Nairobi | national capital, Kenya | Britannica.com national capital, Kenya list of cities and towns in Kenya Nairobi, city, capital of Kenya . It is situated in the south-central part of the country, in the highlands at an elevation of about 5,500 feet (1,680 metres). The city lies 300 miles (480 km) northwest of Mombasa , Kenya’s major port on the Indian Ocean . Jacaranda trees blossom on parkland in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. Adrian Arbib/Corbis The city originated in the late 1890s as a colonial railway settlement, taking its name from a water hole known to the Maasai people as Enkare Nairobi (“Cold Water”). When the railhead arrived there in 1899, the British colonial capital of Ukamba province was transferred from Machakos (now Masaku) to the site, and in 1905 Nairobi became the capital of the British East Africa Protectorate . From about 1900 onward, when a small Indian bazaar was established at Nairobi, the city was also a trading centre.

As a governmental centre, Nairobi subsequently attracted a stream of migrants from rural Kenya that made it one of the largest cities in tropical Africa. It was declared a municipality in 1919 and was granted city status in 1954. When Kenya gained independence in 1963, Nairobi remained the capital. The new country’s constitution expanded the city’s municipal area; the enlarged municipality is an independent unit administered by the Nairobi City Council. Street scenes in Nairobi, capital of Kenya. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Nairobi is the principal industrial centre of the country. The railways are the largest single industrial employer. Light-manufacturing industries produce beverages, cigarettes, and processed food. Tourism is also important. The city is located near eastern Africa’s agricultural heartland, and a number of primary products are routed through Nairobi before being exported via Mombasa. Nairobi also plays an important role in the community of eastern African states; it is the headquarters of important regional railways, harbours, and airways corporations. Similar Topics Nyeri The city is well served by roads and railways. The main routes are southeast and south to Mombasa and Tanzania and northwest via the highlands to Lake Victoria and Uganda .

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, 9 miles (15 km) to the southwest, is one of the chief international airports in Africa. Among the city’s architectural landmarks are the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, the Parliament Building and city hall, the law courts , the Roman Catholic cathedral, and the Jamia Mosque. There is also a well-planned commercial centre. The shining domes of Jamia Mosque, Nairobi. © Corbis Nairobi is home to several educational institutions, including the University of Nairobi (founded in 1956 as the Royal Technical College of East Africa), Kenyatta University College (founded in 1972 as a constituent part of the University of Nairobi), Kenya Polytechnic University College (1961), and Kenya Institute of Administration (1961). Other institutions include the Kenya National Archives, the National Museum of Kenya (natural history), the McMillan Memorial Library, and the Kenya National Theatre. Nairobi National Park , a large reserve for numerous mammals, reptiles, and birds, is a popular tourist attraction. Pop.

(1999) 2,143,254; (2009) 3,133,518. Herd of male impalas (Aepyceros melampus) in Nairobi National Park, Kenya James P. Rowan Nairobi is the capital of Kenya Nairobi is the capital of Kenya Nairobi is the capital of Kenya Nairobi is the capital of Kenya 592 Nairobi /naɪˈroʊbi/ is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also form Nairobi County. The placename "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nairobi, which translates to "cool water". Tell your friends Tweet The phrase is also the Maasai name of the Nairobi river, which in turn lent its name to the city. However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun", and is surrounded by several expanding villa suburbs.Inhabitants of Nairobi are known as Nairobians, and the city is governed by the County Government of Nairobi, whose current governor is Evans Kidero.

Nairobi was founded in 1899 by the colonial authorities in British East Africa, as a rail depot on the Uganda Railway. The town quickly grew to replace Machakos as the capital of the colony in 1907. After independence in 1963, Nairobi became the capital of the Republic of Kenya. During Kenya's colonial period, the city became a centre for the colony's coffee, tea and sisal industry. The city lies on the Nairobi River in the southern part of country, and has an elevation of 1,795 metres (5,889 ft) above sea level. With a population of about 3.36 million estimated in 2011, Nairobi is the second-largest city by population in the African Great Lakes region after Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. According to the 2009 census, in the administrative area of Nairobi, 3,138,295 inhabitants lived within 696 km2 (269 sq mi). Nairobi is the 14th-largest city in Africa, including the population of its suburbs. Nairobi is one of the most prominent cities in Africa, both politically and financially.

Home to thousands of Kenyan businesses and over 100 major international companies and organisations, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the main coordinating and headquarters for the UN in Africa and Middle East, the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), Nairobi is an established hub for business and culture. The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) is one of the largest in Africa and the second-oldest exchange on the continent. It is Africa's fourth-largest exchange in terms of trading volume, capable of making 10 million trades a day. The Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC) defines Nairobi as a prominent social centre. ... Subscribe to our newsletter and stay up to date with the latest news and deals! Subscribe Nairobi, capital city of Kenya All... Nairobi, capital city of Kenya Long a jumping-off point for safaris for adventurers like Ernest Hemingway and Teddy Roosevelt, Nairobi remains the first stop for travelers ready to explore East Africa's many wildlife parks. A little more than one hundred years ago, the capital was a glorified water depot for British railway workers, but it is now home to imposing public buildings, grand hotels and expats from around the world.

It is the best evidence of modernity in East Africa, and many first-time visitors are surprised by the city's skyline. It is one of Africa's largest capitals, and although some early architecture remains, most of the city is marked by modern office towers. Even with the relatively new influx of Western culture and business, the city still retains much of its charm. Hotels recall the elegance of times gone by, brilliant bougainvillea line the streets and the horizon bursts with lavender colors as the jacaranda blossoms. The Nairobi National Museum is a good introduction to the history of both the capital and Kenya overall. Exhibits include fascinating reproductions of rock art and Richard and Mary Leakey's important archaeological discoveries. In the 1960s, the couple discovered the remains of early human ancestors at Lake Turkana, and their findings pointed to the Rift Valley as the likely Cradle of Humankind. The museum also showcases beautiful paintings by Joy Adamson and an intriguing collection of the country's colorful butterflies and birds. Visitors can even take guided bird walks from the museum, led by the knowledgable experts of the Kenya Museum Society.

Karen Blixen, author of ìOut of Africa,î made Nairobi her home from 1913 to 1931. Visitors today can visit the grand estate, where she once hosted lavish dinner parties for British royalty and carried on a passionate relationship with famous aviator Denys Finch Hatton. Exhibits include some of Blixen's treasured belongings and even some of the farm machinery that once cultivated the surrounding land for tea and coffee. More of her furniture and personal effects can be viewed at Nairobi's McMillan Library, and the estate offers magnificent views of the nearby hills, covered with euphorbia, also known as the candelabra cactus. Another must-see sight in the capital is the Railway Museum, developed to preserve the records and relics of the area's harbors and railways. Children of all ages will especially enjoy the displays, and visitors can see Teddy Roosevelt's original rhino catcher from his 1908 safari and the carriage owned by Charles Ryall, an English railway man who was dragged out of the carriage window by a hungry lion. Other exhibits include rare posters and photos and silver service from the days of Nairobi's elegant overnight trains.

Visit on the second Saturday of the month to take a ride on an authentic steam train. Get in touch with Nairobi's wild side at the David Sheldrick Orphanage for Rhinos and Elephants. There, you can watch baby elephants bathe and play before they mature enough to be reintroduced to the wild. The experience is incredibly heartwarming and definitely a must-do while in the capital. Immerse yourself in local life at the City Market, a vast jumble of activity, color and noise. Housed in a 1930s aircraft hangar, the market is loaded with stalls selling everything from traditional fabrics to exotic meats. Haggling is expected, so do not be shy about bargaining for the best price. Nairobi Geographical Location Nairobi is located in the southwest of Kenya adjacent to the east edge of the Rift Valley. The population of Nairobi is approximately 3,200,000 and is the largest city in Kenya. Nairobi Language English and Kiswahili are the official languages of Kenya and are widely spoken however there are a total of 69 languages spoken in minorities throughout Kenya.

Nairobi Predominant Religion The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value People and Society :: KENYA Population: 46,790,758 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2016 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 Demographic profile: Kenya has experienced dramatic population growth since the mid-20th century as a result of its high birth rate and its declining mortality rate.

More than 40% of Kenyans are under the age of 15 because of sustained high fertility, early marriage and childbearing, and an unmet need for family planning. Kenya’s persistent rapid population growth strains the labor market, social services, arable land, and natural resources. Although Kenya in 1967 was the first sub-Saharan country to launch a nationwide family planning program, progress in reducing the birth rate has largely stalled since the late 1990s, when the government decreased its support for family planning to focus on the HIV epidemic. Government commitment and international technical support spurred Kenyan contraceptive use, decreasing the fertility rate (children per woman) from about 8 in the late 1970s to less than 5 children twenty years later, but it has plateaued at just over 3 children today. Kenya is a source of emigrants and a host country for refugees. In the 1960s and 1970s, Kenyans pursued higher education in the UK because of colonial ties, but as British immigration rules tightened, the US, the then Soviet Union, and Canada became attractive study destinations.

Kenya’s stagnant economy and political problems during the 1980s and 1990s led to an outpouring of Kenyan students and professionals seeking permanent opportunities in the West and southern Africa. Nevertheless, Kenya’s relative stability since its independence in 1963 has attracted hundreds of thousands of refugees escaping violent conflicts in neighboring countries; Kenya presently shelters nearly 400,000 Somali refugees.

0-14 years: 40.87% (male 9,592,017/female 9,532,032) 15-24 years: 18.83% (male 4,398,554/female 4,411,586) 25-54 years: 33.54% (male 7,938,111/female 7,755,128) 55-64 years: 3.84% (male 819,665/female 976,862) 65 years and over: 2.92% (male 590,961/female 775,842) (2016 est.) population pyramid: Executive branch: chief of state: President Uhuru KENYATTA (since 9 April 2013); Deputy President William RUTO (since 9 April 2013); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government:

 President Uhuru KENYATTA (since 9 April 2013); Deputy President William RUTO (since 9 April 2013); note - position of the prime minister abolished after the March 2013 elections cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, subject to confirmation by the Natioal Assembly elections/appointments: president and deputy president directly elected on the same ballot by qualified majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); in addition to receiving an absolute majority popular vote, the presidential candidate must also win at least 25% of the votes cast in each of more than half of the 47 counties to avoid a runoff; election last held on 4 March 2013 (next to be held in 2017) election results: Uhuru KENYATTA elected president in first round; percent of vote - Uhuru KENYATTA (TNA) 50.1%, Raila ODINGA (ODM) 43.7%, Musalia MUDAVADI (UDF) 4.0%, other 2.2% Legislative branch: description: bicameral parliament consists of the Senate (6

7 seats; 47 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 20 directly elected by proportional representation vote - 16 women, 2 representing youth, and 2 representing the disabled; members serve 5-year terms) and the National Assembly (349 seats; 290 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 47 women in single-seat constituencies elected by simple majority vote, and 12 members nominated by the National Assembly - 6 representing youth and 6 representing the disabled; members serve 5-year terms) elections: last held on 4 March 2013 (next to be held in 2017) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - Jubilee Alliance 30 (TNA 17, URP 12, NARC 1); CORD Coalition 28 (ODM 17, FORD-K 5, WDM-K 5, other 1); Amani Coalition 6 (KANU 3, UDF 3), APK 3; National Assembly - percent of vote by party/coal

ition - NA; seats by party/coalition - Jubilee Alliance 167 (TNA 89, URP 75, NARC 3), CORD Coalition 141 (ODM 96, WDM-K 26, FORD-K 10, other 9), Amani Coalition 24 (UDF 12, KANU 6, NFK 6), Eagle Coalition 2 (KNC 2), APK 5, FORD-P 4, independent 4, other 2 Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of chief and deputy chief justices and 5 judges) judge selection and term of office: chief and deputy chief justices nominated by Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and appointed by president with approval of the National Assembly; other judges nominated by the JSC and appointed by president; chief justice serves a nonrenewable 10-year term or till age 70 whichever comes first; other judges serve till age 70 subordinate courts: High Court; Court of Appeal; military courts; magistrates' courts; religious courts Alliance Party of Kenya or APK [Kiraitu MURUNGI] Amani National Congress

 [Musalia MUDAVADI] Coalition for Reforms and Democracy or CORD (includes ODM, WDM-K, FORD-K) [Raila ODINGA] Federal Party of Kenya or FPK [Cyrus JIRONGA] Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-K [Moses WETANGULA] Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-P [Henry OBWOCHA] Jubilee Alliance (includes TNA, URP, NARC) [Uhuru KENYATTA] Kenya African National Union or KANU [Gideon MOI] National Rainbow Coalition or NARC [Charity NGILU] New Ford Kenya or NFK [Eugene WAMALWA] Orange Democratic Movement Party of Kenya or ODM [Raila ODINGA] The National Alliance or TNA [Uhuru KENYATTA] United Republican Party or URP [William RUTO] Wiper Democratic Movement-K or WDM-K (formerly Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya or ODM-K) [Kalonzo MUSYOKA] African Center for Open Governance [Gladwell OTIENO] Anglican Church of Kenya [Archbishop Eliud W

ABUKALA] Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya or CIPK [Sheikh Mohammed KHALIFA] Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya Kenya Association of Manufacturers Kenya Human Rights Commission or KHRC [George KEGORO] Kenya Private Sector Alliance Kenyans for Peace with Truth and Justice (umbrella group of more than 30 NGOs) Muslim Human Rights Forum [Ali-Amin KIMATHI] National Muslim Leaders Forum or NAMLEF [Abdullahi ABDI] Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Canon Peter Karanja MWANGI] Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal John NJUE] Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Adan WACHU, secretary general] other: labor unions, other Christian churches International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO

, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO, WTO chief of mission: Ambassador Robinson GITHAE (since 18 November 2014) chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101 chief of mission: Ambassador Robert F.

GODEC (since 16 January 2013) embassy: United Nations Avenue, Nairobi; P.O. Box 606 Village Market, Nairobi 00621 mailing address: American Embassy Nairobi, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-8900 telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000 Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a large Maasai warrior's shield covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center; black symbolizes the majority population, red the blood shed in the struggle for freedom, green stands for natural wealth, and white for peace; the shield and crossed spears symbolize the defense of freedom National anthem: name: "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu" (Oh God of All Creation) lyrics/music: Graham HYSLOP, Thomas KALUME, Peter KIBUKOSYA, Washington OMONDI, and George W.

SENOGA-ZAKE/traditional, adapted by Graham HYSLOP, Thomas KALUME, Peter KIBUKOSYA, Washington OMONDI, and George W. SENOGA-ZAKE note: adopted 1963; based on a traditional Kenyan folk song Economy :: KENYA Economy - overview: Kenya is the economic and transport hub of East Africa. Kenya’s real GDP growth has averaged over 5% for the last seven years. Since 2014 Kenya has been ranked as a lower middle income country because its per capita GDP crossed a World Bank threshold. While Kenya has a growing entrepreneurial middle class and faster growth, its economic and development trajectory is threatened by weak governance and corruption. Unemployment and under-employment are high, but reliable numbers are hard to find. Agriculture remains the backbone of the Kenyan economy, contributing 25% of GDP. About 80% of Kenya’s population of roughly 42 million work at least part-time in the agricultural sector, including livestock and pastoral activities. Over 75% of agricultural output is from small-scale, rain-fed farming or livestock production.

Inadequate infrastructure continues to hamper Kenya’s efforts to improve its economic growth to the 8-10% range so that it can meaningfully address poverty and unemployment. The KENYATTA administration sought external investment in infrastructure development. International financial institutions and donors remain important to Kenya's economic growth and development, but Kenya has also successfully raised capital in the global bond market. Kenya issued its first sovereign bond offering in mid-2014. Nairobi has contracted with a Chinese company to construct a new standard gauge railway connecting Mombasa and Nairobi, with completion expected in 2017. The country is in the process of devolving some state revenues and responsibilities to the counties. Inflationary pressures and sharp currency depreciation peaked in early 2012 but have since abated following low global food and fuel prices and monetary interventions by the Central Bank. Chronic budget deficits, including a shortage of funds in mid-2015, hampered the government’s ability to implement proposed development programs, but the economy is back in balance with many indicators, including foreign exchange reserves, interest rates, inflation, and FDI moving in the right direction. Tourism holds a significant place in Kenya’s economy.

Multiple terror attacks by the Somalia-based group al-Shabaab in the time since the 2013 attack on Nairobi’s Westgate mall, which killed at least 67, had a negative effect on international tourism earnings, but the sector is starting to recover. Kenya’s success in hosting a series of incident-free high-profile events in the second half of 2015, including the visit of US President Obama, has helped improve the outlook for tourism.

9.2 billion kWh (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 7.6 billion kWh (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 38 million kWh (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 79 million kWh (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 2.281 million kW (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 42.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 43.9% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 13.8% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 23 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 82 (July 2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 Telephone system: general assessment: the mobile-cellular system

 is generally good, especially is urban areas; fixed-line telephone system is small and inefficient; trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system domestic: sole fixed-line provider, Telkom Kenya, privatized and as of 2013 is 70% owned by France Telecom; multiple providers in the mobile-cellular segment of the market fostering a boom in mobile-cellular telephone usage with teledensity reaching 80 per 100 persons in 2015 international: country code - 254; landing point for the EASSy, TEAMS and SEACOM fiber-optic submarine cable systems; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2015) Broadcast media: about a half-dozen large-scale privately owned media companies with TV and radio stations, as well as a state-owned TV broadcaster, provide service nationwide; satellite and cable TV subscription services available; state-owned radio broadcaster operates 2 national radio channels and provides regional and local radio services in multiple languages; many private radio stations broadcast on a national level along with over 100 private and non-profit provincial stations broadcasting in local languages; transmissions of several international broadcasters available (20

14) country comparison to the world: 41 Transnational Issues :: KENYA Disputes - international: Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan's north-south separation in February 2005; Kenya provides shelter to an estimated 580,000 refugees, including Ugandans who flee across the border periodically to seek protection from Lord's Resistance Army rebels; Kenya works hard to prevent the clan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading across the border, which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists; the boundary that separates Kenya's and Sudan's sovereignty is unclear in the "Ilemi Triangle," which Kenya has administered since colonial times Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 334,197 (Somalia); 87,912 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers); 27,485 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 21,537 (Ethiopia) (2016) IDPs: 309,000 (represents people displaced since the 1990s by ethnic and political violence and land disputes and who sought refuge mostly in camps

; persons who took refuge in host communities or were evicted in urban areas are not included in the data; data is not available on pastoralists displaced by cattle rustling, violence, natural disasters, and development projects; the largest displacement resulted from 2007-08 post-election violence (2014) stateless persons: 20,000 (2015); note - the stateless population consists of Nubians, Kenyan Somalis, and coastal Arabs; the Nubians are descendants of Sudanese soldiers recruited by the British to fight for them in East Africa more than a century ago; Nubians did not receive Kenyan citizenship when the country became independent in 1963; only recently have Nubians become a formally recognized tribe and had less trouble obtaining national IDs; Galjeel and other Somalis who have lived in Kenya for decades are included with more recent Somali refugees and denied ID cards Illicit drugs: widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit country for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North America; Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa; significant potential for money-laundering activity given the country's status as a regional financial center; massive

 corruption, and relatively high levels of narcotics-associated activities Nairobi | Define Nairobi at Dictionary.com Nairobi a city in and the capital of Kenya, in the SW part.

Kenya [ken-yuh, keen-] /ˈkɛn yə, ˈkin-/ Spell noun 1. a republic in E Africa: member of the Commonwealth of Nations; formerly a British crown colony and protectorate. 223,478 sq. mi. (578,808 sq. km). Capital: Nairobi. Mount, an extinct volcano in central Kenya. 17,040 feet (5194 meters). Related forms Examples from the Web for Nairobi Expand The World’s Most Subversive Soap Operas Christopher Dickey October 26, 2013 Historical Examples The proud moment of Fundi's life was when safari entered Nairobi at the end of the first expedition. In Africa John T. McCutcheon Luckily, our speed carried us on before it had a chance to ‘boomerang’ back and blow up the old Nairobi. Sea-Hounds Lewis R. Freeman In Africa John T. McCutcheon Nairobi is but 80 miles south of the Equator, and heavy head-covering must be worn to guard against sunstroke. British Dictionary definitions for Nairobi Expand noun 1.

the capital of Kenya, in the southwest, at an altitude of 1650 m (5500 ft): founded in 1899; became capital in 1905; commercial and industrial centre; the Nairobi National Park (a game reserve) is nearby. Pop: 2 818 000 (2005 est) Kenya noun 1. a republic in E Africa, on the Indian Ocean: became a British protectorate in 1895 and a colony in 1920; gained independence in 1963 and is a member of the Commonwealth. Tea and coffee constitute about a third of the total exports. Official languages: Swahili and English. Religions: Christian majority, animist minority. Currency: shilling. Capital: Nairobi. Pop: 44 037 656 (2013 est). Area: 582 647 sq km (224 960 sq miles) 2.

Mount Kenya, an extinct volcano in central Kenya: the second highest mountain in Africa; girth at 2400 m (8000 ft) is about 150 km (95 miles). The regions above 3200 m (10 500 ft) constitute Mount Kenya National Park. Height: 5199 m (17 058 ft) Local name Kirinyaga Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for Nairobi Expand Kenya African nation, named for Mount Kenya, which probably is a shortening of Kikuyu Kirinyaga, from kere nyaga, literally "white mountain" (it is snowcapped). Related: Kenyan.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper Nairobi [(neye-roh-bee)] Capital of Kenya and largest city in the country, located in southern Kenya. Note: It was the capital of British East Africa — Kenya, Uganda , Tanganyika, and Zanzibar (see Tanzania ) — from 1905 until the colonies became independent in the early 1960s. Note: Nairobi is a center for tourist safaris. Kenya [(ken-yuh, keen-yuh)] Republic in eastern Africa bordered by Sudan and Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the east, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, Tanzania to the southwest, and Uganda to the west. Its capital and largest city is Nairobi . Note: The Great Rift Valley in Kenya is the site of some major archaeological discoveries, including remains of the earliest known humans. The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Kenya Kisumu NAIROBI, THE CAPITAL CITY Nairobi, the capital city of the Republic (1670 metres above sea level and 700 km2) has since 1899 grown from a simple Uganda Railway construction camp named "enairobe" in Maasai language (meaning a place of cold water in reference to the cold waters of Nairobi River) to the modern centre of commercial, financial, manufacturing and tourist destination in eastern Africa. It replaced Mombasa as Kenya's capital in 1907 and became a city in 1950. Today, the city population stands well at about 4 million. Both the Great North Road (Cairo to Cape Town) and the Trans-African Highway (Mombasa to Lagos) pass through the city. Its mean annual temperature is 17°C and the mean annual rainfall is 1,080 mm. Rains come in March to May and the end of October to December. June, July and August are generally cool. The city is famous for its satisfying hospitality to visitors, with its wide-ranging classes of high standard hotels, offering international cuisine, in-building shops and a great variety of evening entertainment.

Prestigious buildings like the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC - 27 storeys), I.C.E.A., Hilton Hotel, Hotel Intercontinental, Lillian Towers, Co-operative House, NSSF Building, Fedha Towers and Nyayo House have sprung up in the city since independence. Most tourists to Kenya only spend one or two nights in Nairobi, time which is often spent in shopping, searching out Kenyan mementoes and gifts to take home. There are soapstone carvings, wonderful ethnic jewellery, many wooden carvings, colourful cloth kanga and kikoi. Most hotels have souvenir shops. African Heritage shops (downtown and on the airport road) have a broad selection and good displays. Leave behind your valuables, but take your humour, patience and bargaining skills and have fun. Downtown Nairobi is full of souvenir shops. Main entertainment centres include: Bomas of Kenya, with exhibitions of African traditional dances and culture, plus Alliance Française, Goethe Institute, Italian Cultural Centre, Japan Information and Culture Centre, National Archives, International Casino, National Museum, public parks and gardens, and many cinema theatres.

Other sightseeing options are: Karen Blixen Museum, the house where Karen Blixen from "Out of Africa " fame lived, the National Museum, famous for Leakey pre-history discoveries and tribal artifacts, Utamaduni, an upmarket craft centre in Langata, Kazuri Beads, original ceramics in Karen, and the Craft Market and Undugu Co-op store in the Westlands area. Back to top MOMBASA The second largest town in the country, with a population of about 600,000, and the official gateway to the country by sea. It has a history dating back to more than 2,000 years, when the Persians, Arabs, Greeks and Romans visited the East African Coast and carried out trade between the Coast and the Mediterranean Lands. It is built on what was formerly an island, separated from the mainland by a narrow channel until a causeway was built at the beginning of this century, connecting the island with the mainland.

Both the sea-farers from the Persian Gulf, the Indian Sub-continent, the Cape of Good Hope and the land-lubbers from the African continent met at Mombasa Island to enjoy its calm beauty, once described by Winston Churchill (1908) as “alluring and delicious”. For a period of over 1,400 years, since the great geographer Ptolemy marked the town of Mombasa on his “World Map” of A.D. 150, until the island was seized by the Portuguese who built Fort Jesus, there to signify their reign on the East African Coast, Mombasa was the hub of commerce and communications between Eastern Africa, the Middle East and the Far Eastern countries. The Portuguese were, however, driven out of Mombasa by the Arabs, who ruled the Island until the arrival of the British in 1873. The British stopped the dreadful slave trade, and eventually established orderly government and development facilities like the Uganda Railway, Kilindini Harbour and several tourist facilities along the Coast. Mombasa’s tempo of development continued. Missionaries built churches, and Indians and Muslims established temples, mosques and bazaars.

After independence in 1963, the up-country African communities brought with them a rich wealth of business experience, which expanded the town as a commercial and tourism nerve centre at the Coast. The old section of the town with its old-fashioned houses, carved doorways and shops fringes the old dhow harbour, with Fort Jesus dominating the entrance. This section is characterized by narrow streets and passages. There is the Customs House, a fish market and shops which sell carpets, chest, brassware, souvenirs and colourful clothes. Various African traders sell curios and antiques in the shops and on the sidewalks. A museum has been established within Fort Jesus, displaying ancient artefacts of the coastal life. Shops in Digo Road and Moi Avenue in the main town offer excellent shopping facilities. A significant landmark in Mombasa are the “Mombasa tusks”, built in 1952 to commemorate the visit of Queen Elizabeth. The town offers various night entertainment facilities, night clubs and bars, casinos and cinemas. Various town hotels offer a wide choice of Arab, Chinese, Indian, Pakistan and European styles of cuisine for all tastes.

From the Island, visitors can make short trips to many of the nearby beach resorts, where the attractions of Mtwapa Creek with dhow trips and waterskiing offer the biggest recreation. Deep-sea game fishing is usually organized from the town, before visitors move north to explore the marvels of the North Coast. Before setting off to the North or South Coast, it would be worth visiting the Wakamba carvings show-room at Changamwe to see the displays of magnificent wooden wildlife carvings, or visit the traditional villages of the Giriama tribe at Rabai. Back to top KISUMU It is a port city in western Kenya at 1,131 m. It is the third largest city in Kenya, the principal city of western Kenya, the capital of Nyanza Province and the headquarters of Kisumu District. It is the largest city in Nyanza Province and second most important city, after Kampala, in the greater Lake Victoria basin. Kisumu literally means a place of barter trade, "sumo".

Attractions in the city include Kibuye Market, the Kisumu Museum, an impala sanctuary, a bird sanctuary, Hippo Point, and the nearby Kit Mikaye and Ndere Island National Park. Kisumu is served by Kisumu Airport, with regular daily flights to Nairobi and elsewhere. Plans to expand the airport in anticipation of increased trade, brought about by the recreated East African Community of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, are already in high gear, with works expected to be complete within the next decade. Lake Victoria ferries operate from the port, linking the railway to Mwanza and Bukoba in Tanzania, and to Entebbe, Port Bell, and Jinja in Uganda. Kisumu Museum, established in 1980, has a series of outdoor pavilions. Some of the pavilions contain live animals. For example, one pavilion contains numerous aquaria with a wide variety of fish from Lake Victoria, along with explanatory posters. Another pavilion contains terrarium, containing mambas, spitting cobras, puff adders and other venomous Kenyan snakes. Out of doors, the museum has a few additional exhibits, including a snake pit and a crocodile container.

Other pavilions show weaponry, jewellery, farm tools and other artefacts made by the various peoples of the Nyanza Province. Additionally, there are exhibits of stuffed animals, birds and fish. One pavilion houses the prehistoric Tara rock art, which was removed for its own protection to the museum after it was defaced by graffiti in its original location. The museum's most important and largest exhibition is the UNESCO-sponsored Ber-gi-dala. This is a full-scale recreation of a traditional Luo homestead. Ber-gi-dala consists of the home, granaries and livestock corrals of an imaginary Luo man, as well as the homes of each of his three wives and his eldest son. Through signs and taped programs in both Luo and English, the exhibition also explains the origins of the Luo people, their migration to western Kenya, traditional healing plants, and the process of establishing a new home. Kisumu is the location of the Kisumu Impala Sanctuary. Measuring just 1.03 km2, the sanctuary is one of Kenya's smallest wildlife preserves. As its name suggests, it is home to a herd of impala. Some hippos, as well as many reptiles and birds, are also present.

Additionally, several caged baboons and leopards who faced difficulties of one sort or the other in the wild are held in cages there. Hippo Point is a 240 ha viewing area on Lake Victoria. Despite its name, it is better known as a viewing point for its unobstructed sunsets over the lake than for its occasional hippos. Hippo point is near the village of Dunga, a few kilometres south-west of the town. The village also has a fishing port and a camping site. Kit Mikayi, a large rock with three rocks on top, is located off Kisumu Bondo Road towards Bondo. Kit-mikayi means “Stones of the first wife” or “First Wife Rocks” in Dholuo, the Luo language. It is a weeping rock; it is believed that Mikayi (literally, "the first wife") went up the hill to the stones when her husband took a second wife, and has been weeping ever since. It has become a popular local pilgrimage site for Legio Marians, a religious group, who come to the rock to pray and fast for several weeks at a time.

Cities>Nairobi Mombasa Nairobi - Kenya's Capital City Kenya’s capital city has risen in a single century from a brackish uninhabited swampland to a thriving modern capital. When railway construction workers reached this area in 1899, they set up a basic camp and supply depot, simply called ‘Mile 327’. The local Maasai called this highland swamp Ewaso Nai’beri – the place of cold water. The camp became a rustic village, and then a shanty town, which by 1907 was the capital of all of British East Africa. It was soon an important centre for the colony and a mecca for adventurers, hunters and travellers from all over the world. Modern Nairobi is still the safari capital of the Africa, but the modern world has quickly caught up with the city. A frontier town no more, Nairobi has become one of Africa’s largest, and most interesting cities. Nairobi is a city that never seems to sleep. The entire town has a boundless energy, and is thriving place where all of human life can be found. This is a place of great contrasts where race, tribe and origin all become facets of a unique Nairobi character.

The city has not lost its sense of the past, with an excellent museum and the historical home of Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa open to visitors. This is not a modern capital separated from the great wilderness that surrounds it. Just outside the city is Nairobi National Park, 113 sq kms of plains, cliffs and forest. The park is home to large herds of Zebra, Wildebeest, Buffalo, Giraffe and more. Rhino, Cheetah, and a large number of Lions are all found here, living wild within 20 minutes of the centre of town. Further out of town, the spectacular 27 metre deep 'Fourteen Falls' waterfalls at Thika are perfect for a scenic day trip. Nearby Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park, is centred around an imposing 2,146 metre mountain. For the adventurous, take an hour's drive from town and you will find white water rafting on the beautiful Tana River. From the wildlife to the nightlife, Nairobi is a city unlike any other. With a fantastic music scene, excellent international restaurants and an endless and colourful array of shops and markets, there is plenty on offer for the visitor.

TO EXPLORE THIS AREA FURTHER, SELECT A SAFARI FROM THE MENU ON THE LEFT... Getting There Getting Around Nairobi is Kenya’s capital, and the arrival point for many visitors. The main airport is Jomo Kenyatta International, located 15kms out of the centre of town. JKIA handles both International and domestic carriers. Wilson airport, located 11 kms outside of the city centre, is the domestic hub for both scheduled and chartered domestic air traffic. There are countless Matatu stands throughout Nairobi, with continuous arrivals and departures throughout the day. Nairobi is the centre of Kenya's extensive bus network, with many bus companies operating to and from destinations throughout the country. Walking around Nairobi is relatively straightforward, as the city centre is small and accessible. In some areas, there can be a security risk while walking, and it is best to seek local advice before setting out. Taxis are widely available, and convenient. Taxis are often parked in the street around hotels and tourist areas of the city. Hotels and restaurants can order taxis if necessary. Nairobi Taxis are usually marked with a yellow line along each side. Taxis are not metered, and a price should be agreed with the driver before departure.

Ask for local advice or at your hotel for correct rates. There are several companies operating Dial Taxi services with phone bookings, modern vehicles, competent drivers and reasonable rates. Several Taxi companies have airport booking offices. Buses operate on set routes throughout the city. The large Kenya Buses run on routes throughout the city on regular schedules. Buses can be boarded at any stop and tickets purchased on board. Matatus (Public Minibuses) also operate on city routes throughout the day, and are the most popular form of local public transport. MagicalKenya.com - the official destination website of Kenya Tourist Board The Capital of Kenya: Nairobi [ ? ]Subscribe To This Site Exploring Nairobi, the Capital of Kenya Not only is Nairobi the capital of Kenya, it's also the largest city. It sits in the south-central area of Kenya and has a population of nearly 3 million people. It's a modern city, with good medical facilities, a national university, shopping complexes, good restaurants and decent public transportation. It also has a lively cultural scene. With its central location, good road access and international airport, Nairobi is a natural spot for trade and tourism.

The capital of Kenya makes a good jumping-off spot to tour any other part of the country, and has several interesting sights of its own. Nairobi doesn’t have the best reputation when it comes to crime, but if you stick to the same kind of rules that go for any large North American city as well, there’s nothing to worry about. A Little History Before becoming the capital of Kenya, Nairobi was first a supply stop for the Uganda Railway. Built originally in 1899, it became the capital of the British Protectorate in 1905. It took the title from the much older city of Mombasa, namely because of the agreeable climate (Nairobi is located much higher than Mombasa, which is at the Indian Ocean) and proximity to several waterways. After independence, Nairobi remained as the country's capital city. Business in Nairobi Nairobi is the largest business center in eastern Africa, and home to many international corporate headquarters. Most business is located in the Central Business District, a section of the city known for its modern skyscrapers. Companies like General Electric, Coca Cola and Cisco Systems all maintain their African offices in Nairobi. The United Nations has one of it’s 4 international headquarters here, too.

The Nairobi Stock Exchange is the 4th largest in Africa. Nairobi Transportation The public transit system in Nairobi consists mainly of buses, that have routes all through the city. Taxis are also plenty available. Another option which can be found in many African cities is the matatu. Matatus are small private shuttle buses that travel a set route, picking people up along the way. If you want to travel the African way, or save money (they are dirt cheap), then take the matatu. The used to drive recklessly, but the government has regulated the matatu industry more strictly recently. Traveling to and from the capital of Kenya is also straightforward. Nairobi is connected through roadways with Mombasa and other major cities in Kenya. Since the roads aren’t always of good quality, taking the train to Mombasa or other cities may usually be more convenient and faster. Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is one of the better airports of Africa, and connects Nairobi to many other cities in Africa and the rest of the world. Though there are plans in that direction, there are still no direct flights to North America however.

For the Tourist The largest attraction in Nairobi is certainly the Nairobi National Park, home to lions, giraffes, and zebras. Right in the city, you can see most of the wildlife that Kenya is famous for, without the travel time of going cross-country. Other spots you should visit when in Nairobi are the Karen Blixen museum, the Bomas of Kenya villages and Carnivore restaurant. You can always find a major hotel chain in Nairobi, and there are several smaller B&B spots too. There are a few full-service resorts, but they are more common on the coast near Mombasa or Malindi. All hotels in the capital of Kenya have English-speaking staff and the more upmarket ones also have air-conditioning and private guards.

Question: Nairobi is the capital of which country?
Answer: Kenya