Nakuru District

Nakuru District was a district in the Rift Valley Province, Kenya. The district capital was Nakuru. With a population of 1,187,039 (1999 census), following the Nairobi region. Nakuru District had an area of 7,242 km².[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 Rothschild giraffe and black rhinos.

Other sites of interest around Nakuru include Menengai Crater, an extinct volcano 2,490m (8,167 ft) 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 metres above sea level at its highest point. The crater plunges 483 m down from the rim and the summit is accessible by foot or vehicle 8 km from the main road. The mountain is also surrounded by a nature reserve.

Surrounding towns include Lanet, which lies approximately 10 km 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).

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: [1]
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: [2], [3],

The district had six constituencies:

References

  1. ^ statoids.com – Districts of Kenya

0°30′S 36°0′E / 0.500°S 36.000°E / -0.500; 36.000


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