Kenya Capital

The capital city of Kenya is Nairobi. Initially, Mombasa served as the capital during the colonial era. However, the capital was shifted to Nairobi because it is located strategically at the center of the country. Nairobi is located adjacent to the edge of the Rift Valley and on the east of Ngong Hills. Nairobi River passes through the city. The city’s rapid growth is attributed to it being selected as the railway depot of the Uganda Railway in 1907. It was declared as the capital city after Kenya attained independence in 1963.

As of the 2009 census Nairobi has a population of 3.1 million people. The metropolitan area has a population of 6.5 million people. The city has had a rapid population growth of approximately 4% per annum. The rapid population is attributed to the high birth rate and high immigration rate. The leafy suburbs of the city are sparsely populated compared to the shanties and slum areas that have the middle and low-income earners in the city.

Nairobi is a top tourist destination in Kenya and East Africa. Among the most notable attractions in the city are the flora and fauna of Nairobi National Park, the Karen Blixen Museum, Giraffe Centre, Kenya National Archives, Ngong Racecourse, Nairobi Arboretum, Karura Forest, and the Nairobi Mamba Village. The city’s friendly climate is also a top tourist magnet. The city’s diverse cultural centers and the pleasant climate attract both local and international tourists.

Nairobi experiences a subtropical highland climate. The evenings tend to be cool due to the city’s high elevation. Nairobi is 5,889 feet above the sea level. June and July are the coldest months in Nairobi. During these months, the temperature may fall as low as 9 degrees Celsius. In the cold season, there is a considerable amount of rainfall, mostly in form of gentle showers in the afternoons. The dry season which is accompanied by scorching sunshine starts in December and last up to March. The highest temperature recorded during the dry season is usually around 24 degrees Celsius. September to October is usually cool and receives a considerable amount of drizzles. The differences in temperature do not vary extremely due to the city’s close proximity to the equator.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Nairobi
Languages	English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages
Ethnic Groups	Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) 1%
Religion	Christian 83% (Protestant 47.7%, Catholic 23.4%, other Christian 11.9%), Muslim 11.2%, Traditionalists 1.7%, other 1.6%, none 2.4%, unspecified 0.2% (2009 est.)
Government	Presidential republic
Independance	12 December 1963 (from the UK)
Area	580,367.00 km²
Water Area	11,227.00 km²
Land Area	569,140.00 km²
Population	46,790,758.00
Location	Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania
No. Bordering Countries	5
Bordering Countries	Ethiopia 867 km, Somalia 684 km, South Sudan 317 km, Tanzania 775 km, Uganda 814 km
GDP(PPP)	$153,000,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$3,400.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are Uganda, the United States, and Tanzania.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are tea, horticultura products, coffee, petroleum products, fish, and cement.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are China, india, and the United Arab Emirates.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, and motor vehicles.
Climate	Varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
Terrain	Low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west
Learn More	Kenya

Kenya Capital

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