Taita–Taveta County | |
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 Flag  Coat of arms | |
 Taita-Taveta County in Kenya | |
| Coordinates:3°27′S38°24′E / 3.450°S 38.400°E /-3.450; 38.400 | |
| Country |  Kenya |
| Formed | 4 March 2013 |
| Capital | Mwatate |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Andrew Mwadime |
| • Deputy Governor | Christine Saru Kilalo |
| • Senator | Johnes Mwaruma |
| • Woman Representative | Lydia Haika |
| Area | |
• Total | 17,083.9 km2 (6,596.1 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 2,228 m (7,310 ft) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 360,471 |
| • Density | 21.1000/km2 (54.6489/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Taitan/Mdawida and Tavetas/watuveta |
| GDP (PPP) | |
| • Total |  $1.639 Billion (40th)(2022)[1] |
| • Per Capita | $4,552 (2022) (21st) |
| GDP (NOMINAL) | |
| • Total |  $602.0 Million (2022) (40th) |
| • Per Capita | $1,639 (2022) (21st) |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (EAT) |
| Website | www |
Taita–Taveta County is acounty in Kenya, located approximately 200 km northwest ofMombasa, and 360 km southeast ofNairobi, it has a port and major gateway to the United Republic ofTanzania through Taveta.[2] The county headquarters are located inMwatate. It is one of the six counties in theCoastal region of Kenya.[3] Major towns includeVoi,Taveta,Mwatate, andWundanyi.[4]
The population was 340,671 persons according to the 2019 national census, with population densities ranging from 14 persons per km2 to more than 117 persons per km2.[5] The county's climate is of varied rainfall with the lower zones receiving an average of 440 mm of rainfall per annum and the highland areas receiving up to 1,900 mm of rainfall. The altitude range from 500 m above sea level to 2,300 meters above sea level at Vuria[6] peak, which is the county's highest point.
Taita-Taveta county covers an area of 17,083.9 km2, of which 62% or 11,100 km2 is withinTsavo East andTsavo West National Parks. The remaining 5,876 km2 consists of small scale farms, ranches,sisal estates, water bodies (such as LakesChala andJipe in Taveta andMzima springs), and the hilltop forests.[7]
Thelowland areas of the county outside the national parks are farms, ranches, estates, and wildlife sanctuaries which receive an average of 440 mm of rain per annum whereas the highlands receive up to 1900 mm. Altitudes range from 500 m abovesea level to almost 2300 m at the highest point in the county of Vuria Peak. The county has approximately 25ranches for cattle grazing. The three operating sisal estates in the county areTeita Sisal Estate,Voi Sisal Estate and Taveta Sisal Estate. Many ranches have ventured intowildlife tourism and conservation.The Taita Hills and Saltlick Lodges sanctuary are among the well knowntourism attractions in Taita Taveta.
There are 48 forests which have survived on hill tops in Taita-Taveta county of which 28 are gazetted and are under government protection and management. They range in size from small 500 square metre patches with a few remnant trees to modestly vast 2 square kilometre indigenous and exotic forest mountains. These forests are part of the uniqueEastern Arc range of forests found mostly in easternTanzania with theTaita Hills forming the only Kenyan portion of that forest type.
Taita Hills forest holds a unique biodiversity with 13 taxa of plants and 9 taxa of animals found only in the Taita Hills and nowhere else in the world.[8] In addition, 22 plant species found in the Taita Hills forests are typical of theEastern Arc forests. Within these beautiful indigenous forests, bubbles of clean water flow to the lowland areas catering for both human economic activities and wildlife.
Tsavo National Park covers approximately two-thirds of the land area of Taita-Taveta county, growth in human population causes conflict with wildlife.[9]
The national population census carried out in 1969 put the number of persons in the Taita-Taveta district at 110,742.[10] TheKenya Population and Housing Census of August 2019 found that the number of people in Taita-Taveta County was 340,671[5] representing an increase of 207.6% in fifty years. The growth of the human population means that the land close to the park boundaries is converted from bush land into settlements. Consequently, people have been killed by wildlife, as others lose crops and livestock.
The national government has a mechanism for financially compensating families for wildlife-related deaths and destruction of property, but residents of Taita-Taveta say the process of claiming compensation is too tedious. A television news report broadcast in September 2018 revealed that only ten out of more than 1,500 claims for compensation in the county had been paid out in the previous five years.[11]
LakeJipe, LakeChala, Kasigau Mountain,[12] Taita Hills, Shomoto Hill, Aruba Dam,[13] Mudanda Rock,[14] Yatta Plateau,[15] Lugard Falls,[16] Tsavo National Reserve, Shetani Lava Flow,[17] Mzima Springs.[18]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 110,742 | — |
| 1979 | 147,597 | +33.3% |
| 1989 | 207,273 | +40.4% |
| 1999 | 246,671 | +19.0% |
| 2009 | 284,657 | +15.4% |
| 2019 | 340,671 | +19.7% |
| Kenya Administrative Divisions:[19]2019 Census:[20] | ||
The seat of the county government of Taita-Taveta is at the small town ofWundanyi, and the largest town beingVoi.
| Sub-counties of Taita Taveta | |
| Subcounty | Population[5] |
| Mwatate | 81,659 |
| Taveta | 91,222 |
| Voi | 111,831 |
| Wundanyi | 55,959 |
| Total | 340,671 |
The county has four constituencies:
The county has the following wards:[22]
| Geographic | |
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| Other | |
