Nakuru District
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Nakuru District is a district in the Rift Valley Province, Kenya. The district capital is Nakuru. With a population of 1,187,039 (1999 census), it is the second largest district in Kenya after Nairobi. Nakuru District has an area of 7,242 sq km [1].
Nakuru is an agriculturally oriented area and is home to Lake Nakuru (est. 1961), one of the Rift Valley soda lakes. Lake Nakuru is best known for its thousands, sometimes millions of flamingoes nesting along the shores. The surface of the shallow lake is often hardly recognizable due to the continually shifting mass of pink. The number of flamingoes on the lake varies with water and food conditions and the best vantage point is from Baboon cliff. Also of interest, an area of 188 km around the lake fenced off as a sanctuary to protect Rothchild giraffe and black rhinos.
Other sites of interest around Nakuru include Menengai Crater, an extinct volcano 2,490m (8,167 feet) high. The views of the crater itself, as well as the surrounding countryside, are spectacular.
Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site, discovered by the Leakeys in 1926, is considered a major Neolithic and Iron Age site. The adjoining museum features finds from various nearby excavations.
The second largest surviving volcanic crater in the world, the Menengai Crater is 2,242 meters above sea level at its highest point. The crater plunges 483m down from the rim and the summit is accessible by foot or vehicle 8km from the main road. The mountain is also surrounded by a nature reserve.
Surrounding towns include Lanet, which lies approximately 10km from Nakuru is predominantly a residential town and is home to an army base. Njoro lies 20 km from Nakuru and is a small agricultural town with a local university aimed at promoting agricultural development in Kenya, namely Egerton university (est. 1934).
[edit] District subdivisions
| Local authorities (councils) | |||
| Authority | Type | Population* | Urban pop.* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nakuru | Municipality | 230,515 | 219,366 |
| Naivasha | Municipality | 115,670 | 32,222 |
| Molo | Town | 89,594 | 20,944 |
| Nakuru County | County | 751,260 | 80,475 |
| Total | - | 1 ,187,039 | 353,007 |
| * 1999 census. Source: [2] | |||
| Administrative divisions | |||
| Division | Population* | Urban pop.* | Headquarters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bahati | 143,714 | 6,018 | Dundori |
| Elburgon | 65,314 | 23,881 | Elburgon |
| Gilgil | 91,929 | 18,805 | Gilgil |
| Kamara | 42,281 | 1,452 | Mau Summit |
| Keringet | 59,863 | 953 | Keringet |
| Kuresoi | 40,924 | 0 | |
| Lare | 27,727 | 0 | |
| Mauche | 15,391 | 0 | |
| Mau Narok | 29,916 | 3,321 | Mau Narok |
| Mbogoini | 59,510 | 228 | Subukia |
| Molo | 31,935 | 17,188 | Molo |
| Naivasha | 158,679 | 36,023 | Naivasha |
| Nakuru Municipal | 231,262 | 212,162 | Nakuru |
| Njoro | 79,123 | 15,635 | Njoro |
| Olenguruone | 32,030 | 509 | Olenguruone |
| Rongai | 77,441 | 2,163 | Rongai |
| Total | 1,187,039 | 338,338 | - |
| * 1999 census. Sources: [3], [4], | |||
The district has six constituencies:
- Naivasha
- Nakuru Town
- Kuresoi
- Molo
- Rongai
- Subukia
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