.066128, -0.679849 ], [ 35.065506, -0.67927 ], [ 35.065055, -0.679098 ], [ 35.064454, -0.678733 ], [ 35.06366, -0.678218 ], [ 35.062866, -0.676673 ], [ 35.062759, -0.675987 ], [ 35.063274, -0.67485 ], [ 35.063853, -0.673798 ], [ 35.064025, -0.67279 ], [ 35.063918, -0.671781 ], [ 35.060678, -0.669228 ], [ 35.058961, -0.666975 ], [ 35.057952, -0.665709 ], [ 35.057373, -0.664164 ], [ 35.05718, -0.662062 ], [ 35.055807, -0.65747 ], [ 35.055935, -0.653951 ], [ 35.054626, -0.650425 ], [ 35.057373, -0.58455 ], [ 35.05188, -0.488481 ],