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Nairobi

Capital of KenyaIn south-central Kenya, Nairobi stands about 1,800 m above sea level at the eastern edge of the Rift Valley, with the Ngong Hills rising to the west.

Why it's the capital

Nairobi was founded in 1898 as a depot on the Uganda Railway, chosen for its high ground, mild climate and water supply. It grew quickly and in 1907 replaced Mombasa as the capital of the East Africa Protectorate, and it stayed the capital when Kenya became independent in 1963.

Fun facts

  1. The name comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, meaning "place of cool waters", after a cold stream that flowed through the area.
  2. Nairobi is described as the only capital city in the world with a national park inside its boundaries.
  3. The United Nations Office at Nairobi is the headquarters of UN Environment and UN-Habitat.

Finding it on the globe

Kenya is crossed by the equator. Nairobi is a little south of it, inland from Mombasa, with Mount Kenya to the north and Mount Kilimanjaro to the southeast.

Sources: Wikipedia: Nairobi