Nakuru District

Former district of Kenya

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

[edit]

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:

* Naivasha Constituency
* Nakuru Town Constituency
* Kuresoi Constituency
* Molo Constituency
* Rongai Constituency
* Subukia Constituency

## References

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1. ^ statoids.com – Districts of Kenya

## External links

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* Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs – Kenya AdminLevels 1-4

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

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