Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya and Capital of the Administrative Area of Nairobi Area. It has the highest urban population in East Africa, with an estimated population of between 3 and 4 million (according to the 1999 Census, in the administrative area of Nairobi lived 2,143,254 inhabitants 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 was founded in 1899 as a supply depot for the Uganda railways which was being constructed between Mombasa and Uganda. It was named after a water hole known in Maasai as Ewaso Nyirobi, meaning "cool waters".
It was totally rebuilt in the early 1900s after an outbreak of plague and the burning of the original town.
Nairobi replaced Mombasa as the capital of the British East Africa Protectorate in 1905 the railway brought wealth into the city, which made it grow dramatically. It then became Kenya's second largest town after Mombasa.
As the British colonialists started to explore the region, they started using Nairobi as their first port of call. This prompted the colonial government to build several grand hotels in the city. The main occupants were British game hunters.
Map of Nairobi
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Nairobi continued to grow under the British rule, and many British peoples settled within the city's suburbs. The continuous expansion of the city began to anger the Massai people, as the city was devouring their land to the south. It also angered the Kikuyu people, who wanted the land returned to them.
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. There was, however, friction that existed between these settlers and the local peoples. Nairobi was granted city status in 1954.
After the end of World War II, this friction developed into the Mau Mau rebellion. Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya's future president was jailed for his involvement, even though there was no evidence linking him to the rebellion.
Pressure exerted from the locals onto the British resulted in Kenyan independence in 1963. Nairobi was the capital and largest city of the Republic of Kenya. After independence, Nairobi grew rapidly, and this growth put pressure on the city's infrastructure. Power cuts and water shortages were a common occurrence...
The city is located at 1°16′S 36°48′E and occupies around 150 km². It is situated about 1660 metres (5450 feet) above sea level. Nairobi is situated between the cities of Kampala and Mombasa. It is close to the Rift Valley. The Ngong hills are towards the west, Mount Kenya is towards the North and Mount Kilimanjaro is towards the south-east. As Nairobi is adjacent to the Rift Valley, minor earthquakes and tremors occasionally occur.
At 1860 metres, Nairobi enjoys a fairly moderate climate.
The altitude makes for some chilly evenings but it is never too cold. The sunniest and warmest part of the year is from December to March, when temperatures average the mid-twenties during the day. The temperature usually peaks at 25°C. There are two rainy seasons but rainfall is only moderate. The cloudiest part of the year is just after the first rainy season, when, until September, conditions are usually overcast with drizzle.
