Nairobi Exchange Program
Introduction to Kenya
Kenya is a land of great diversity, both geographically and culturally. An estimated 32 million people of different ethnic and cultural identities live in an area roughly 1½ times the size of California. The majority live in rural areas in the highland plateaus of the southwestern quarter of the country. A small but significant number of Arabs, Asians, and Europeans also call Kenya home.
Kenya is justly renowned for its scenery of epic proportions and remarkable variety. 70% percent of the country is dominated by semi-arid grasslands that support a bewildering variety of wildlife and a number of pastoralist tribes. The Great Rift Valley cuts though the center of the highlands and is 50 miles across in some areas and 2000 ft. deep. Not far away are the two highest peaks on the African continent, Mt. Kenya and Mt. Kilimanjaro.
NAIROBI
In its origin, Nairobi was an entirely artificial creation of European settlers. At the turn of the last century the city was a supply depot, switching yard, and campsite for the thousands of Indian laborers who built the East Africa railway line. The original center retains an Asian influence in its older buildings, but these are interspersed today by many modern, glassy, high-rise office buildings.
Today, Nairobi is Kenya's capital city and is the largest city in East Africa. It serves the region’s as a commercial, financial, and communications hub. Nairobi is a cosmopolitan and vibrant place. Surrounding the city center are thousands of acres of suburbs where most residents of Nairobi live. The University of Nairobi is located in the city center, near the main shopping and business districts and cultural attractions.