1°17S 36°50E, pop (2000e) 1 833 000. Province and capital of Kenya; on the central Kenya plateau, 450 km/280 mi NW of Mombasa; largest city in E Africa; former seat of the British governor of Kenya; airport; railway; university (1956); centre of communications and commerce; textiles, chemicals, glass, agricultural trade; headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programme Secretariat; cathedral (1963), Sikh temple, national museum (including largest collection of African butterflies in the world), Snake Park.
| Nairobi | |
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Nairobi Skyline |
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| Location | |
|---|---|
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Location of Nairobi within Kenya |
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| Coordinates: | 1°17′S″36, 49°E′″{{{8}}} |
| Government | |
| Constituent country: | Kenya |
| Province: | Nairobi Province |
| HQ: | City Hall |
| Mayor: | Dick Wathika |
| Subdivisions | |
| Constituencies of Nairobi: | Makadara, Kamukunji, Starehe, Langata, Dagoretti, Westlands, Kasarani and Embakasi |
| Geography | |
| Nairobi | |
| Area: | 684 km² (684 sq kl) |
| Population: | 2.5 million (2005 est.) |
| Density: | ?/km² |
| Wider population | |
| Nairobi Urban area: | 3 million |
| Nairobi Metro area: | 4 million |
| Time Zone | |
| Standard: | EAT |
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Website http://www.nairobicity.org/ |
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Nairobi (pronounced [ˈnaɪɹəʊbiː])is the capital of Kenya. The city lies on the Nairobi River, to the south of the nation, and has an elevation of 5450ft (1661m) above sea-level.
Nairobi has the highest urban population in East Africa, estimated at between 3 and 4 million (according to the 1999 Census, in the administrative area of Nairobi, 2,143,254 inhabitants lived within 684 km²). Since its foundation as a railway camp in 1899, Nairobi has grown to become the largest city in Kenya, and one of the largest cities in Africa.
Nairobi is now one of the prime cities in Africa politically and financially. Home to many companies and organizations, Nairobi is established as a hub for business and culture.
History
The area was an essentially uninhabited swamp until in 1899 a supply depot of the Uganda Railway was built, which soon became the railway's headquarters.
Nairobi replaced Mombasa as the capital of the British East Africa Protectorate in 1905.
In 1901 it became the capital of the British protectorate, and the city grew around administration and tourism, initially in the form of big game hunting. As the British colonialists started to explore the region, they started using Nairobi as their first port of call.
Nairobi continued to grow under the British rule, and many British peoples settled within the city's suburbs.
In 1919, Nairobi was declared to be a municipality. Between the years of 1920 and 1950, the number of white settlers within Nairobi rose from 9,000 to 80,000. Nairobi was granted city status in 1954. Pressure exerted from the locals onto the British resulted in Kenyan independence in 1963, with Nairobi as the capital of the new republic.
After independence, Nairobi grew rapidly and this growth put pressure on the city's infrastructure.
The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi was bombed in August 1998 by Al-Qaida, killing over 200 civilians, one of a series of U.S. embassy bombings.
Culture
Nairobi is a cosmopolitan and multicultural religious city, with many immigrants from former British colonies, including India, Somalia and Sudan.
Nairobi has the informal title "The Green City in the Sun."
Literature and Film
Perhaps the most famous book and film set in Nairobi, is Out of Africa. Karen Blixen lived in the Nairobi Area from 1917 to 1931, and the neighbourhood in which she lived, Karen, is named after her. The popularity of the film prompted the opening of Nairobi's Karen Blixen Museum.
Nairobi has been the set of several other American and British films. The story revolvs around a British diplomat in Nairobi, who's wife is murdered in northern Kenya.
Geography
The city is located at 1°16′S 36°48′E and occupies around 150 km².
Nairobi is situated between the cities of Kampala and Mombasa. The Ngong hills, located to the west of the city, are the most promenant geographical feature of the Nairobi Area. Mount Kenya is situated north of Nairobi and Mount Kilimanjaro is towards the south-east.
The Nairobi River and its tributaries traverse through the Nairobi Province.
The city centres on City Square, around which lie the Kenyan Parliament buildings, the Holy Family Cathedral, Nairobi City Hall, Jomo Kenyatta's mausoleum and the most upmarket shops.
Climate
At 1860 metres, Nairobi enjoys a fairly moderate climate.
Parks and Gardens
Nairobi has many parks and open spaces throughout the city. Most of Nairobi is green-space, and the city has dense tree-cover. The most famous park in Nairobi is Uhuru Park.
Central Park is adjacent to Uhuru Park, and includes a memorial for Jomo Kenyatta, the first president of Kenya. Other notable open spaces include Jeevanjee Gardens, City Park and Nairobi Arboretum.
Business and Economy
Nairobi is home to the Nairobi Stock Exchange, one of Africa's largest. The exchange is Africa's 4th largest (in terms of trading volumes) and 5th (in terms of Market Capitalization as a percentage of GDP)
Several of Africa's largest companies are headquartered in Nairobi. Kenya Airways, Africa's 2nd largest airline, uses Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport as a hub.
Nairobi is the regional headquarters of several international companies and organizations. The United Nations has strong presence in Nairobi, as two of its departments, UNEP and UN-Habitat have headquarters in Nairobi.
Goods manufactured in Nairobi include clothing, textiles, building materials, processed foods, beverages and cigarettes. Most industries in Nairobi are based to the east of the city.
Nairobi has a large tourist industry, being both a tourist destination and a transport hub.
Media
Nairobi is home to most of Kenya's news and media organisations.
Kenya Television Network is the largest television station based in Nairobi.
Several multinational media organizations have their regional headquarters in Nairobi.
Tourism
Nairobi is not a prime tourist destination, but it does have several tourist attractions. The most famous is the Nairobi National Park.
Nairobi has several museums. These include the Nairobi Railway Museum and the National Museum of Kenya, which houses many artefacts including the full remains of a homo erectus boy.
Nairobi hotels include the Hilton, Intercontinental Hotel, Safari Park, the New Stanley Hotel, the Grand Regency and the Norfolk Hotel, the oldest continuously operating hotel in the city. Panari Hotel is the newest 5* hotel in the city, and opened in 2006
Nairobi is also home to the largest ice rink in Africa, the Panari Sky Centre.
Places of interest
Nairobi National Park Karen Blixen Museum National Archives Bomas of Kenya Giraffe Centre Safari park The Carnivore RestaurantMaps
FallingRain MapTransport
Airports
Nairobi is served primarily by Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The airport is situated 20km from Nairobi's Central Business District, and is served by taxis, shuttle services and coaches.
Wilson Airport is a small, busy airport to the west of Nairobi.
Buses
Buses are the most common form of public transport in Nairobi. Matatus operate within Nairobi and from Nairobi to other towns.
Citi Hoppa is the newest bus fleet operating in Nairobi.
Railways
Nairobi was founded as a railway town, and the Kenya Railways (KR) main headquarters are still situated there, near the city centre.
Nairobi is also the junction for a branch railway to Nanyuki.
Central business district and skyline
Nairobi grew around the central business district. It includes many of Nairobi's important buildings, including the City Hall and Parliament Building. Nairobi's skyline has been compared to many Asian and American cities.
In 2006, a large beautification project took place in the CBD, as the city prepared to host the 2006 Afri-Cities summit.
The district is bordered to the south-west by Nairobi's largest park: Uhuru Park and Central Park.
Today, many businesses have, or are considering relocating or establishing their headquarters outside the Central Business District.
To accommodate the large demand for floorspace in Nairobi, various commercial projects are being constructed. New business parks are being built along Mombasa Road, including the flagship Nairobi Business Park. Nairobi is currently being considered by a Middle-Eastern company, interested in building a high-rise headquarters in Africa.
List of Nairobi's tallest skyscrapers
New Central Bank Tower (140 m) Teleposta Towers (120 m) Kenyatta International Conference Centre (105 m) NSSF Building (103 m) I&M Bank Tower (100 m) Government Office Conference Hall (98 m) Rahimtulla TowerHousing Conditions
Slums
Nairobi is home to several slums.
Kibera is the largest and poorest slum in Africa , and is situated to the west of Nairobi.
Residential Neighbourhoods
Most Nairobi non slum-dwellers live in relatively good housing conditions. Large houses can be found in many neighbourhoods, especially to the west of Nairobi. Other middle and high income estates include Parklands, Westlands, Hurlingham, Milimani and Nairobi Hill.
To accommodate the growing middle-class, many new apartments and housing developments are being built in and around the city.
Crime
Nairobi has struggled with rising crime, earning a reputation for being a dangerous city and the nickname "Nairobbery". In 2001, the United Nations International Civil Service Commission rated Nairobi as among the most insecure cities in the world, classifying the city as "status C."
Crime had risen within Nairobi, as many people left the countryside for the city.
Universities in Nairobi
Nairobi is home to several prestigious universities.
The University of Nairobi is the oldest university in Kenya.
Kenyatta University is situated 23km from the centre of Nairobi, on over 1,000 acres of land.
United States International University - Nairobi is a branch of the United States International University, which has campuses across the world.
Daystar University is a Christian liberal arts university in Nairobi, Kenya.
Sister Cities
Nairobi's sister city is:
Denver, Colorado (United States of America)
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