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115-508: Nairobi ( / n aɪ ˈ r oʊ b i / ny- ROH -bee ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya . The name is derived from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nairobi , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper had a population of 4,397,073 in the 2019 census. The city is commonly referred to as 'The Green City in
230-520: A city-county . The county is entirely urban. It had only one local council, Nairobi City Council which was replaced by Nairobi City County after the new constitution was effected in March 2013. Nairobi County has 17 constituencies. Constituency name may differ from division name, such that Starehe Constituency is equal to Central Division, Lang'ata Constituency to Kibera division, and Kamukunji Constituency to Pumwani Division in terms of boundaries. Nairobi
345-661: A classical European understanding of the known world : Europe , North Africa , and Southwest Asia . The phrase is related to the enduring power of the city first as the capital of the Republic and the Empire , and later as the centre of the Catholic Church . In several English-speaking states , the terms county town and county seat are also used in lower administrative divisions . In some unitary states , subnational capitals may be known as 'administrative centres'. The capital
460-476: A country , state , province , department , or other subnational division , usually as its seat of the government . A capital is typically a city that physically encompasses the government's offices and meeting places; the status as capital is often designated by its law or constitution . In some jurisdictions , including several countries, different branches of government are in different settlements, sometimes meaning multiple official capitals. In some cases,
575-497: A monarch held his or her court, the selection, relocation, founding, or capture of a modern capital city is a highly symbolic event. For example: The capital city is usually but not always a primary target in a war, as capturing it usually guarantees capture of much of the enemy government, victory for the attacking forces, or at the very least demoralization for the defeated forces. In ancient China , where governments were massive centralized bureaucracies with little flexibility on
690-603: A nine-day general strike in the city. Nairobi remained the capital of Kenya after independence, and its continued rapid growth put pressure on the city's infrastructure with power cuts and water shortages becoming a common occurrence. On 11 September 1973, the Kenyatta International Conference Centre KICC was open to the public. The 28-storey building at the time was designed by the Norwegian architect Karl Henrik Nøstvik and Kenyan David Mutiso. It
805-465: A plague outbreak in five Indian states caused an estimated 700 infections (including 52 deaths) and triggered a large migration of Indians within India as they tried to avoid the disease. It was during the 1894 Hong Kong plague outbreak that Alexandre Yersin isolated the bacterium responsible ( Yersinia pestis ), a few days after Japanese bacteriologist Kitasato Shibasaburō had isolated it. However,
920-514: A cathedral worthy of faith and country; museums and of art; theatres and public offices. And it is fair to say that the Government and the Municipality have already bravely tackled the problem and that a town-plan ambitious enough to turn Nairobi into a thing of beauty has been slowly worked out, and much has already been done. But until that plan has borne fruit, Nairobi must remain what she was then,
1035-445: A compromise between two or more cities or other political divisions, historical reasons, or enough land was needed to deliberately build a new planned city for the capital. The majority of national capitals are also the largest city in their respective countries. Modern examples are Beijing , Berlin , Cairo , London , Madrid , Mexico City , Moscow , Paris , Rome , Jakarta , Metro Manila , Seoul , and Tokyo . Counties in
1150-405: A distinction is made between the official ( constitutional ) capital and the seat of government, which is in another place . English-language news media often use the name of the capital city as an alternative name for the government of the country of which it is the capital, as a form of metonymy . For example, the "relations between London and Washington " refers to the " relations between
1265-477: A former Kenyan Independence politician and assassination victim. On 9 November 2012, President Mwai Kibaki opened the KES 31 billion Thika Superhighway. This mega-project of Kenya started in 2009 and ended in 2011. It involved expanding the four-lane carriageway to eight lanes, building underpasses, providing interchanges at roundabouts, erecting flyovers and building underpasses to ease congestion. The 50.4-kilometre road
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#17328443185701380-866: A hub. Nairobi has not been left behind by the FinTech phenomenon that has taken over worldwide. It has produced a couple of tech firms like Craft Silicon, Kangai Technologies, Jambo Pay and Hostraha Limited Archived 16 November 2022 at the Wayback Machine . which have been in the forefront of technology, innovation and cloud based computing services. Their products are widely used and have considerable market share presence within Kenya and outside its borders. Goods manufactured in Nairobi include clothing, textiles, building materials, processed foods , beverages, and cigarettes. Several foreign companies have factories based in and around
1495-664: A human case of bubonic plague was reported. Officials responded by activating a city-wide plague-prevention system for the remainder of the year. Also in July 2020, in Mongolia, a teenager died from bubonic plague after consuming infected marmot meat. Yersinia pestis has been discovered in archaeological finds from the Late Bronze Age (~3800 BP ). The bacteria is identified by ancient DNA in human teeth from Asia and Europe dating from 2,800 to 5,000 years ago. Some authors have suggested that
1610-496: A large population of rats, the animals can harbor low levels of the plague infection without causing human outbreaks. With no new rat inputs being added to the population from other areas, the infection only spread to humans in very rare cases of overcrowding. After being transmitted via the bite of an infected flea, the Y. pestis bacteria become localized in an inflamed lymph node , where they begin to colonize and reproduce. Infected lymph nodes develop hemorrhages, which result in
1725-477: A majority for the first time. This growth caused planning issues, described by Thorntorn White Archived 22 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine and his planning team as the "Nairobi Problem". In February 1926, colonial officer Eric Dutton passed through Nairobi on his way to Mount Kenya , and said of the city: Maybe one day Nairobi will be laid out with tarred roads, with avenues of flowering trees, flanked by noble buildings; with open spaces and stately squares;
1840-470: A matter of convention, and because all or almost all the country's central political institutions, such as government departments, supreme court, legislature, embassies, etc., are located in or near them. Many modern capital cities are located near the centre of the country, so that they are more accessible to its population and have better protection from possible invasions. (See also § Capitals in military strategy ) The location may also be based on
1955-414: A new international and domestic passenger terminal building, the airport's first dedicated cargo and freight terminal, new taxiways, associated aprons, internal roads, car parks, police and fire stations, a State Pavilion, airfield and roadway lighting, fire hydrant system, water, electrical, telecommunications and sewage systems, a dual carriageway passenger access road, security, drainage and the building of
2070-467: A role in controlling the 2003 Oran outbreak of the bubonic plague. Another means of prevention in large European cities was a city-wide quarantine to not only limit interaction with people who were infected, but also to limit the interaction with the infected rats. Several classes of antibiotic are effective in treating bubonic plague. These include aminoglycosides such as streptomycin and gentamicin , tetracyclines (especially doxycycline ), and
2185-506: A role in increasing the transmission effectiveness of the plague. The plague resurfaced for a third time in the mid-19th century; this is also known as "the modern pandemic". Like the two previous outbreaks, this one also originated in Eastern Asia , most likely in Yunnan , a province of China, where there are several natural plague foci . The initial outbreaks occurred in the second half of
2300-603: A slatternly creature, unfit to queen it over so lovely a country. After World War II , continuous expansion of the city angered both the indigenous Maasai and Kikuyu . This led to the Mau Mau Uprising in the 1950s, and the Lancaster House Conferences , which initiated a transition to Kenyan independence in 1963. In the spring of 1950, the East African Trades Union Congress (EAUTC) led
2415-548: A territory: Plymouth in Montserrat . There are several countries where, for various reasons, the official capital and seat of government are separated: Some historical examples of similar arrangements, where the recognized capital was not the official seat of government: With the rise of the modern nation-state , the capital city has become a symbol for the state and its government , and imbued with political meaning. Unlike medieval capitals, which were declared wherever
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#17328443185702530-595: A vector to jump from animals to humans. The mortality rate is highest in the summer and early fall. The successful control of rat populations in dense urban areas is essential to outbreak prevention. One example is the use of a machine called the Sulfurozador , used to deliver sulphur dioxide to eradicate the pest that spread the bubonic plague in Buenos Aires, Argentina during the early 18th century. Targeted chemoprophylaxis , sanitation , and vector control also played
2645-530: Is adjacent to Uhuru Park, and includes a memorial for Jomo Kenyatta , the first president of Kenya, and the Moi Monument, built in 1988 to commemorate the second president's first decade in power. Other notable open spaces include Jeevanjee Gardens , City Park, 7 August Memorial Park , and Nairobi Arboretum. The colonial 1948 Master Plan for Nairobi still acts as the governing mechanism when it comes to making decisions related to urban planning. The Master Plan at
2760-452: Is also being built which will link Naivasha to the existing route and also the Uganda border. On 11 August 2020, Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi resigned. On 21 December 2020, recently elected Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Benson Mutura was sworn in as acting Nairobi Governor four days after the previous Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko was impeached and removed from office. At
2875-477: Is claimed by the Kenyan government to have a population of 185,777. However, non-governmental sources generally estimate the slum to have a population of 500,000 to 1,000,000, depending on what areas are defined as comprising Kibera. Nairobi has many parks and open spaces throughout the city. Much of the city has dense tree-cover and plenty of green spaces. The most famous park in Nairobi is Uhuru Park . The park borders
2990-646: Is commemorated by many English place-names. Most lower-middle and upper middle income neighbourhoods are located in the north-central areas such as Highridge, Parklands, Ngara, Pangani, and areas to the southwest and southeast of the metropolitan area near the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The most notable ones include Avenue Park, Fedha, Pipeline, Donholm, Greenfields, Nyayo, Taasia, Baraka, Nairobi West, Madaraka, Siwaka, South B, South C, Mugoya, Riverbank, Hazina, Buru Buru, Uhuru, Harambee Civil Servants', Akiba, Kimathi, Pioneer, and Koma Rock to
3105-520: Is divided into 17 constituencies and 85 wards , mostly named after residential estates. Kibera Division, for example, includes Kibera (Kenya's largest slum) as well as affluent estates of Karen and Langata . The Nairobi GPO (General Post Office) Postal code is 00100 Nairobi is home to the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), one of Africa's largest stock exchanges . The NSE was officially recognised as an overseas stock exchange by
3220-500: Is often the largest city of its constituent, though not always . Historically, the major economic centre of a state or region has often become the focal point of political power, and became a capital through conquest or federation . Historical examples are ancient Babylon , ancient Athens , ancient Rome , Abbasid Baghdad , Constantinople , Chang'an , and ancient Cusco . The modern capital city has not always existed: in medieval Western Europe, an itinerant (wandering) government
3335-514: Is one of three types of plague caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis . One to seven days after exposure to the bacteria, flu-like symptoms develop. These symptoms include fever , headaches , and vomiting , as well as swollen and painful lymph nodes occurring in the area closest to where the bacteria entered the skin. Acral necrosis , the dark discoloration of skin, is another symptom. Occasionally, swollen lymph nodes, known as " buboes ", may break open. The three types of plague are
3450-421: Is one or more infected, enlarged, and painful lymph nodes, known as buboes . Buboes associated with the bubonic plague are commonly found in the armpits, upper femoral area, groin, and neck region. These buboes will grow and become more painful over time, often to the point of bursting. Symptoms include heavy breathing, continuous vomiting of blood ( hematemesis ), aching limbs, coughing, and extreme pain caused by
3565-495: Is situated between the cities of Kampala and Mombasa. As Nairobi is adjacent to the eastern edge of the Rift Valley , minor earthquakes and tremors occasionally occur. The Ngong Hills , located to the west of the city, are the most prominent geographical feature of the Nairobi area. Mount Kenya is situated north of Nairobi, and Mount Kilimanjaro is towards the south-east. The Nairobi River and its tributaries traverse through
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3680-462: Is situated close to the equator, the differences between the seasons are minimal. The seasons are referred to as the wet season and dry season . The timing of sunrise and sunset varies little throughout the year for the same reason. Nairobi is divided into a series of constituencies with each being represented by members of Parliament in the National Assembly. The initial constituencies before
3795-582: Is the case with Nanjing by Shanghai , Quebec City by Montreal , and several US state capitals . The decline of a dynasty or culture could also mean the extinction of its capital city, as occurred at Babylon and Cahokia . "Political nomadism" was practiced in ancient Near East to increase ties between the ruler and the subjects. Although many capitals are defined by constitution or legislation, many long-time capitals have no such legal designation, including Bern , Edinburgh , Lisbon , London , Paris , and Wellington . They are recognized as capitals as
3910-514: Is the only building within the city with a helipad that is open to the public. Of the buildings built in the Seventies, the KICC was the most eco-friendly and most environmentally conscious structure; its main frame was constructed with locally available materials gravel, sand, cement and wood, and it had wide open spaces which allowed for natural aeration and natural lighting. Cuboids made up the plenary hall,
4025-529: Is usually not a separate national capital, but rather the capital city of one constituent nation will also be the capital of the state overall, such as London , which is the capital of England and of the United Kingdom. Similarly, each of the autonomous communities of Spain and regions of Italy has a capital city, such as Seville and Naples , while Madrid is the capital of the Community of Madrid and of
4140-510: The Byzantine capital, Constantinople , Byzantine forces were able to regroup in several provinces; provincial noblemen managed to reconquer the capital after 60 years and preserve the empire for another 200 years after that. The British forces sacked various American capitals repeatedly during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 , but American forces could still carry on fighting from
4255-501: The Great Plague of London in 1665–66. Later works, such as Albert Camus 's novel The Plague or Ingmar Bergman 's film The Seventh Seal have used bubonic plague in settings, such as quarantined cities in either medieval or modern times, as a backdrop to explore themes including the breakdown of society, institutions, and individuals during the plague; the cultural and psychological existential confrontation with mortality; and
4370-668: The Kingdom of Spain as a whole and Rome is the capital of Italy and of the region of Lazio . In the Federal Republic of Germany , each of its constituent states (or Länder , plural of Land ) has its own capital city, such as Dresden , Wiesbaden , Mainz , Düsseldorf , Stuttgart , and Munich , as do all of the republics of the Russian Federation . The national capitals of Germany and Russia (the Stadtstaat of Berlin and
4485-531: The Limuru escarpments . His choice was however criticised by officials within the Protectorate government who felt the site was too flat, poorly drained and relatively infertile. During the pre-colonial era, the people of modern Kenya mostly lived in villages amongst their tribes and cultural groups, where they had rulers within their communities rather than one singular government or leader. In 1898, Arthur Church
4600-488: The London Stock Exchange in 1953. The exchange is Africa's fourth largest in terms of trading volumes, and fifth largest in terms of Market Capitalization as a percentage of GDP. Nairobi is the regional headquarters of several international companies and organisations. In 2007, General Electric , Young & Rubicam , Google , Coca-Cola , IBM Services , and Cisco Systems relocated their African headquarters to
4715-524: The United Kingdom have historic county towns, which are often not the largest settlement within the county and often are no longer administrative centres, as many historical counties are now only ceremonial, and administrative boundaries are different. The number of new capitals in the world increased substantially since the Renaissance period, especially with the founding of independent nation-states since
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4830-537: The Western canon . The Decameron , by Boccaccio, is notable for its use of a frame story involving individuals who have fled Florence for a secluded villa to escape the Black Death. First-person, sometimes sensationalized or fictionalized, accounts of living through plague years have also been popular across centuries and cultures. For example, Samuel Pepys 's diary makes several references to his first-hand experiences of
4945-479: The World Health Organization recommends that only high-risk groups, such as certain laboratory personnel and health care workers, get inoculated. Several antibiotics are effective for treatment, including streptomycin , gentamicin , and doxycycline . Without treatment, plague results in the death of 30% to 90% of those infected. Death, if it occurs, is typically within 10 days. With treatment,
5060-604: The Yunnan Province in 1855. The term bubonic is derived from the Greek word βουβών , meaning ' groin ' . The bubonic plague is an infection of the lymphatic system , usually resulting from the bite of an infected flea, Xenopsylla cheopis (the Oriental rat flea ). Several flea species carried the bubonic plague, such as Pulex irritans (the human flea ), Xenopsylla cheopis , and Ceratophyllus fasciatus . Xenopsylla cheopis
5175-506: The besiegers and from them penetrated the town. The Mongol forces catapulted plague-infested corpses into Caffa as a form of attack, one of the first known instances of biological warfare . When spring arrived, the Italian merchants fled on their ships, unknowingly carrying the Black Death. Carried by the fleas on rats, the plague initially spread to humans near the Black Sea and then outwards to
5290-513: The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Naypyidaw was founded in Burma 's interior as the former capital, Rangoon , was claimed to be overcrowded. A few nation-states have multiple capitals, and there are also several states that have no capital. Some have a city as the capital but with most government agencies elsewhere. There is also a ghost town which is currently the de jure capital of
5405-488: The federal city of Moscow ) are also constituent states of both countries in their own right. Each of the states of Austria and cantons of Switzerland also have their own capital cities. Vienna , the national capital of Austria , is also one of the states, while Bern is the ( de facto ) capital of both Switzerland and of the Canton of Bern . Governing entities sometimes plan, design and build new capital cities to house
5520-516: The fluoroquinolone ciprofloxacin . Mortality associated with treated cases of bubonic plague is about 1–15%, compared to a mortality of 40–60% in untreated cases. People potentially infected with the plague need immediate treatment and should be given antibiotics within 24 hours of the first symptoms to prevent death. Other treatments include oxygen, intravenous fluids, and respiratory support. People who have had contact with anyone infected by pneumonic plague are given prophylactic antibiotics. Using
5635-541: The 18th century. The disease remained localized in Southwest China for several years before spreading. In the city of Canton , beginning in January 1894, the disease had killed 80,000 people by June. Daily water traffic with the nearby city of Hong Kong rapidly spread the plague there, killing over 2,400 within two months during the 1894 Hong Kong plague . The third pandemic spread the disease to port cities throughout
5750-422: The 1980s. The City of Nairobi enjoys the status of a full administrative county . Initially, Nairobi was one of the eight provinces in Kenya before 2013. The Nairobi province differed in several ways from other Kenyan regions. Nairobi Province was not divided into "districts" until 2007, when three districts were created. In 2010, along with the new constitution, Nairobi was renamed a county and consolidated into
5865-590: The 2010 constitution which led to the county electoral boundaries being redrawn were: Makadara, Kamukunji, Starehe, Langata , Dagoretti, Westlands , Kasarani, and Embakasi . The new electoral boundaries after this were revised to Embakasi North, Embakasi South, Embakasi Central, Embakasi East, Embakasi West, Makadara, Kamukunji, Starehe, Mathare, Westlands, Dagoretti North, Dagoretti South, Langata, Kibra, Ruaraka, Roysambu and Kasarani. The main administrative divisions of Nairobi are Central, Dagoretti, Embakasi , Kasarani, Kibera , Makadara, Pumwani, and Westlands . Most of
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#17328443185705980-468: The 8th century. Because the infectious disease spread inland by the transferring of merchandise through Justinian's efforts in acquiring luxurious goods of the time and exporting supplies, his capital became the leading exporter of the bubonic plague. Procopius, in his work Secret History , declared that Justinian was a demon of an emperor who either created the plague himself or was being punished for his sinfulness. Medieval society's increasing population
6095-538: The City Hall and Parliament Building. The city square is also located within the perimeter. Most of the skyscrapers in this region are the headquarters of businesses and corporations, such as I&M and the Kenyatta International Conference Centre . The United States Embassy bombing took place in this district, prompting the building of a new embassy building in the suburbs. In 2011, the city
6210-675: The Democratic Republic of the Congo had the most plague cases, with over 1,100 cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo alone. From 1,000 to 2,000 cases are conservatively reported per year to the WHO . From 2012 to 2017, reflecting political unrest and poor hygienic conditions, Madagascar began to host regular epidemics. Between 1900 and 2015, the United States had 1,036 human plague cases, with an average of 9 cases per year. In 2015, 16 people in
6325-664: The European population. Because the plague killed so many of the working population, wages rose due to the demand for labor. Some historians see this as a turning point in European economic development . The disease is also considered to have been responsible for the Plague of Justinian , originating in the Eastern Roman Empire in the 6th century CE, as well as the third epidemic , affecting China , Mongolia , and India , originating in
6440-551: The June/July season, when the temperature can drop to 9 °C (48 °F). The sunniest and warmest part of the year is from December to March, when temperatures average in the high-twenties Celsius during the day. The mean maximum temperature for this period is 28 °C (82 °F). There are rainy seasons, but rainfall can be moderate. The cloudiest part of the year is just after the first rainy season, when, until September, conditions are usually overcast with drizzle. As Nairobi
6555-493: The Kenyan government's Affordable Housing Program , various housing developments are underway to accommodate the city's growing population. The city is situated at 1°09′S 36°39′E / 1.150°S 36.650°E / -1.150; 36.650 ( Nairobi, Kenya ) and 1°27′S 37°06′E / 1.450°S 37.100°E / -1.450; 37.100 ( Nairobi, Kenya ) and occupies 696 square kilometres (270 sq mi). Nairobi
6670-598: The Nairobi County and joins the larger River Athi on the eastern edge of the county. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai fought fiercely to save the indigenous Karura Forest in northern Nairobi which was under threat of being replaced by housing and other infrastructure. Nairobi's western suburbs stretch all the way from the Kenyatta National Hospital in the south to the UN headquarters at Gigiri suburb in
6785-732: The Sun'. Nairobi is home of the Kenyan Parliament Buildings and hosts thousands of Kenyan businesses and key international companies and organisations, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) and the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON). Nairobi is an established hub for business and culture. The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) is one of the largest stock exchanges in Africa and
6900-471: The United Kingdom and the United States ". The word capital derives from the Latin word caput (genitive capitis ), meaning ' head ', later borrowed from Medieval Latin capitālis ('of the head'). The Latin phrase Roma Caput Mundi meaning 'Rome capital of the world' ( lit. ' head of the world ' ) was already used by the poet Ovid in 1st century BC . It originates out of
7015-565: The Wars , of his personal encounter with the plague and the effect it had on the rising empire. In the spring of 542, the plague arrived in Constantinople, working its way from port city to port city and spreading around the Mediterranean Sea , later migrating inland eastward into Asia Minor and west into Greece and Italy. The Plague of Justinian is said to have been "completed" in the middle of
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#17328443185707130-512: The area. With the arrival of the Uganda Railway , the site was identified by Sir George Whitehouse for a store depot, shunting ground and camping ground for the Indian labourers working on the railway. Whitehouse, chief engineer of the railway, favoured the site as an ideal resting place due to its high elevation, temperate climate, adequate water supply and being situated before the steep ascent of
7245-402: The bacteria enter through the skin through a flea bite and travel via the lymphatic vessels to a lymph node , causing it to swell. Diagnosis is made by finding the bacteria in the blood, sputum , or fluid from lymph nodes. Prevention is through public health measures such as not handling dead animals in areas where plague is common. While vaccines against the plague have been developed,
7360-661: The bacterium reproduces in the person's blood and lungs respectively. Laboratory testing is required in order to diagnose and confirm plague. Ideally, confirmation is through the identification of Y. pestis culture from a patient sample. Confirmation of infection can be done by examining serum taken during the early and late stages of infection . To quickly screen for the Y. pestis antigen in patients, rapid dipstick tests have been developed for field use. Samples taken for testing include: Bubonic plague outbreaks are controlled by pest control and modern sanitation techniques. This disease uses fleas commonly found on rats as
7475-499: The broad-based antibiotic streptomycin has proven to be dramatically successful against the bubonic plague within 12 hours of infection. Globally between 2010 and 2015, there were 3,248 documented cases, which resulted in 584 deaths. The countries with the greatest number of cases are the Democratic Republic of the Congo , Madagascar , and Peru . For over a decade since 2001, Zambia, India, Malawi, Algeria, China, Peru, and
7590-696: The capital has been changed for geopolitical reasons; Finland 's first city, Turku , which had served as the country's capital since the Middle Ages under the Swedish rule, lost its position during the Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812, when Helsinki was made the current capital of Finland by the Russian Empire. The convergence of political and economic or cultural power is by no means universal. Traditional capitals may be economically eclipsed by provincial rivals as
7705-567: The central business district and the neighbourhood Upper Hill. Uhuru ( Freedom in Swahili ) Park is a centre for outdoor speeches, services, and rallies. The park was to be built over by former President Daniel arap Moi , who wanted the 62-storey headquarters of his party, the Kenya African National Union , situated in the park. However, the park was saved following a campaign by Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai . Central Park
7820-400: The centre-east and Kasarani to northeast area among others. The low and lower income estates are located mainly in far eastern Nairobi. These include, Umoja, Kariokor, Dandora , Kariobangi , Kayole , Ruai , Kamulu , Embakasi , and Huruma . Kitengela suburb, though located further southeast, Ongata Rongai and Kiserian further southwest, and Ngong/Embulbul suburbs also known as 'Diaspora' to
7935-466: The city. The United Nations Office at Nairobi hosts UN Environment and UN-Habitat headquarters. Several of Africa's largest companies are headquartered in Nairobi. Safaricom , the largest company in Kenya by assets and profitability is headquartered in Nairobi, KenGen, which is the largest African stock outside South Africa , is based in the city. Kenya Airways , Africa's fourth largest airline, uses Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport as
8050-501: The city. These include Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company , General Motors , Toyota , and The Coca-Cola Company . Nairobi has a large tourist industry , being both a tourist destination and a transport hub. Nairobi has grown around its central business district . This takes a pentagonal shape, around the Uhuru Highway, Haile Selassie Avenue, Moi Avenue, and University Way. It features many of Nairobi's important buildings, including
8165-635: The country. Unusually, most of the cases were pneumonic rather than bubonic. In June 2018, a child was confirmed to be the first person in Idaho to be infected by bubonic plague in nearly 30 years. A couple died in May 2019, in Mongolia, while hunting marmots . Another two people in the province of Inner Mongolia, China, were treated in November 2019 for the disease. In July 2020, in Bayannur , Inner Mongolia of China,
8280-453: The countryside, where they enjoyed support from local governments and the traditionally independent civilian frontiersmen. Exceptions to these generalizations include highly centralized states such as France , whose centralized bureaucracies could effectively coordinate far-flung resources, giving the state a powerful advantage over less coherent rivals, but risking utter ruin if the capital were taken. Bubonic plague Bubonic plague
8395-403: The course of the next two years become a large and flourishing place and already there are many applications for sites for hotels, shops and houses." The town's early years were however beset with problems of malaria leading to at least one attempt to have the town moved. In the early 1900s, Bazaar Street (now Biashara Street) was completely rebuilt after an outbreak of plague and the burning of
8510-512: The death of tissue. Y. pestis bacilli can resist phagocytosis and even reproduce inside phagocytes and kill them. As the disease progresses, the lymph nodes can hemorrhage and become swollen and necrotic . Bubonic plague can progress to lethal septicemic plague in some cases. The plague is also known to spread to the lungs and become the disease known as the pneumonic plague . Symptoms appear two to seven days after getting bitten and they include: The best-known symptom of bubonic plague
8625-437: The decay or decomposition of the skin while the person is still alive. Additional symptoms include extreme fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, spleen inflammation, lenticulae (black dots scattered throughout the body), delirium, coma , organ failure, and death. Organ failure is a result of the bacteria infecting organs through the bloodstream. Other forms of the disease include septicemic plague and pneumonic plague , in which
8740-484: The eighteenth century. In Canada , there is a federal capital , while the ten provinces and three territories each have capital cities. The states of such countries as Mexico , Brazil (including the famous cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo , capitals of their respective states), and Australia also each have capital cities. For example, the six state capitals of Australia are Adelaide , Brisbane , Hobart , Melbourne , Perth , and Sydney . In Australia,
8855-597: The far west are considered part of the Greater Nairobi Metropolitan area. More than 90% of Nairobi residents work within the Nairobi Metropolitan area, in the formal and informal sectors. Many Somali immigrants have also settled in Eastleigh , nicknamed "Little Mogadishu ". Here is the list of all postal codes for Nairobi Archived 19 March 2023 at the Wayback Machine . The Kibera slum in Nairobi
8970-534: The great crisis of Japanese invasion . National capitals were arguably less important as military objectives in other parts of the world, including the West, because of socioeconomic trends toward localized authority, a strategic modus operandi especially popular after the development of feudalism and reaffirmed by the development of democratic and capitalistic philosophies. In 1204, after the Latin Crusaders captured
9085-411: The gut of infected fleas, and this results in the flea regurgitating ingested blood, which is now infected, into the bite site of a rodent or human host. Once established, the bacteria rapidly spread to the lymph nodes of the host and multiply. The fleas that transmit the disease only directly infect humans when the rat population in the area is wiped out from a mass infection. Furthermore, in areas with
9200-533: The latter's description was imprecise and also expressed doubts of its relation to the disease, and thus the bacterium is today only named after Yersin. The scale of death and social upheaval associated with plague outbreaks has made the topic prominent in many historical and fictional accounts since the disease was first recognized. The Black Death in particular is described and referenced in numerous contemporary sources , some of which, including works by Chaucer , Boccaccio , and Petrarch , are considered part of
9315-493: The main access road to the airport (Airport South Road). The total cost of the project was more than US$ 29 million (US$ 111.8 million in 2013 dollars). On 14 March 1978, construction of the terminal building was completed on the other side of the airport's single runway and opened by President Jomo Kenyatta less than five months before his death. The airport was renamed Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in memory of its first president. The Giraffe Centre , an animal sanctuary on
9430-564: The mass mortality rate cheapened life and thus increased warfare, crime, popular revolt, waves of flagellants , and persecution. The Black Death originated in Central Asia and spread from Italy and then throughout other European countries. Arab historians Ibn Al-Wardni and Almaqrizi believed the Black Death originated in Mongolia. Chinese records also show a huge outbreak in Mongolia in the early 1330s. In 2022, researchers presented evidence that
9545-797: The north, a distance of about 20 kilometres (12 mi). The city is centred on the City Square, which is located in the Central Business District. The Kenyan Parliament buildings, the Holy Family Cathedral , Nairobi City Hall, Nairobi Law Courts, and the Kenyatta Convention Centre all surround the square. Under the Köppen climate classification , Nairobi has a subtropical highland climate (Cwb). At 1,795 metres (5,889 ft) above sea level, evenings may be cool, especially in
9660-540: The origin of the plague and how it traveled through the continent. Mitochondrial DNA of modern rats in Western Europe indicated that these rats came from two different areas, one being Africa and the other unclear. The research regarding this pandemic has greatly increased with technology. Through archaeo-molecular investigation, researchers have discovered the DNA of plague bacillus in the dental core of those that fell ill to
9775-562: The original town. Between 1902 and 1910, the town's population rose from 5,000 to 16,000 and grew around administration and tourism, initially in the form of big game hunting . In 1907, Nairobi replaced Mombasa as the capital of the East Africa Protectorate. In 1919, Nairobi was declared to be a municipality. In 1921, Nairobi had 24,000 residents, of which 12,000 were native Africans. The next decade saw growth in native African communities in Nairobi, and they began to constitute
9890-406: The plague as an allegory raising contemporary moral or spiritual questions. Some of the earliest instances of biological warfare were said to have been products of the plague, as armies of the 14th century were recorded catapulting diseased corpses over the walls of towns and villages to spread the pestilence. This was done by Jani Beg when he attacked the city of Kaffa in 1343. Later, plague
10005-600: The plague originated near Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan . The Mongols had cut the trade route (the Silk Road ) between China and Europe, which halted the spread of the Black Death from eastern Russia to Western Europe. The European epidemic may have begun with the siege of Caffa , an attack that Mongols launched on the Italian merchants' last trading station in the region, Caffa , in the Crimea . In late 1346, plague broke out among
10120-695: The plague was responsible for the Neolithic decline . The first recorded epidemic affected the Sasanian Empire and their arch-rivals, the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) and was named the Plague of Justinian (541–549 AD) after emperor Justinian I , who was infected but survived through extensive treatment. The pandemic resulted in the deaths of an estimated 25 million (6th century outbreak) to 50 million people (two centuries of recurrence). The historian Procopius wrote, in Volume II of History of
10235-528: The plague. Analysis of teeth of the deceased allows researchers to further understand both the demographics and mortuary patterns of the disease. For example, in 2013 in England, archeologists uncovered a burial mound to reveal 17 bodies, mainly children, who had died of the Bubonic plague. They analyzed these burial remains using radiocarbon dating to determine they were from the 1530s, and dental core analysis revealed
10350-508: The presence of Yersinia pestis. Other evidence for rats that are currently still being researched consists of gnaw marks on bones, predator pellets and rat remains that were preserved in situ . This research allows individuals to trace early rat remains to track the path traveled and in turn connect the impact of the Bubonic Plague to specific breeds of rats. Burial sites, known as plague pits, offer archaeologists an opportunity to study
10465-459: The provincial level, a dynasty could easily be toppled with the fall of its capital. In the Three Kingdoms period, both Shu and Wu fell when their respective capitals of Chengdu and Jianye fell. The Ming dynasty relocated its capital from Nanjing to Beijing , where they could more effectively control the generals and troops guarding the borders from Mongols and Manchus . The Ming
10580-481: The rest of Europe as a result of people fleeing from one area to another. Rats migrated with humans, traveling among grain bags, clothing, ships, wagons, and grain husks. Continued research indicates that black rats , those that primarily transmitted the disease, prefer grain as a primary meal. Due to this, the major bulk grain fleets that transported major city's food shipments from Africa and Alexandria to heavily populated areas, and were then unloaded by hand, played
10695-425: The result of the route of infection: bubonic plague, septicemic plague , and pneumonic plague . Bubonic plague is mainly spread by infected fleas from small animals . It may also result from exposure to the body fluids from a dead plague-infected animal. Mammals such as rabbits , hares , and some cat species are susceptible to bubonic plague, and typically die upon contraction. In the bubonic form of plague,
10810-508: The risk of death is around 10%. Globally between 2010 and 2015 there were 3,248 documented cases, which resulted in 584 deaths. The countries with the greatest number of cases are the Democratic Republic of the Congo , Madagascar , and Peru . The plague is considered the likely cause of the Black Death that swept through Asia, Europe, and Africa in the 14th century and killed an estimated 50 million people, including about 25% to 60% of
10925-424: The seat of government of a polity or of a subdivision. Deliberately planned and designed capitals include: These cities satisfy one or both of the following criteria: Some examples of the second situation (compromise locations) are: Changes in a nation's political regime sometimes result in the designation of a new capital. Akmola (renamed Astana in 1998) became the capital of Kazakhstan in 1997, following
11040-598: The second-oldest exchange on the continent. It is Africa's fourth-largest stock exchange in terms of trading volume, capable of making 10 million trades a day. It also contains the Nairobi National Park . Nairobi joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities in 2010. Nairobi was founded in 1899 by colonial authorities in British East Africa , as a rail depot on the Uganda - Kenya Railway. It
11155-400: The south central part of Kenya, at an elevation of 1,795 metres (5,889 ft). The site of Nairobi was originally a swamp land occupied by a pastoralist people, the Maasai , the sedentary Akamba People , as well as the agriculturalist Kikuyu people . The name Nairobi itself comes from the Maasai expression meaning 'cool waters', referring to the cold water stream which flowed through
11270-555: The southwestern outskirts of Nairobi, was opened in 1983. To this day, it breeds the endangered species of Rothschild's giraffe . The United States Embassy, then located in downtown Nairobi, was bombed in August 1998 by Al-Qaeda and the Egyptian Islamic Jihad , as one of a series of US embassy bombings . It is now the site of a memorial park. On 20 October 2011, a memorial statue was unveiled in Nairobi in memory to Tom Mboya ,
11385-655: The term "capital cities" is regularly used to refer to those six state capitals plus the federal capital Canberra , and Darwin , the capital of the Northern Territory . Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and also of the United Arab Emirates overall. In unitary states which consist of multiple constituent nations, such as the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Denmark , each will usually have its own capital city. Unlike in federations , there
11500-517: The time of Mutura's swearing in as acting Governor, which he will hold for at least 60 days, Nairobi did not have a Deputy Governor as well. Nairobi has seen several major infrastructure projects in recent years. The Nairobi Expressway , completed in 2022, was developed to reduce traffic congestion along Mombasa Road. Additionally, the Green Park Bus Terminal , part of efforts to improve public transport, began operations in 2021. In line with
11615-459: The time, which was designed for 250,000 people, allocated 28% of Nairobi's land to public space, but because of rapid population growth, much of the vitality of public spaces within the city are increasingly threatened. City Park, the only natural park in Nairobi, for example, was originally 60 ha (150 acres), but has since lost approximately 20 ha (50 acres) of land to private development through squatting and illegal alienation which began in
11730-512: The tower consisted of a cylinder composed of several cuboids, and the amphitheater and helipad both resembled cones. The tower was built around a concrete core and it had no walls but glass windows, which allowed for maximum natural lighting. It had the largest halls in eastern and central Africa. A year prior in 1972, the World Bank approved funds for further expansion of the then Nairobi Airport (now Jomo Kenyatta International Airport ), including
11845-501: The upmarket suburbs are situated to the west and north-central of Nairobi, where most European settlers resided during the colonial times AKA 'Ubabini'. These include Karen , Langata , Lavington , Gigiri , Muthaiga , Brookside, Spring Valley, Loresho, Kilimani , Kileleshwa, Hurlingham, Runda , Kitisuru , Nyari, Kyuna, Lower Kabete , Westlands , and Highridge , although Kangemi, Kawangware, and Dagoretti are lower income areas close to these affluent suburbs. The city's colonial past
11960-584: The western United States developed plague, including 2 cases in Yosemite National Park . These US cases usually occur in rural northern New Mexico, northern Arizona, southern Colorado, California, southern Oregon, and far western Nevada. In November 2017, the Madagascar Ministry of Health reported an outbreak to the WHO (World Health Organization) with more cases and deaths than any recent outbreak in
12075-662: The world in the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century via shipping routes. The plague infected people in Chinatown in San Francisco from 1900 to 1904, and in the nearby locales of Oakland and the East Bay again from 1907 to 1909. During the former outbreak, in 1902, authorities made permanent the Chinese Exclusion Act , a law originally signed into existence by President Chester A. Arthur in 1882. The Act
12190-476: Was built in three phases: Uhuru Highway to Muthaiga Roundabout; Muthaiga Roundabout to Kenyatta University and; Kenyatta University to Thika Town . On 31 May 2017, President Uhuru Kenyatta inaugurated the Standard Gauge Railway which connects Nairobi to Mombasa. It was primarily built by a Chinese firm with about 90% of total funding from China and about 10% from the Kenyan government. A second phase
12305-791: Was common. The capital city attracts politically motivated people and those whose skills are needed for efficient administration of national or imperial governments, such as lawyers , political scientists , bankers , journalists , and public policy makers . Some of these cities are or were also religious centres , e.g. Constantinople (more than one religion), Rome / Vatican City (the Roman Catholic Church ), Jerusalem (more than one religion), Babylon, Moscow (the Russian Orthodox Church ), Belgrade (the Serbian Orthodox Church ), Paris, and Beijing. In some countries,
12420-409: Was considered to have about 4 million residents. A large beautification project took place in the Central Business District, as the city prepared to host the 2006 Afri-Cities summit. Iconic buildings such as the Kenyatta International Conference Centre had their exteriors cleaned and repainted. Capital city A capital city or just capital is the municipality holding primary status in
12535-614: Was destroyed when Li Zicheng took their seat of power, and this pattern repeats itself in Chinese history, until the fall of the traditional Confucian monarchy in the 20th century. After the Qing dynasty 's collapse, decentralization of authority and improved transportation and communication technologies allowed both the Chinese Nationalists and Chinese Communists to rapidly relocate capitals and keep their leadership structures intact during
12650-414: Was favoured by the authorities as an ideal resting place due to its high elevation , temperate climate , and adequate water supply. The town quickly grew to replace Mombasa as the capital of Kenya in 1907. After independence in 1963, Nairobi became the capital of the Republic of Kenya . During Kenya's early period, the city became a centre for the coffee , tea and sisal industries. The city lies in
12765-507: Was first and foremost commissioned to design the first town layout for the railway depot. It constituted two streets – Victoria Street and Station Street , ten avenues, staff quarters and an Indian commercial area. The railway arrived at Nairobi on 30 May 1899, and soon Nairobi replaced Machakos as the headquarters of the provincial administration for the Ukamba province. On the arrival of the railway, Whitehouse remarked that "Nairobi itself will in
12880-557: Was put to deadly halt when, in the Late Middle Ages , Europe experienced the deadliest disease outbreak in history. They called it the Great Dying or The Great Pestilence, later coined The Black Death. Lasting in potency for roughly six years, 1346–1352, the Black Death claimed one-third of the European human population, with mortality rates as high as 70%–80%. Some historians believe that society subsequently became more violent as
12995-565: Was supposed to last for 10 years, but was renewed in 1892 with the Geary Act , then followed by the 1902 decision. The last major outbreak in the United States occurred in Los Angeles in 1924, though the disease is still present in wild rodents and can be passed to humans who come in contact with them. According to the World Health Organization , the pandemic was considered active until 1959, when worldwide casualties dropped to 200 per year. In 1994,
13110-402: Was the most effective flea species for transmission. The flea is parasitic on house and field rats and seeks out other prey when its rodent host dies. Rats were an amplifying factor to bubonic plague due to their common association with humans as well as the nature of their blood. The rat's blood allows the rat to withstand a major concentration of the plague. The bacteria form aggregates in
13225-924: Was used during the Second Sino-Japanese War as a bacteriological weapon by the Imperial Japanese Army . These weapons were provided by Shirō Ishii 's units and used in experiments on humans before being used in the field. For example, in 1940, the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service bombed Ningbo with fleas carrying the bubonic plague. During the Khabarovsk War Crime Trials , the accused, such as Major General Kiyoshi Kawashima, testified that, in 1941, 40 members of Unit 731 air-dropped plague -contaminated fleas on Changde . These operations caused epidemic plague outbreaks. Substantial research has been done regarding
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