Mombassa

Mombasa is a town in Kenya, with city status, the capital of Mombasa County.

It is the second largest Kenyan city after the capital Nairobi, as well as being the main port of East Africa. It is located on an island on the shores of the Indian Ocean, but it is connected to land by various bridges, having spread across the mainland. It has 939,370 inhabitants, according to the 2009 census.

It has a large port and an international airport. The city is the center of the coastal tourism industry. The original name in Arabic is Manbasa; In Swahili it is called Kisiwa Cha Mvita (or Mvita for short), which means "Island of War", due to the many changes in its ownership.

Physical geography

Location

As a coastal city, Mombasa is characterized by its flat topography. The city of Mombasa is centered on the island of Mombasa, but extends to the mainland. The island is separated from the mainland by two streams, Port Reitz (to the south) and Tudor Creek (to the north).

The island of Mombasa, which is separated from the mainland by two streams; Tudor Creek and Kilindini Harbour. The island is connected to the mainland by the Nyali Bridge (to the north), the Likoni Ferry (to the south) and the Makupa Causeway (to the west), as well as a passage by the Uganda Railway. The city has a busy port and the Moi International Airport.

Climate

Mombasa has a warm tropical climate. Located slightly to the south of the Equator Line, it has little climatic variation throughout the year, with the summer months being slightly warmer than the winter months. The amount of rain essentially depends on the season. The rainiest months are April and May, while in January and February the rain is minimal, the rainy season begins in March and ends at the end of June.

Average Mombasa climate parameters, Kenya
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Temp. max. abs. (°C)	35.9	37.6	36.4	36.1	35.0	31.5	31.0	30.3	31.6	33.0	34.0	37.0	37.6
Average temperature (°C)	33.2	33.7	33.7	32.5	30.9	29.4	28.7	28.8	29.7	30.5	31.6	32.8	31.3
Average temperature (°C)	27.6	28.1	28.3	27.6	26.2	24.8	24.0	24.0	24.7	25.7	26.9	27.4	26.3
Temp. medium (°C)	22.0	22.5	22.9	22.7	21.6	20.1	19.3	19.3	19.7	20.9	22.1	22.0	21.3
Temp. min. abs. (°C)	16.8	19.4	19.7	18.9	18.8	17.4	13.6	15.3	16.3	18.0	18.8	18.1	13.6
Total precipitation (mm)	33.9	14.0	55.6	154.3	235.5	88.3	71.8	68.2	67.2	103.4	104.7	75.8	1072.7
Precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	3	1	5	10	14	10	10	8	9	9	8	7	94
Hours of sun	269.7	257.1	269.7	225.0	204.6	207.0	210.8	244.9	246.0	272.8	264.0	260.4	2932
Relative humidity (%)	77	75	77	80	82	82	82	82	80	81	82	80	80
Source No. 1: World Meteorological Organization
Source No. 2: Hong Kong Observatory (1961-1990)

History

Historic Map (1888).

Ex-center of Mombasa.

Originally it was founded by Arab traders who traded with the interior of Africa on the island of Mombasa, but over time, due to the scarcity of land on the island, it spread to the mainland, which was linked by bridges and ferries. Mombasa's old port is used by fishing and pleasure boats, while the new one is used for commercial and freight traffic. During this period it was known as Mlango wa Kenya (Kenya Harbour) or Kisiwa wa Mvita (War Island). It is still possible to detect the Arab influence in the city, for example, in its narrow streets, tall buildings and its mosques.

In 1498, Vasco de Gama became the first European to visit the city. The Portuguese, in their search for new routes to India, seized various ports and commercial centers on the African coast, including Mombasa. In 1589 the city was sacked and razed to the ground by a band of the Zimba people, warriors from the south related to the Maravi kingdom. Portuguese rule was immediately threatened by the Sultanate of Oman, so they built various defenses, such as Fort Jesus, which can still be visited. Against all expectations, the city was seized from the Portuguese by the Swahili in 1740, who in turn lost possession to the Sultanate of Zanzibar in 1832. Following the establishment of the British Colony of Kenya government in 1887, with Mombasa as capital, the city continued to be under the nominal rule of the Sultan of Zanzibar.

In 1902 the railway line linking Mombasa to Kampala on Lake Victoria was completed. During the 1950s, the city became an important tourist center, but after the wave of ethnic violence in 1997, this tourism declined considerably, which affected the economy substantially, since it was its main source of income..

Mombasa also has an industrial area, international airport and university.

Demographics

Population distribution

The 938,131 inhabitants of the city are distributed as follows in the 2009 census:

• Urban population: 915 101 inhabitants (473 433 men and 441 668 women)
• Perurban population: 23 030 inhabitants (12 775 men and 10 255 women)
• Rural population: no rural population in this city

Ethnic groups

The city is mainly occupied by the Muslim Mijikenda and Swahili population. Over the centuries, many immigrants and merchants have settled in that city, particularly from Persia, the Middle East, Somalia, and the Indian subcontinent, who came mostly as merchants and artisans. Even after four or five generations, their descendants continue to contribute to the economy of Mombasa and Kenya as a whole today.

The traditional dress of Swahili women is brightly colored, made of cotton called kanga, which may have inspired the slogans printed on it. Muslim women wear a covering known as a bui bui, which is traditionally black, along with a headscarf called a hijab, and sometimes wear a veil called a niqab, also known as the 'ninja'. The men wear a type of sarong, which is brightly colored on the bands, called "kikoi".

Economy

North Beach of Mombasa.

Mombasa is a major trade center and home to Kenya's only major seaport, Kilindini Port. "Kilindini" is an old Swahili term meaning 'deep'. The port is so called because the channel is naturally very deep. Kilindini Port is an example of a natural geographic phenomenon called an estuary, formed millions of years ago when the sea level rose and swallowed the river flowing from the mainland.

Mombasa is the center of coastal tourism in Kenya. Mombasa Island itself is not a main attraction, although many people visit the Old City and Fort Jesus. To the north of the island of Mombasa are Nyali, Kenyatta, Bamburi and Shanzu beaches. To the south of the city are Shelly, Tiwi and Diani beaches. There are several luxury hotels on these beaches, while most of the cheaper beach hotels are located further out of town.

Other local industries include an oil refinery and the Bamburi cement factory.

Transportation

Roads in Old Town.

The city's airport is Moi International Airport. Mombasa has a train station and Kenya Railways, which serve overnight travel from Mombasa to Nairobi, although the service is less frequent than it previously was. There are highways that connect Mombasa with the capital city Nairobi and the former capital of Tanzania Dar es Salaam, while to the north they reach Malindi and Lamu. In Mombasa, most of the local population use the matatus (minibus) to travel between the villages and the island of Mombasa, which is the largest port in Kenya, but there is little or no regular passenger service. Frequent are international cruise ships in the port.

Religion

According to various sources:

• 79.7 % is Christian;
• 17.1%, Muslim, the highest percentage of Muslims in Kenya;
• 2.3% atheists, agnostic and non-religious;
• and 1 % follow other religions.

But attendance at religious events is 48%.

The question was: "Do you believe in God?".

Yes - 95%

Maybe - 3%

No - 2%

Culture

Music

Taarab Music, which originates from Zanzibar, has a strong local presence. Recently, hip hop, reggae, and bhangra have become very popular lately, especially among the youth.

Sports

The Kenyan Football League currently has a soccer team from Mombasa, Bandari FC who play at the Mombasa Municipal Stadium. Another team, Costa de Estrellas, is relegated from the league. The only Mombasa-based team to win the league is Feisal FC, the 1965 champions.

There are several cricket teams in Mombasa. One of them is the Mombasa Sports Club (MSC). MSC also has a rugby team that plays in the Kenya League Cup, the premier rugby competition in Kenya. The Mvita XI men's and MSC women's represent Mombasa in the Kenyan hockey leagues.

In 2007, the World Cross Country Championships will be held in Mombasa.

Video Games

The Halo game saga, set around the year 2500 AD. C., has some locations in "New Mombasa". In Halo 3: ODST, the game takes place entirely on the streets of this city; There, the new protagonist has to follow clues to locate his group, while crossing the city center (Tayari Square) and areas such as Kizingo Boulevard and Kikowani station.

Cinema

In the film Inception, Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) travels to Mombasa to recruit Eames (Tom Hardy), a forger who can change his appearance in dreams. Cobb can also be seen in the middle of a thrilling chase through the streets of Mombasa. Also in the movie Wordland Dofu Beluga Djibouti appeared in a scene to ask his brothers for help.

In the opening scene of the film Bloodshot, American sailor Ray Garrison (Vin Diesel) can be seen conducting a rescue operation in Mombasa.

In the film The Dying of the Light, Nicolas Cage plays a CIA agent suffering from dementia who comes to Mombasa to capture the leader of a Muslim terrorist faction who is officially dead.

Areas

Mombasa Island

Boots in Mombasa.

• Kizingo: Considered the first residential neighborhood of Mombasa. The State and the Golf Club House are in Kizingo. The Aga Khan Academy is an independent school in Kizingo.

• Kibokoni: Part of the old town with swahili architecture. The Fort Jesus is in Kibokoni.

• Makadara: Part of the old town that consists of a large number of descendants of Baluchi soldiers who settled in this area before it became a city. The name is derived from the Arabic word Qadr-ur-Rahman which means "Sentido Destination of God".

• Ganjoni: Mainly residential. Middle class.

• Tudor: Another middle class residential area with houses and shops.

Off Mombasa Island

• Nyali: It is also considered the first residential market, it is on the continent north of the island and is linked by the new Nyali Bridge, which opposite the beach has numerous hotels in the area known as the "North Coast". Nyali has two sections: the elegant Antigua Nyali and the next New Nyali. For many residents, Nyali has now become an autonomous residential area team, with multiplex cinema, shopping centers, banks, schools and post offices. This often eliminates the need for residents to cross the bridge and enter the congested center of the city of Mombasa. Nyali is home to the Cinemax Nyali Complex, the Nyali Golf Club, and some of the most prestigious academic institutions in the Costa de la provincia, for example, the Mombasa Academy (specialized in law) of Kindergarten and Tiny Tots (the oldest in Nyali and prominent educational institution specialized in early childhood development and education).

• Likoni: It is a lower class connected to the Mombasa area. It is south of Mombasa Island, and formed by most non-swahili tribes.

• Magongo: is located on the periphery, 10 minutes northwest of Mombasa Island. This community lacks any effective margin of electricity, water or sewage systems, with a general lack of infrastructure. Poverty, lack of sanitation, and unemployment remain the greatest challenges. Poor, the house of the lower class is very widespread, ranging from a simple stone, to two-story structures made of mud and earth, and houses equipped with corrugated iron ceilings. Much of the community works outside the same, within Mombasa Island, for lack of employment and industry. There are several small health clinics, shops, and a few public primary schools. This small city serves as a link between the city and Moi International Airport. Magongo is also home to the Akamba Crafts Cooperative.

• Mikindani and Miritini are peripheral on the continent along the Nairobi road.

• Changamwe: Industrial.

• Bamburi: Also from the periphery (quince minutes by car) on the road to the city of Malindi. This is the area where the Bamburi Cement Factory is located. Other notable features of the area are the Mijikenda Public Beach and Haller Park, a wildlife conservatory.

Twin cities

• Seattle (Washington, United States).
• Honolulu (Hawái, United States).
• Cartagena de Indias (Bolivar (department), Colombia).

Gallery

• 

  Strong Jesus

• 

  Central Market

• 

  The Colmillos, one of Mombasa's milestones

• 

  Shree Swamnarayan Academy