Nairobi
Capital and chief commercial and industrial centre of Kenya, in the central highlands at 1,660 m/5,450 ft; population (2002 est) 3,043,100 (urban area). Industries include engineering, paints, brewing, textiles, clothing, and food processing. It is the headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and has the UN Centre for Human Settlements. It is one of Africa's largest and fastest-growing cities.
History
Nairobi was founded in 1899, when the British set up a tented railway camp near a watering hole between Kikuyu and Masai territory, near the midway point between Mombasa and Lake Victoria and where a major ascent from the plateau to the highlands begins. Its location at the gateway to the highlands encouraged trade and gave it access to the whole East African market. It grew rapidly into a small town, and by 1907 became capital of British East Africa.
Features Nairobi has the International Louis Leakey Institute for African Prehistory (1977), the University of Nairobi (1956), Kenya Polytechnic (1961), the Kenya Conservatoire of Music (1944), and the National Museum; the International Primate Research Institute is nearby. |
Location Nairobi lies 490 km/304 mi inland from Mombasa. Although it is only 150 km/93 mi from the Equator, because of its altitude mean temperatures are only 18–20°C. |
