Fascinating Facts About Nairobi

Nairobi is one of Africa’s most prominent and fastest-growing cities. Kenya’s capital has a fascinating history and culture just waiting to be discovered. Let’s dive into some intriguing facts you probably didn’t know about Nairobi!

• Nairobi was founded in 1899 as a railway town for the Uganda Railway project by the British. The name comes from the Maasai phrase “Enkare Nyirobi” meaning “place of cool waters”.

• Nairobi is the only capital city in the world that has a national park – the unique Nairobi National Park established in 1946. It’s home to wild rhinos, giraffes, zebras and more against the urban backdrop.

• The iconic Kenyatta International Conference Centre was designed to represent an archetypal African drum and contains over 100,000 square meters of conference facilities.

• Nairobi is nicknamed “Green City in the Sun” with several nature attractions like the Nairobi Arboretum’s walkable gardens established in 1907.

• The popular dish of nyama choma (barbecued meat) actually originated in Nairobi, not traditional villages. Meat eaters must try it!

• The Karen Blixen Museum near Nairobi was once the farm and home of Danish author Karen Blixen of ‘Out of Africa’ fame. Her home is preserved as a museum.

• Nairobi has East Africa’s largest slum Kibera, housing over 250,000 residents. Tours are available to see local life.

• The famous novel ‘The Constant Gardener’ by John le Carré is primarily set in Nairobi as le Carré lived in the city for a period.

• Nairobi is the African base for many UN organizations including the UN Environment Programme and UN Habitat headquarters. 

• The Bomas of Kenya cultural centre has traditional villages representing the many Kenyan tribes, where you can see dances, artifacts, and architecture.

So there you have it – some fascinating facts about the city of Nairobi you probably didn’t know before! The Kenyan capital certainly has many incredible sites and stories just waiting to be discovered. Have any more Nairobi facts to share? Let us know!