Central Province (Kenya)

Central Province
Mkoa wa Kati
Former Province

Location in Kenya.
Coordinates: 0°45′S 37°0′E / 0.750°S 37.000°ECoordinates: 0°45′S 37°0′E / 0.750°S 37.000°E
Country  Kenya
No. of Counties: 5
Capital Nyeri
Area
 • Total 11,449.1 km2 (4,420.5 sq mi)
Population (2009)
 • Total 4,383,743
 • Density 380/km2 (990/sq mi)
Time zone EAT (UTC+3)
Central Province of Kenya surrounds its capital, Nyeri, and includes slopes of Mount Kenya (click to enlarge map).

The Central Province (Swahili: Kati) is a region in central Kenya. It covers an area of 13,191 km² and is located to north of Nairobi and west of Mt. Kenya (see maps). The province had 4,383,743[1] inhabitants according to the 2009 census. The provincial capital is Nyeri.

Central Province is the ancestral home of the Gikuyu community.

Climate

The climate of Central Province is generally cooler than that of the rest of Kenya, due to the region's higher altitude. Rainfall is fairly reliable, falling in two seasons, one from early March to May (the long rains) and a second during October and November (the short rains).

General information

Central Province is a key producer of coffee, one of Kenya's key exports. Much of Kenya's dairy industry is also based in this province. The province's headquarters are in Nyeri. Central Province was divided into seven districts (wilaya'at) until 2007. The general dressing style is trousers and shirts for men and dresses or skirts for the women. The people usually have scraps of cloth tied to their foreheads during the hot days.:[2]

District Population Capital
Nyandarua   479,902 Ol Kalou*
Nyeri 661,156 Nyeri
Kirinyaga 457,105 Kerugoya
Maragua 387,969 Maragua
Murang'a 348,304 Murang'a
Thika 645,713 Thika
Kiambu 744,010 Kiambu
* former capital: Nyahururu

Counties

Code County Former Province Area (km2) Population
Census 2009 		Capital
18 Nyandarua Central 3,107.7596,268 Ol Kalou
19 Nyeri Central 2,361.0693,558 Nyeri
20 Kirinyaga Central 1,205.4528,054 Kerugoya / Kutus
21 Murang'a Central 2,325.8942,581 Murang'a
22 Kiambu Central 2,449.21,623,282 Kiambu
Totals 11,449.14,383,743 -

Districts after 2007

Several new districts were been created in 2007:[2] but all former districts have become counties.

District Capital
Gatanga Gatanga
Gatundu Gatundu
Gatundu North Kamwangi
Githunguri Githunguri
Kabete Kikuyu
Kandara Kandara
Kiambu East (Kiambaa) Kiambu
Kiambu West Limuru
Kieni East Chaka
Kieni West Mweiga
Kigumo Kigumo
Kinangop Engineer
Kirinyaga Central Kerugoya
Kirinyaga East Kianyaga
Kirinyaga South Wanguru
Kirinyaga West Baricho
Lari Lari
Maragua Maragua
Mathioya Kiria-ini
Mathira East Karatina
Mathira West Kaiyaba
Mirangini Mirangini
Mukurweini Mukurweini
Murang'a North Murang'a
Murang'a South Kenol
Nyandarua Central Ol Kalou
Nyandarua North Nyahururu
Nyandarua South Njambini
Nyandarua West Ol Jororok
Nyeri Central Nyeri
Nyeri South Othaya
Ruiru Ruiru
Tetu Wamagana
Thika East Gatuanyaga
Thika West Thika

History

The province is inhabited by the Kikuyu speaking community almost exclusively. They are part of the Kenya Eastern Bantu.

During Kenya's colonization by the British, much of the province was regarded as part of the 'White Highlands', for the exclusive use of the European community. Therefore it saw political activity from the local communities who felt that they had an ancestral right to the land. This tension culminated in the 1950s with the Mau Mau rebellion; it saw the region placed under a state of emergency and the arrest of many prominent political leaders.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Kenya Census 2009" (PDF). Kenya Bureau of Statistics. August 28, 2009. Retrieved May 22, 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ministry of State for Provincial Administration and National Security