Information AboutNairobi |
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Nairobi ( Pronounced ) is the Capital and largest city of Kenya . The name Nairobi comes from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nyorobi'', which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun."1 Founded in 1899 , the city was handed capital status from Mombasa in 1905 .2 Nairobi is also the capital of the Nairobi Province and of the Nairobi District. The city lies on the Nairobi River , in the south of the nation, and has an elevation of 1661 m (5450 ft) above Sea-level .3 Nairobi is the most populous city in East Africa , with an estimated urban population of between 3 and 4 million. According to the 1999 Census, in the administrative area of Nairobi, 2,143,254 inhabitants lived within 684 km&2.4 Nairobi is currently the 4th Largest City In Africa . Nairobi is now one of the most prominent cities in Africa politically and financially.5 Home to many companies and organizations, Nairobi is established as a hub for business and culture. The Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network ( GaWC ) defines Nairobi as a prominent social centre. HISTORY The area was an essentially uninhabited Swamp until in 1899 a supply Depot of the Uganda Railway was built, which soon became the railway's headquarters. The city 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. 6 The location of the Nairobi railway camp was chosen due to its central position between Mombasa and Kampala . It was also chosen because its network of rivers could supply the camp with water, and its elevation would make it cool enough for residential purposes. Furthermore, at 1661 metres above the sea level the temperatures are too low for the malaria mosquito to survive.7 |
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