Naivasha | |
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  Naivasha Location in Kenya | |
| Coordinates:0°43′S36°26′E / 0.717°S 36.433°E /-0.717; 36.433 | |
| Country |  Kenya |
| County | Nakuru County |
| Elevation | 2,086 m (6,843 ft) |
| Population (2019) | |
• Total | 355,383[1] |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (EAT) |
Naivasha is a town inNakuru County,Kenya, 92.8 km (57.7 mi) north west ofNairobi. From 1969, the population expanded by a factor of 17 times to over 355,383 at the 2019 census. It is situated on the shores ofLake Naivasha, from which it takes its name. The nameNaivasha derives from the localMaasai wordɛnaɨpɔ́sha, meaning "that which heaves", a common Maasai word for bodies of water larger enough to have wave action when it is windy or stormy. Naivasha arose as the British attempted to pronounce the Maasai name. Literally,Lake Naivasha means "Lake Lake" andNaivasha Town means "Lake Town".
Naivasha lies in a rift valley basin 92.8 km (57.7 mi) by road north west ofNairobi.
TheMaasai people were the first group to settle on the basin due to their quest for pasture and water for their livestock. This is rumored to have been around the 15th century when they moved down from the present day Sudan. Later in the 16th century, theBantu people including various tribes started their migration into the basin from the Central African forests. The most populous tribe in Naivasha is theKikuyu. European settlers are also major settlers in Naivasha. They arrived in the 19th century.
The town is home to the Isahakia community, descendants ofIsaaq soldiers and traders that settled in Kenya in the 1900s.[3][4]In the late 1970s–1980s Lake Naivasha was overrun with poachers and foreign creatures were introduced into the lake to provide fishing.[citation needed] The migratory paths along Lake Naivasha were being destroyed by the local rose industry.[citation needed] The naturalistJoan Root (1936–2006), spent the last decade of her life trying to save the lake and its wildlife.
A resort in Naivasha was the location for much of the negotiations of theComprehensive Peace Agreement ending theSecond Sudanese Civil War, commonly known as the "Naivasha Agreement".
The town is home to the Isahakia community, descendants ofIsaaq soldiers and traders that settled in Kenya in the 1900s.[5][6]
The town has a total population of 355,383 (2019 census).[1]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 6,920 | — |
| 1979 | 11,491 | +66.1% |
| 1999 | 32,222 | +180.4% |
| 2009 | 91,898 | +185.2% |
| 2019 | 355,383 | +286.7% |
| source:[7] | ||
Naivasha is located on the shore ofLake Naivasha along theNairobi–Nakuru highway (A104 road) and theUganda Railway. In 2015, an extension of the newstandard gauge railway to this town was approved.[8]
The Inland Container Depot was officially opened in 2022 in Naivasha,[9] to handle transport of cargo to theGreat Lakes Region, includingRwanda,Uganda,Tanzania andDemocratic Republic of Congo.
The main industry is agriculture, especiallyfloriculture.
Naivasha is also a popular tourist destination.Hell's Gate National Park (the main locations forThe Lion King, including Pride Rock and the Gorge, are modelled after the park[10]),Olkaria Geothermal Spa,Mount Longonot National Park andMount Longonot are nearby attractions. Tours also have includedLake Naivasha, to observe birdlife andhippopotamus behaviour,[11]as well as other wild animals.
It is also home to Sunderland AFC Navaisha - the Kenyan offshoot of the renowned English Championship football team, Sunderland AFC. Their nickname is The Mighty Black Panthers and they rely solely on sponsorship.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)0°43′12.85″S36°25′42.71″E / 0.7202361°S 36.4285306°E /-0.7202361; 36.4285306
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