Rearuh

Central Province Mkoa wa Kati
Former Province
Location in Kenya
Coordinates: 0°45′S 37°0′E / 0.750°S 37.000°E / -0.750; 37.000Coordinates: 0°45′S 37°0′E / 0.750°S 37.000°E / -0.750; 37.000
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	UTC+3 (EAT)

Central Province of Kenya surrounded the capital, Nyeri, and included the slopes of Mount Kenya (click to enlarge map).

The Central Province (Swahili: Kati) was a region in central Kenya until 2013. It covered an area of 13,191 km² (5,093 sq mi) and was located to the 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 was Nyeri.

Central Province was the ancestral home of the Kikuyu people.^{[citation needed]}

Climate

The climate of Central Province was 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 was a key producer of coffee, one of Kenya's key exports. Much of Kenya's dairy industry was also based in this province. The provincial headquarters were in Nyeri. Central Province was divided into seven districts (wilaya'at) until 2007:^[2]

Counties

Districts after 2007

Several new districts (declared sub-counties in 2013) were created in 2007:^[2]

History

The province is inhabited by the Kikuyu speaking community almost exclusively.^{[citation needed]} 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.

Villages and settlements (A-J)

Villages and settlements (K)

Villages and settlements (L-Z)

References