Mombasa
Encyclopedia
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya
. Lying next to the Indian Ocean
, it has a major port and an international airport
. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism
industry.
Also known as Mombas in colonial times, its name derives from Manbasa. This was the Arabic name of the former sultanate of Mvita, which had its capital here. In modern times the town is the headquarters of Mombasa District
, which, like most other districts in Kenya, is named after its chief town.
, which is separated from the mainland by two creeks
: Tudor Creek
and Kilindini Harbour
. The island is connected to the mainland to the north by the Nyali Bridge
, to the south by the Likoni Ferry
and to the west by the Makupa Causeway
, alongside which runs the Kenya-Uganda Railway. The port serves both Kenya and countries of the interior, linking them to the Ocean. The city is served by Moi International Airport
located in the northwest mainland suburb of Chaani, northwest of Changamwe area.
The city is mainly occupied by the Muslim
Mijikenda
/Swahili people
. Over the centuries, there have been many immigrants and traders who settled in Mombasa, particularly from Iran
, the Middle East
, Somalia
and the Indian sub-continent, who came mainly as traders and skilled craftsmen.
Traditional dress for the Swahili women is a brightly coloured, printed cotton
sheet called a kanga
, which may have inspirational slogans printed on it. Muslim women wear a covering known as a bui bui, that is traditionally black, along with a head covering called a hijaab, and sometimes wear a veil called a nikab. Men wear a type of sarong
, which is coloured in bright bands, called a kikoi.
The founding of Mombasa is associated with two rulers: Mwana Mkisi (female) and Shehe Mvita. According to oral history and medieval commentaries, Shehe Mvita superseded the dynasty of Mwana Mkisi and established his own town on Mombasa Island. Shehe Mvita is remembered as a Muslim of great learning and so is connected more directly with the present ideals of Swahili culture that people identify with Mombasa. The ancient history associated with Shehe Mvita and the founding of an urban settlement on Mombasa Island is still linked to present-day peoples living in Mombasa. The Thenashara Taifa (or Twelve Nations) Swahili lineages recount this ancient history today and are the keepers of local Swahili traditions. Even though today Mombasa is a very heterogeneous cultural mix, families associated with the Twelve Nations are still considered the original inhabitants of the city.
Most of the early information on Mombasa comes from Portuguese chroniclers
writing in the 16th century. The famous Moroccan
scholar and traveller Ibn Battuta
did visit Mombasa in 1331 on his travels on the eastern coast of Africa and made some mention of the city, although he only stayed one night. He noted that the people of Mombasa were Shãfi'i Muslims, "a religious people, trustworthy and righteous. Their mosques are made of wood, expertly built."
The exact founding date of the city is unknown, but it has a long history. Kenyan school history books place the founding of Mombasa as 900 A.D. It must have been already a prosperous trading town in the 12th century, as the Arab geographer Al Idrisi mentions it in 1151.
During the pre-modern period, Mombasa was an important centre for the trade in spice
s, gold
, and ivory
. Its trade links reached as far as India
and China
and oral historians today can still recall this period of local history. India history shows that there was trade links between Mombasa and Cholas of South India
. Throughout the early modern period, Mombasa was a key node in the complex and far reaching Indian Ocean
trading networks, its key exports then were ivory, millet
, sesamum
and coconut
s.
In the late pre-colonial period (late 19th century), it was the metropolis of a plantation society, which became dependent on slave labour (sources contradict whether the city was ever an important place for exporting slaves
) but ivory caravans remained a major source of economic prosperity. Mombasa became the major port city of pre-colonial Kenya in the Middle Ages and was used to trade with other African port cities, Persia, Arab traders, Yemen
India and China. 15th century Portuguese voyager Duarte Barbosa
claimed, "[Mombasa] is a place of great traffic and has a good harbour in which there are always moored small craft of many kinds and also great ships, both of which are bound from Sofala
and others which come from Cambay and Melinde
and others which sail to the island of Zanzibar
."
Vasco da Gama
was the first known European to visit Mombasa, receiving a chilly reception in 1498. Two years later, the town was sacked by the Portuguese
. In 1502, the sultanate became independent from Kilwa Kisiwani
and was renamed as Mvita (in Swahili
) or Manbasa (Arabic
). Portugal attacked the city again in 1528, In 1585 Turks led by Emir 'Ali Bey caused revolts from Mogadishu to Mombasa against the Portuguese landlords; only Malindi remained loyal to Portugal. Zimba cannibals overcame the towns of Sena and Tete on the Zambezi, and in 1587 they took Kilwa, killing 3,000 people. At Mombasa the Zimba slaughtered the Muslim inhabitants; but they were halted at Malindi by the Bantu-speaking Segeju and went home. This stimulated the Portuguese to take over Mombasa a third time in 1589, and four years later they built Fort Jesus to administer the region. Between Lake Malawi and the Zambezi mouth, Kalonga Mzura made an alliance with the Portuguese in 1608 and fielded 4,000 warriors to help defeat their rival Zimba, who were led by chief Lundi.
and built Fort Jesus
in 1593 in an attempt to colonise, from which time it was governed by a Captain-major
. In 1638, it formally became a Portuguese colony (subordinated to Goa
, as a stronghold on the route to Portuguese India
).
In 1698, the town came under suzerainty of the Sultanate of Oman, but it became subordinate to Zanzibar
, prompting regular local rebellions. Oman appointed three consecutive Governors (Wali in Arabic, Liwali in Swahili
):
Next, Mombasa returned to Portuguese rule by captain-major Álvaro Caetano de Melo Castro (12 March 1728–21 September 1729), then four new Omani Liwali until 1746, when the last of them made it independent again (disputed by Oman), as the first of its recorded Sultans:
From 9 February 1824 to 25 July 1826, there was a British
protectorate
over Mombasa, represented by Governors. Omani rule was restored in 1826; seven liwalis where appointed. On 24 June 1837, it was nominally annexed by sultan of Zanzibar
and Muscat
Sayyid
Said bin Sultan. On 25 May 1887, its administration was relinquished to the British East Africa Association (see Kenya
). The sultan formally presented the town in 1898 to the British
. It soon became the capital of the British East Africa Protectorate and is the sea terminal of the Uganda Railway
, which was started in 1896. Many workers were brought in from British India to build the railway, and the city's fortunes revived. On 1 July 1895, it became part of Britain's Kenya protectorate (the coastal strip nominally under Zanzibari sovereignty
).
Mombasa became the capital of the coastal Protectorate of Kenya in 1920. On December 12, 1963 it became part newly independent Kenya.
On 28 November 2002, a suicide
car bomb
exploded at the Israel
i-owned beachfront Paradise Hotel, killing three Israelis and ten Kenyans. About 20 minutes earlier, an unsuccessful attempt was made to shoot down an Arkia Israel Airlines
Boeing 757
chartered tourist plane taking off from nearby Moi International Airport
using surface-to-air missiles; nobody was hurt on the plane, which landed safely in Tel Aviv
. The main suspect for both attacks is al Qaeda (see Kenyan hotel bombing
).
In February 2010, Canadian, Amyn Mawani was made Mayor of the Day. He promised on his next visit he will help rebuild the fire dept. and improve the hospitals.
s, Port Reitz
in the south and Tudor Creek
in the north.
Mombasa has a warm, tropical
climate. The amount of rainfall depends essentially on season. The rainiest months are April and May, while in January to February the rainfall is minimal.
Mombasa is a major trade centre and home to Kenya's only large seaport, the Kilindini Harbour
. Kilindini is an old Swahili term meaning "deep". The port is so called because the channel is naturally very deep. Kilindini Harbor is an example of a natural geographic phenomenon called a ria
, formed millions of years ago when the sea level rose and engulfed a river that was flowing from the mainland.
Mombasa is the centre of coastal tourism in Kenya. Mombasa Island itself is not a main attraction, although many people visit the Old Town and Fort Jesus
. The Nyali, Kenyatta, Bamburi
, and Shanzu
beaches are located north of the city. The Shelly
, Tiwi
, and Diani
beaches are located south of Mombasa. Several luxury hotels exist on these beaches, while the less expensive hotels are located further away.
Mombasa's northern shoreline is renowned for its vibrant 24-hour entertainment offers, including both family entertainment (water parks, cinemas, bowling
, etc.), sports (watersports, mountain biking
and gokarting), culinary offers (restaurants offering a wide range of specialties from Kenya, China, Japan, India, Italy, Germany and other countries) and night life(bars, pubs, clubs, discothèques, etc).
Other local industries include an oil refinery
and the Bamburi Cement
factory. The major intercontinental undersea telecom cables reach shore next to Mombasa, connecting East Africa
to the rest of the world and supporting a fast-growing call centre
business in the area.
serves the city of Mombasa. It is located in Port Reitz area, also known locally as Chaani area on the mainland metropolitan area. Flights to Nairobi and other Kenyan, European and Middle Eastern destinations depart from the airport. Besides Mombasa and Nairobi is well connected by chartered flights operated via Wilson airport.
, though the service is less extensive than it used to be.
Highways connect Mombasa to Nairobi
, Dar es Salaam
while northward road link to Malindi
and Lamu
, which also extends towards the border with Somalia.
s (mini-buses) which are extremely common in Kenya, to move around the city and its suburbs.
, a motor vehicle with three wheels. It is widely used by people as a transport to move around the city and its suburbs.
is originally a bicycle taxi. Especially in cities, the bicycles are more and more replaced by motorbikes.
operated by the Kenya Ferry Service from Kilindini and Mtongwe to Likoni
in the south coast of Mombasa. Operating ferries are aged. In 1994, a ferry serving Mtongwe route sank, leaving 270+ people perished.
As a result of the major build-up of more luxurious hotels in South Coast and a lack of a direct bridge linking the South Coast to the North Coast, visiting tourists have the option of flying directly into the South Coast airstrip using the domestic airline, Air Kenya.
music, which originates from Zanzibar
, has a prominent local presence. Recently, hip hop
, reggae
and bhangra have become popular, especially amongst the youth. Mombasa is mainly a tourism center is populated by hundreds of entertainment spots of all categories from night clubs, bars, hotels, fancy restaurants and many more. It has the most vibrant night life in Kenya catering for the mainly tourist population.
by Bandari F.C and Congo United F.C , which play at the Mombasa Municipal Stadium
. Another team, Coast Stars
, was relegated several years ago from the league. The only Mombasa-based team to win the league is Feisal F.C., the 1965 champions.Kiziwi leopards was the most popular team in the 1980s.
There are several cricket teams in Mombasa. One of them is Mombasa Sports Club
(MSC), whose ground was given ODI status in 2006. MSC has also a rugby union
team playing in the Kenya Cup
League, the premier rugby competition in Kenya. Mvita XI men and MSC ladies represent Mombasa in Kenyan field hockey leagues.
The 2007 World Cross Country Championships
were held in Mombasa. Mombasa Marathon
is competed annually in Mombasa. The town also hosts the biennial classic edition of Safari Rally
and annually a Kenya National Rally Championship round.
Scuba Diving takes place mostly within the Mombasa marine park
. The park has a length of about 8 km. Managed and maintained by Kenya Wild Life Service
. There is an entry fee of US$ 15.- per day (September 2010).
Kibokoni: Part of Old Town with Swahili architecture. Fort Jesus is in Baghani.
Kuze
: Part of Old Town with Swahili culture and architecture. Originally flourishing with Swahili people
but currently becoming a more cosmopolitan neighbourhood.
Makadara: Part of Old Town consisting of a high number of descendants of Baluchi
former soldiers who settled within this area before it developed into a town. The name is derived from the Arabic word Qadr-ur-Rahman meaning fate of God.
Ganjoni
: Primarily a middle class residential, home of second biggest dry dock of Africa after the one in South Africa.
Tudor
: Another middle class residential area with homes and shops. The Mombasa Polytechnic University College (MPUC) is situated in this neighborhood
. It has numerous beach front hotels in the area known as the "North Coast". Nyali has two distinct sections - the posh Old Nyali and the upcoming New Nyali. For many residents, Nyali has now become a self-contained residential area, with two Nakumatt
s, a multiplex cinema, shopping malls, banks, schools and post offices. This often eliminates the need for residents to cross the bridge and to go into the congested Mombasa city center. Nyali is home for the Nyali Cinemax complex, Mamba Village, the Nyali Golf Club, and some of the most prestigious academic institutions of the Coast Province.
Kongowea: Kongowea Location is a densely populated area with 15 villages, two sub-locations and an estimated population of 106,180 residents. Kongowea is a cosmopolitan settlement mainly inhabited by people from mainland who migrated into the city in search of employment, mainly in service and manufacturing sector. The area is adjacent to the rich suburb of Nyali which employs a portion of the village residents. They are mainly hired as cheap labor as watchmen, gardeners, masons for up coming houses and house help. The most well known villages inside Kongowea include Kisumu Ndogo
, Shauri Yako and Mnazi Mmoja, despite being located in this prime area, many residents live under extreme conditions – poor sanitation, high crime rate and lack of basic essential amenities like schools, hospitals and tap water. Kongowea is also home to one of the largest open-air markets in Eastern Africa.
Bamburi
: also an outlying township (fifteen minutes drive) on the way to the town of Malindi. Bamburi is the location of Bamburi Portland Cement Company. Other notable features in the area are the Mijikenda public beach and Haller Park
, a nature trail and wildlife conservatory.
Other areas include, Shanzu
, Mkomani, Bombolulu
, Kisauni, Mtwapa
and kilifi
.
The North Coast is famous for its broad entertainment industry which attracts locals and tourists as well.
: is a lower income and lower middle class neighborhood connected to Mombasa Island by ferry. It is south of Mombasa Island and made up of mostly non-Swahili tribes. The ferry was the target of the Likoni Riots of 1997.
Diani Beach
: a beach resort area situated over the Likoni Ferry on the south coast of Mombasa. It is located some 36 km (22 mi) south of Mombasa city on the mainland coast and is a prime resort for many local and international tourists. Diani Beach has an airport at Ukunda town to cater for tourists who fly there directly from Nairobi Wilson or any other airports and airfields in the country.
Mikindani
, a suburban area: This is an outlying township on the mainland along the Nairobi Highway.It is built in the heavy industrial sections of Changamwe
and mainly accommodate the working class who either work in the industries, the town centre on the Island and the Port at Kilindini harbor.
Miritini
:outlying township on the Mombasa Nairobi Highway which is first growing as a suburban area.
Changamwe
: Industrial area which contains the Kipevu power generation projects, the Kenya Oil Refinery Company facility and housing estates such as Chaani and is the gateway to the Moi International Airport. The area has administrative offices of the D.O and the chiefs who serve the administrative division.
Port Reitz
: Is a suburb on the mainland which contains a beach, oil refineries, housing estates etc. Moi International Airport
and the Port Reitz District Hospital are in Port Reitz.
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. Lying next to the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
, it has a major port and an international airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
industry.
Also known as Mombas in colonial times, its name derives from Manbasa. This was the Arabic name of the former sultanate of Mvita, which had its capital here. In modern times the town is the headquarters of Mombasa District
Mombasa District
Mombasa District is one of the 71 districts of Kenya. Its capital and the only town is Mombasa.Kenya is divided into eight provinces, which are subdivided into 71 districts. In Coast Province there are seven districts, Mombasa District being one of them. It is situated in the southeast of Coast...
, which, like most other districts in Kenya, is named after its chief town.
Description
The city has a population of 939,370, as per the 2009 census, and is located on Mombasa IslandMombasa Island
Mombasa Island is a 5 km by 3 km coral outcrop located on Kenya's coast on the Indian Ocean, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. The city of Mombasa is located on the island....
, which is separated from the mainland by two creeks
Creek (tidal)
A tidal creek, tidal channel, or estuary is the portion of a stream that is affected by ebb and flow of ocean tides, in the case that the subject stream discharges to an ocean, sea or strait. Thus this portion of the stream has variable salinity and electrical conductivity over the tidal cycle...
: Tudor Creek
Tudor Creek
Tudor Creek is one of two main water bodies separating Mombasa Island from the Kenyan mainland ....
and Kilindini Harbour
Kilindini Harbour
Kilindini Harbour is a large, natural deep-water inlet extending inland from Mombasa, Kenya. It is 25-30 fathoms at its deepest center. It serves as the harbour for Mombasa, with a hinterland extending to Uganda and Sudan. Kilindini Harbour is the main part of the Port of Mombasa, the only...
. The island is connected to the mainland to the north by the Nyali Bridge
Nyali Bridge
The Nyali Bridge is a concrete girder bridge connecting the city of Mombasa on Mombasa Island to the mainland of Kenya. The bridge crosses Tudor Creek to the north-east of the island. The bridge is one of two road links out of Mombasa...
, to the south by the Likoni Ferry
Likoni Ferry
The Likoni Ferry is a boat service across the Kilindini Harbour, serving both the island city of Mombasa and the Kenyan mainland town of Likoni. Two double-ended ferries alternate across the harbour, carrying both road and foot traffic. The ferries are operated by the Kenya Ferry Services , and is...
and to the west by the Makupa Causeway
Makupa Causeway
The Makupa Causeway is a causeway linking Mombasa island to the Kenyan mainland. The road runs for approximately one and a half miles between the Magongo Circus and Makupa Circus...
, alongside which runs the Kenya-Uganda Railway. The port serves both Kenya and countries of the interior, linking them to the Ocean. The city is served by Moi International Airport
Moi International Airport
Moi International Airport , also Mombasa International Airport, or Mombasa Airport, is an airport in Kenya.-Location:Mombasa Airport, , is located in Mombasa District, Coast Province, in the city of Mombasa, in a township called Port Reitz, in southeastern Kenya, along the Indian Ocean coast.Its...
located in the northwest mainland suburb of Chaani, northwest of Changamwe area.
The city is mainly occupied by the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Mijikenda
Mijikenda
The Mijikenda are the nine ethnic groups along the coast of Kenya, from the border of Somalia in the north to the border of Tanzania in the south...
/Swahili people
Swahili people
The Swahili people are a Bantu ethnic group and culture found in East Africa, mainly in the coastal regions and the islands of Kenya, Tanzania and north Mozambique. According to JoshuaProject, the Swahili number in at around 1,328,000. The name Swahili is derived from the Arabic word Sawahil,...
. Over the centuries, there have been many immigrants and traders who settled in Mombasa, particularly from Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
and the Indian sub-continent, who came mainly as traders and skilled craftsmen.
Traditional dress for the Swahili women is a brightly coloured, printed cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
sheet called a kanga
Kanga (African garment)
The kanga which comes from the old Bantu verb ku-kanga to wrap or close, is a colourful garment similar to kitenge, worn by women and occasionally by men throughout Eastern Africa...
, which may have inspirational slogans printed on it. Muslim women wear a covering known as a bui bui, that is traditionally black, along with a head covering called a hijaab, and sometimes wear a veil called a nikab. Men wear a type of sarong
Sarong
A sarong or sarung is a large tube or length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist and worn as a kilt by men and as a skirt by women throughout much of South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, the Horn of Africa, and on many Pacific islands. The fabric most often has woven plaid or...
, which is coloured in bright bands, called a kikoi.
History
Most of the early information on Mombasa comes from Portuguese chroniclers
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
writing in the 16th century. The famous Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
scholar and traveller Ibn Battuta
Ibn Battuta
Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta , or simply Ibn Battuta, also known as Shams ad–Din , was a Muslim Moroccan Berber explorer, known for his extensive travels published in the Rihla...
did visit Mombasa in 1331 on his travels on the eastern coast of Africa and made some mention of the city, although he only stayed one night. He noted that the people of Mombasa were Shãfi'i Muslims, "a religious people, trustworthy and righteous. Their mosques are made of wood, expertly built."
The exact founding date of the city is unknown, but it has a long history. Kenyan school history books place the founding of Mombasa as 900 A.D. It must have been already a prosperous trading town in the 12th century, as the Arab geographer Al Idrisi mentions it in 1151.
During the pre-modern period, Mombasa was an important centre for the trade in spice
Spice
A spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, bark, or vegetative substance used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as a food additive for flavor, color, or as a preservative that kills harmful bacteria or prevents their growth. It may be used to flavour a dish or to hide other flavours...
s, gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, and ivory
Ivory
Ivory is a term for dentine, which constitutes the bulk of the teeth and tusks of animals, when used as a material for art or manufacturing. Ivory has been important since ancient times for making a range of items, from ivory carvings to false teeth, fans, dominoes, joint tubes, piano keys and...
. Its trade links reached as far as India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and oral historians today can still recall this period of local history. India history shows that there was trade links between Mombasa and Cholas of South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. Throughout the early modern period, Mombasa was a key node in the complex and far reaching Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
trading networks, its key exports then were ivory, millet
Millet
The millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops or grains, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. They do not form a taxonomic group, but rather a functional or agronomic one. Their essential similarities are that they are small-seeded grasses grown in difficult...
, sesamum
Sesamum
Sesamum is a genus of approximately 20 species in the flowering plant family Pedaliaceae. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with edible seeds. The best-known member of the genus is sesame, Sesamum indicum , the source of sesame seeds. The species are primarily African, with some species...
and coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
s.
In the late pre-colonial period (late 19th century), it was the metropolis of a plantation society, which became dependent on slave labour (sources contradict whether the city was ever an important place for exporting slaves
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
) but ivory caravans remained a major source of economic prosperity. Mombasa became the major port city of pre-colonial Kenya in the Middle Ages and was used to trade with other African port cities, Persia, Arab traders, Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
India and China. 15th century Portuguese voyager Duarte Barbosa
Duarte Barbosa
Duarte Barbosa was a Portuguese writer and Portuguese India officer between 1500 and 1516–17, with the post of scrivener in Cannanore factory and sometimes interpreter of the local language...
claimed, "[Mombasa] is a place of great traffic and has a good harbour in which there are always moored small craft of many kinds and also great ships, both of which are bound from Sofala
Sofala
Sofala, at present known as Nova Sofala, used to be the chief seaport of the Monomotapa Kingdom, whose capital was at Mount Fura. It is located on the Sofala Bank in Sofala Province of Mozambique.-History:...
and others which come from Cambay and Melinde
Melinde
Melinde may refer to:* Melinda, a female name* Malindi, Kenya circa 1500...
and others which sail to the island of Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
."
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India...
was the first known European to visit Mombasa, receiving a chilly reception in 1498. Two years later, the town was sacked by the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. In 1502, the sultanate became independent from Kilwa Kisiwani
Kilwa Kisiwani
Kilwa Kisiwani is a community on an island off the coast of East Africa, in present day Tanzania.- History :A document written around AD 1200 called al-Maqama al Kilwiyya discovered in Oman, gives details of a mission to reconvert Kilwa to Ibadism, as it had recently been effected by the Ghurabiyya...
and was renamed as Mvita (in Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
) or Manbasa (Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
). Portugal attacked the city again in 1528, In 1585 Turks led by Emir 'Ali Bey caused revolts from Mogadishu to Mombasa against the Portuguese landlords; only Malindi remained loyal to Portugal. Zimba cannibals overcame the towns of Sena and Tete on the Zambezi, and in 1587 they took Kilwa, killing 3,000 people. At Mombasa the Zimba slaughtered the Muslim inhabitants; but they were halted at Malindi by the Bantu-speaking Segeju and went home. This stimulated the Portuguese to take over Mombasa a third time in 1589, and four years later they built Fort Jesus to administer the region. Between Lake Malawi and the Zambezi mouth, Kalonga Mzura made an alliance with the Portuguese in 1608 and fielded 4,000 warriors to help defeat their rival Zimba, who were led by chief Lundi.
and built Fort Jesus
Fort Jesus
Fort Jesus is a Portuguese fort built in 1593 by order of King Philip I of Portugal , then ruler of the joint Portuguese and Spanish Kingdoms, located on Mombasa Island to guard the Old Port of Mombasa, Kenya. It was built in the shape of a man , and was given the name of Jesus...
in 1593 in an attempt to colonise, from which time it was governed by a Captain-major
Captain-major
Captain-major is the English rendering of the Portuguese title Capitão-mor for colonial officers, put in charge of a capitania, Portuguese possession deemed not important enough to have its own colonial Governor.Due to the impossibility of exercising direct control and sovereignty over islands,...
. In 1638, it formally became a Portuguese colony (subordinated to Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
, as a stronghold on the route to Portuguese India
Portuguese India
The Portuguese Viceroyalty of India , later the Portuguese State of India , was the aggregate of Portugal's colonial holdings in India.The government started in 1505, six years after the discovery of a sea route to India by Vasco da Gama, with the nomination of the first Viceroy Francisco de...
).
In 1698, the town came under suzerainty of the Sultanate of Oman, but it became subordinate to Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
, prompting regular local rebellions. Oman appointed three consecutive Governors (Wali in Arabic, Liwali in Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
):
- 12 December 1698–December 1698: Imam Sa'if ibn Sultan
- December 1698–1728: Nasr ibn Abdallah al-Mazru'i
- 1728–12 March 1728: Shaykh Rumba
Next, Mombasa returned to Portuguese rule by captain-major Álvaro Caetano de Melo Castro (12 March 1728–21 September 1729), then four new Omani Liwali until 1746, when the last of them made it independent again (disputed by Oman), as the first of its recorded Sultans:
- 1746–1755: 'Ali ibn Uthman al-Mazru'i
- 1755–1773: Masud ibn Nasr al-Mazru'i
- 1773–1782: Abdallah ibn Muhammad al-Mazru'i
- 1782–1811: Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Mazru'i (born 17–died 1814)
- 1812–1823: 'Abdallah ibn Ahmad al-Mazru'i (died 1823)
- 1823–1826: Sulayman ibn 'Ali al-Mazru'i
From 9 February 1824 to 25 July 1826, there was a British
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
over Mombasa, represented by Governors. Omani rule was restored in 1826; seven liwalis where appointed. On 24 June 1837, it was nominally annexed by sultan of Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
and Muscat
Muscat, Oman
Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately and includes six provinces called wilayats...
Sayyid
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
Said bin Sultan. On 25 May 1887, its administration was relinquished to the British East Africa Association (see Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
). The sultan formally presented the town in 1898 to the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It soon became the capital of the British East Africa Protectorate and is the sea terminal of the Uganda Railway
Uganda Railway
The Uganda Railway is a railway system and former railway company linking the interiors of Uganda and Kenya with the Indian Ocean at Mombasa in Kenya.-Origins:...
, which was started in 1896. Many workers were brought in from British India to build the railway, and the city's fortunes revived. On 1 July 1895, it became part of Britain's Kenya protectorate (the coastal strip nominally under Zanzibari sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
).
Mombasa became the capital of the coastal Protectorate of Kenya in 1920. On December 12, 1963 it became part newly independent Kenya.
On 28 November 2002, a suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
car bomb
Car bomb
A car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
exploded at the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i-owned beachfront Paradise Hotel, killing three Israelis and ten Kenyans. About 20 minutes earlier, an unsuccessful attempt was made to shoot down an Arkia Israel Airlines
Arkia Israel Airlines
Arkia Israel Airlines , usually referred to as Arkia is an airline with its head office on the grounds of Sde Dov Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel. It is Israel's second largest airline operating scheduled domestic and international services as well as charter flights to destinations in Western Europe...
Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
chartered tourist plane taking off from nearby Moi International Airport
Moi International Airport
Moi International Airport , also Mombasa International Airport, or Mombasa Airport, is an airport in Kenya.-Location:Mombasa Airport, , is located in Mombasa District, Coast Province, in the city of Mombasa, in a township called Port Reitz, in southeastern Kenya, along the Indian Ocean coast.Its...
using surface-to-air missiles; nobody was hurt on the plane, which landed safely in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
. The main suspect for both attacks is al Qaeda (see Kenyan hotel bombing
Kenyan hotel bombing
The 2002 Mombasa attacks refer to an Israeli-owned hotel and a plane belonging to an Israeli airline in Mombasa, Kenya that were targeted on 28 November 2002. A red all-terrain vehicle crashed through a barrier outside the Paradise Hotel and blew up when it hit the lobby. Also two surface-to-air...
).
In February 2010, Canadian, Amyn Mawani was made Mayor of the Day. He promised on his next visit he will help rebuild the fire dept. and improve the hospitals.
Geography and climate
Being a coastal town, Mombasa is characterised by a flat topography. The town of Mombasa is centered on Mombasa Island, but extends to the mainland. The island is separated from the mainland by two creekCreek (tidal)
A tidal creek, tidal channel, or estuary is the portion of a stream that is affected by ebb and flow of ocean tides, in the case that the subject stream discharges to an ocean, sea or strait. Thus this portion of the stream has variable salinity and electrical conductivity over the tidal cycle...
s, Port Reitz
Port Reitz
Port Reitz is a district of Mombasa, Kenya, and is located north-west of the island.- Mombasa Airport :Port Reitz is the location of Moi International Airport, the second largest airport in Kenya. The dual-runway airport was originally named Port Reitz Airport.- Port Reitz Hospital :At the end of...
in the south and Tudor Creek
Tudor Creek
Tudor Creek is one of two main water bodies separating Mombasa Island from the Kenyan mainland ....
in the north.
Mombasa has a warm, tropical
Tropics
The tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...
climate. The amount of rainfall depends essentially on season. The rainiest months are April and May, while in January to February the rainfall is minimal.
Economy
Kilindini Harbour
Kilindini Harbour is a large, natural deep-water inlet extending inland from Mombasa, Kenya. It is 25-30 fathoms at its deepest center. It serves as the harbour for Mombasa, with a hinterland extending to Uganda and Sudan. Kilindini Harbour is the main part of the Port of Mombasa, the only...
. Kilindini is an old Swahili term meaning "deep". The port is so called because the channel is naturally very deep. Kilindini Harbor is an example of a natural geographic phenomenon called a ria
Ria
A ria is a coastal inlet formed by the partial submergence of an unglaciated river valley. It is a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea. Typically, rias have a dendritic, treelike outline although they can be straight and without significant branches. This pattern is inherited from the...
, formed millions of years ago when the sea level rose and engulfed a river that was flowing from the mainland.
Mombasa is the centre of coastal tourism in Kenya. Mombasa Island itself is not a main attraction, although many people visit the Old Town and Fort Jesus
Fort Jesus
Fort Jesus is a Portuguese fort built in 1593 by order of King Philip I of Portugal , then ruler of the joint Portuguese and Spanish Kingdoms, located on Mombasa Island to guard the Old Port of Mombasa, Kenya. It was built in the shape of a man , and was given the name of Jesus...
. The Nyali, Kenyatta, Bamburi
Bamburi
Bamburi is located in the Kisauni-division of the coastal district Mombasa, Kenya, north-east of Mombasa Island. It is an area of tourism, and as such has many beach-front hotels.- Bamburi Cement :...
, and Shanzu
Shanzu
Shanzu is a suburb of Mombasa, Kenya. Shanzu is located in Mombasa, off the Mombasa-Malindi highway.It is an area of tourism, and as such has many beach-front hotels and a go-kart arena....
beaches are located north of the city. The Shelly
Shelly Beach
Shelly Beach can refer to:* Shelly Beach, New South Wales, on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia* Shelly Beach , in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia* Shelly Beach , in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, Tiwi
Tiwi, Kenya
Tiwi is a small settlement and beach resort in Kenya. It is located north of Diani Beach, and is approximately south of Mombasa. The area is served by Ukunda Airport, and is on the A14 road. Matatus to Diani serve the area, via the Likoni Ferry and Mombasa Island.Tiwi is located in Matuga...
, and Diani
Diani Beach
Diani Beach is a major beach resort, lying on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya, 30 km south of Mombasa.It is located along a beautiful white-sanded beach which is about 25 km long and it merges with the small town of Ukunda which is home to a small airstrip...
beaches are located south of Mombasa. Several luxury hotels exist on these beaches, while the less expensive hotels are located further away.
Mombasa's northern shoreline is renowned for its vibrant 24-hour entertainment offers, including both family entertainment (water parks, cinemas, bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
, etc.), sports (watersports, mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
and gokarting), culinary offers (restaurants offering a wide range of specialties from Kenya, China, Japan, India, Italy, Germany and other countries) and night life(bars, pubs, clubs, discothèques, etc).
Other local industries include an oil refinery
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
and the Bamburi Cement
Bamburi Cement
Bamburi Cement is one of sub-saharan Africa's largest cement producers founded by Felix Mandl. The company is listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange and its name is abbreviated to BCC....
factory. The major intercontinental undersea telecom cables reach shore next to Mombasa, connecting East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
to the rest of the world and supporting a fast-growing call centre
Call centre
A call centre or call center is a centralised office used for the purpose of receiving and transmitting a large volume of requests by telephone. A call centre is operated by a company to administer incoming product support or information inquiries from consumers. Outgoing calls for telemarketing,...
business in the area.
Air
Moi International AirportMoi International Airport
Moi International Airport , also Mombasa International Airport, or Mombasa Airport, is an airport in Kenya.-Location:Mombasa Airport, , is located in Mombasa District, Coast Province, in the city of Mombasa, in a township called Port Reitz, in southeastern Kenya, along the Indian Ocean coast.Its...
serves the city of Mombasa. It is located in Port Reitz area, also known locally as Chaani area on the mainland metropolitan area. Flights to Nairobi and other Kenyan, European and Middle Eastern destinations depart from the airport. Besides Mombasa and Nairobi is well connected by chartered flights operated via Wilson airport.
Train
Mombasa has a railway station and Kenya Railways runs overnight passenger trains from Mombasa to NairobiNairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, though the service is less extensive than it used to be.
Road
Driving in Mombasa is straight-forward and the majority of the roads are tarmacked. Main roads include; Jomo Kenyatta Avenue, Digo Road, Nyerere Road, Nkurumah Road, Moi Avenue, Mama Ngina Drive, Barack Obama Road, Nairobi Highway and Nyali RoadHighways connect Mombasa to Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: ...
while northward road link to Malindi
Malindi
Malindi is a town on Malindi Bay at the mouth of the Galana River, lying on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. It is 120 kilometres northeast of Mombasa. The population of Malindi is 117,735 . It is the capital of the Malindi District.Tourism is the major industry in Malindi. The city is...
and Lamu
Lamu
-Threats to Lamu:In a 2010 report titled Saving Our Vanishing Heritage, Global Heritage Fund identified Lamu as one of 12 worldwide sites most "On the Verge" of irreparable loss and damage, citing insufficient management and development pressure as primary causes.- See also :* Juma and the Magic...
, which also extends towards the border with Somalia.
Taxi
Taxis are common around the city and are a convenient form of transport although costly. Taxis may be found at the airport, outside most hotels, shopping malls and in the city.Matatu
Within Mombasa, most local people use MatatuMatatu
In Kenya and neighboring nations matatu are privately owned minibuses although pick-up trucks were in the past pressed into service as these East African share taxis. Often decorated, many matatu feature portraits of the famous or slogans and sayings, some religious.These minibuses ply set routes,...
s (mini-buses) which are extremely common in Kenya, to move around the city and its suburbs.
Tuk-Tuk
A Tuk-Tuk is an auto rickshawAuto rickshaw
An auto rickshaw or three-wheeler is a usually three-wheeled cabin cycle for private use and as a vehicle for hire. It is a motorized version of the traditional pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw...
, a motor vehicle with three wheels. It is widely used by people as a transport to move around the city and its suburbs.
Boda-boda
A boda-bodaBoda-boda
Boda-boda also known as a Poda-Poda in some parts of Africa is a bicycle taxi, originally in East Africa . The bicycle rider can also be called boda-boda...
is originally a bicycle taxi. Especially in cities, the bicycles are more and more replaced by motorbikes.
Sea
Mombasa port is the largest in Kenya. There is little or no scheduled passenger service. International cruise ships frequent the port, thus giving Mombasa a "Natural Harbour".Ferry
There is no bridge between Mombasa Island and south coast, instead the distance is served by ferriesFerry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
operated by the Kenya Ferry Service from Kilindini and Mtongwe to Likoni
Likoni
Likoni is a division of Mombasa District, Kenya, and is located to the south-west of the island.- Transport :Likoni is the site of the southern terminus of the Likoni Ferry, a double ended ferry serving road traffic and pedestrians from both Likoni and Mombasa island. Likoni also has a high...
in the south coast of Mombasa. Operating ferries are aged. In 1994, a ferry serving Mtongwe route sank, leaving 270+ people perished.
As a result of the major build-up of more luxurious hotels in South Coast and a lack of a direct bridge linking the South Coast to the North Coast, visiting tourists have the option of flying directly into the South Coast airstrip using the domestic airline, Air Kenya.
Music & Nightlife
TaarabTaarab
Taarab is a music genre popular in Tanzania and Kenya. It is influenced by music from the cultures with a historical presence in East Africa, including music from East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, the Middle East and Europe...
music, which originates from Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
, has a prominent local presence. Recently, hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
, reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
and bhangra have become popular, especially amongst the youth. Mombasa is mainly a tourism center is populated by hundreds of entertainment spots of all categories from night clubs, bars, hotels, fancy restaurants and many more. It has the most vibrant night life in Kenya catering for the mainly tourist population.
Sports
Currently Mombasa is represented in the Kenyan Premier LeagueKenyan Premier League
The Kenyan Premier League is the first division football league in Kenya. It was formed in 1963 under the Kenya Football Federation but is now controlled by Football Kenya Limited....
by Bandari F.C and Congo United F.C , which play at the Mombasa Municipal Stadium
Mombasa Municipal Stadium
Municipal Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Mombasa, Kenya. It used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Coast Stars. The stadium holds 10,000 people....
. Another team, Coast Stars
Coast Stars
Coast Stars is a Kenyan football club based in Mombasa. The club was founded in 1998. They are a member of the top division in Kenyan football. Their home stadium is Mombasa Municipal Stadium. They played the 2004/05 season under the name Dubai Bank Limited Club after their sponsors Dubai Bank. The...
, was relegated several years ago from the league. The only Mombasa-based team to win the league is Feisal F.C., the 1965 champions.Kiziwi leopards was the most popular team in the 1980s.
There are several cricket teams in Mombasa. One of them is Mombasa Sports Club
Mombasa Sports Club
Mombasa Sports Club is multi-sport club based in Mombasa, Kenya. It also owns sporting facilities. The club was established in 1896, and it is among the oldest sporting clubs in Kenya.- Cricket :...
(MSC), whose ground was given ODI status in 2006. MSC has also a rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team playing in the Kenya Cup
Kenya Cup
Kenya Cup is the premier rugby union competition in Kenya. It is organised by the Kenya Rugby Football Union. Kenya cup has currently nine teams and is played in a league format...
League, the premier rugby competition in Kenya. Mvita XI men and MSC ladies represent Mombasa in Kenyan field hockey leagues.
The 2007 World Cross Country Championships
2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
The 35th IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held in Mombasa, Kenya on 24 March, 2007. Four races took place, one for men, women, junior men and junior women respectively. All races encompassed both individual and team competition...
were held in Mombasa. Mombasa Marathon
Mombasa Marathon
The Mombasa Marathon is a marathon run in the Kenyan city of Mombasa. Currently sponsored by Safaricom, the race takes place annually in May, with the course's start and finish lines at Treasury Square in the city's Old Town area.- History :The marathon was first run in 1985, though winner...
is competed annually in Mombasa. The town also hosts the biennial classic edition of Safari Rally
Safari Rally
The Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world's toughest rally. It was first held from 27 May to 1 June 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II...
and annually a Kenya National Rally Championship round.
Scuba Diving takes place mostly within the Mombasa marine park
Mombasa Marine National Park and Reserve
Mombasa Marine National Park and Reserve is a marine park and national reserve in Mombasa, Kenya. The park is 10 km² while the reserve is 200 km² ....
. The park has a length of about 8 km. Managed and maintained by Kenya Wild Life Service
KWS
KWS may stand for:* Kenny Wayne Shepherd, American blues guitarist* Kenya Wildlife Service* KWS ** KWS , the band's eponymous 1992 album* Keynesian Welfare State* KWS...
. There is an entry fee of US$ 15.- per day (September 2010).
Mombasa Island
Kizingo: Considered the prime residential area of Mombasa. The State House Mombasa,Provincial Headquarters, The Mombasa Law Courts, The Municipal Council are located in Kizingo. The Aga Khan Academy, Aga Khan High School, Serani Primary School, Serani High School, Santokben Nursery School, Coast Academy, Mombasa Primary School, Loreto Convent, Mama Ngina Girls' High School and the Government Training Institute (GTI) Mombasa are all part of Kizingo.Kibokoni: Part of Old Town with Swahili architecture. Fort Jesus is in Baghani.
Kuze
Kuze
Kuze may refer to:*Hideo Kuze, a cyborg in the anime Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG*Kuze , a student in the Kanon series*KuZe , a student cultural centre in Potsdam, Germany....
: Part of Old Town with Swahili culture and architecture. Originally flourishing with Swahili people
Swahili people
The Swahili people are a Bantu ethnic group and culture found in East Africa, mainly in the coastal regions and the islands of Kenya, Tanzania and north Mozambique. According to JoshuaProject, the Swahili number in at around 1,328,000. The name Swahili is derived from the Arabic word Sawahil,...
but currently becoming a more cosmopolitan neighbourhood.
Makadara: Part of Old Town consisting of a high number of descendants of Baluchi
Baloch people
The Baloch or Baluch are an ethnic group that belong to the larger Iranian peoples. Baluch people mainly inhabit the Balochistan region and Sistan and Baluchestan Province in the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Western Asia....
former soldiers who settled within this area before it developed into a town. The name is derived from the Arabic word Qadr-ur-Rahman meaning fate of God.
Ganjoni
Ganjoni
Ganjoni is a neighborhood of Mombasa, Kenya. Located on Mombasa Island, partly in the Kisauni Constituency partly in Likoni Constituency. it had a population of 18, 791 in 1999....
: Primarily a middle class residential, home of second biggest dry dock of Africa after the one in South Africa.
Tudor
Tudor, Mombasa
- Geography :The area is located to the north of Mombasa Island, bordered by Jomo Kenyatta Avenue to the south-west and Tudor Creek to the north-east.- Mombasa Polytechnic :...
: Another middle class residential area with homes and shops. The Mombasa Polytechnic University College (MPUC) is situated in this neighborhood
North Coast
Nyali: Also considered a prime and up-market residential area, it is on the mainland north of the island and is linked by the New Nyali BridgeNew Nyali Bridge
The Nyali Bridge is a concrete girder bridge connecting the city of Mombasa on Mombasa Island to the mainland of Kenya. The bridge crosses Tudor Creek to the north-east of the island. The bridge is one of two road links out of Mombasa...
. It has numerous beach front hotels in the area known as the "North Coast". Nyali has two distinct sections - the posh Old Nyali and the upcoming New Nyali. For many residents, Nyali has now become a self-contained residential area, with two Nakumatt
Nakumatt
Nakumatt is a Kenyan supermarket chain. Nakumatt is an abbreviation for Nakuru Mattresses.-Overview:, it has twenty-seven stores across Kenya and employs over 4,000 people...
s, a multiplex cinema, shopping malls, banks, schools and post offices. This often eliminates the need for residents to cross the bridge and to go into the congested Mombasa city center. Nyali is home for the Nyali Cinemax complex, Mamba Village, the Nyali Golf Club, and some of the most prestigious academic institutions of the Coast Province.
Kongowea: Kongowea Location is a densely populated area with 15 villages, two sub-locations and an estimated population of 106,180 residents. Kongowea is a cosmopolitan settlement mainly inhabited by people from mainland who migrated into the city in search of employment, mainly in service and manufacturing sector. The area is adjacent to the rich suburb of Nyali which employs a portion of the village residents. They are mainly hired as cheap labor as watchmen, gardeners, masons for up coming houses and house help. The most well known villages inside Kongowea include Kisumu Ndogo
Kisumu Ndogo
Kisumu Ndogo is a part of Kibera slum in Nairobi. Allegedly it belongs to Korogocho slum, which can be divided into Korogocho A, Korogocho B, Kisumu Ndogo, Gitathuru, Highridge, Grogon A, Grogon B and Nyayo. A Winners' Chapel is active in Kisumu Ndogo. The Kenya Water for Health Organisation is...
, Shauri Yako and Mnazi Mmoja, despite being located in this prime area, many residents live under extreme conditions – poor sanitation, high crime rate and lack of basic essential amenities like schools, hospitals and tap water. Kongowea is also home to one of the largest open-air markets in Eastern Africa.
Bamburi
Bamburi
Bamburi is located in the Kisauni-division of the coastal district Mombasa, Kenya, north-east of Mombasa Island. It is an area of tourism, and as such has many beach-front hotels.- Bamburi Cement :...
: also an outlying township (fifteen minutes drive) on the way to the town of Malindi. Bamburi is the location of Bamburi Portland Cement Company. Other notable features in the area are the Mijikenda public beach and Haller Park
Haller Park
Haller Park is nature park in Bamburi, Mombasa, on the Kenyan Coast. It is the transformation of a quarry wasteland into an ecological paradise. Haller Park holds a variety of plant and animal species which serve as a recreation hot spot to tourists and locals...
, a nature trail and wildlife conservatory.
Other areas include, Shanzu
Shanzu
Shanzu is a suburb of Mombasa, Kenya. Shanzu is located in Mombasa, off the Mombasa-Malindi highway.It is an area of tourism, and as such has many beach-front hotels and a go-kart arena....
, Mkomani, Bombolulu
Bombolulu
Bombolulu is a suburb of Mombasa, Kenya. It is noted for its Bombolulu Workshops and Cultural Centre and school of promise, a charity project of the Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya . Bombolulu is located in Mombasa , off the Mombasa-Malindi highway...
, Kisauni, Mtwapa
Mtwapa
Mtwapa is a beautiful town located in Kenya's Coast Province. The town is situated approximately north-east of Mombasa and is served by Mombasa-Malindi road. The settlement is also the location of the Mombasa-Mtwapa matatu terminus. The Mtwapa Creek is an Indian Ocean inlet at Mtwapa, which is...
and kilifi
Kilifi
Kilifi is a town on the Kenyan coast, home to many resorts. It sits on the estuary of the Rare River in Kenya. The beach itself is known as Bofa Beach and is said to be one of the best beaches in Kenya. The town lies on the Kilifi Creek between Malindi and Mombasa. Kilifi is capital of the Kilifi...
.
The North Coast is famous for its broad entertainment industry which attracts locals and tourists as well.
South Coast
LikoniLikoni
Likoni is a division of Mombasa District, Kenya, and is located to the south-west of the island.- Transport :Likoni is the site of the southern terminus of the Likoni Ferry, a double ended ferry serving road traffic and pedestrians from both Likoni and Mombasa island. Likoni also has a high...
: is a lower income and lower middle class neighborhood connected to Mombasa Island by ferry. It is south of Mombasa Island and made up of mostly non-Swahili tribes. The ferry was the target of the Likoni Riots of 1997.
Diani Beach
Diani Beach
Diani Beach is a major beach resort, lying on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya, 30 km south of Mombasa.It is located along a beautiful white-sanded beach which is about 25 km long and it merges with the small town of Ukunda which is home to a small airstrip...
: a beach resort area situated over the Likoni Ferry on the south coast of Mombasa. It is located some 36 km (22 mi) south of Mombasa city on the mainland coast and is a prime resort for many local and international tourists. Diani Beach has an airport at Ukunda town to cater for tourists who fly there directly from Nairobi Wilson or any other airports and airfields in the country.
Other
Magongo: is an outlying township 20 minutes driving distance northwest of Mombasa Island, situated on the Nairobi Highway. This fringe community lacks any effective electricity, water or sewer systems, with a general lack of infrastructure. Poverty, lack of sanitation, and unemployment continue to be the greatest issues for the Mikindani Township, which have ensured low health and safety standards for its residents. Poor, lower class housing is widespread, ranging from simple stone, two storey structures to mud and earth homes fitted with corrugated iron roofs. Much of the community works outside of the township, within Mombasa Island itself as there is a lack of employment and industry. There are number of small health clinics, shops, and a few public primary schools: Nazarene primary is one school, which is known in particular as being staffed by a revolving volunteer teacher base from Western, and predominately English speaking nations. This small town that serves as a link between the city and Moi International Airport. Magongo is also home to the Akamba Handicraft Cooperative.Mikindani
Mikindani, Kenya
Mikindani estate is an area within Changamwe Constituency which is mainly a suburban area of Mombasa. The estate lies along the Mombasa- Nairobi highway...
, a suburban area: This is an outlying township on the mainland along the Nairobi Highway.It is built in the heavy industrial sections of Changamwe
Changamwe
- Geography :The area is primarily industrial, with a number of modern concrete tower blocks housing residents. Industries include refineries and various process industries...
and mainly accommodate the working class who either work in the industries, the town centre on the Island and the Port at Kilindini harbor.
Miritini
Miritini
Miritini is a suburb of Mombasa, Kenya. Located in the Changamwe Constituency, it had a population of 31,485 in 1999....
:outlying township on the Mombasa Nairobi Highway which is first growing as a suburban area.
Changamwe
Changamwe
- Geography :The area is primarily industrial, with a number of modern concrete tower blocks housing residents. Industries include refineries and various process industries...
: Industrial area which contains the Kipevu power generation projects, the Kenya Oil Refinery Company facility and housing estates such as Chaani and is the gateway to the Moi International Airport. The area has administrative offices of the D.O and the chiefs who serve the administrative division.
Port Reitz
Port Reitz
Port Reitz is a district of Mombasa, Kenya, and is located north-west of the island.- Mombasa Airport :Port Reitz is the location of Moi International Airport, the second largest airport in Kenya. The dual-runway airport was originally named Port Reitz Airport.- Port Reitz Hospital :At the end of...
: Is a suburb on the mainland which contains a beach, oil refineries, housing estates etc. Moi International Airport
Moi International Airport
Moi International Airport , also Mombasa International Airport, or Mombasa Airport, is an airport in Kenya.-Location:Mombasa Airport, , is located in Mombasa District, Coast Province, in the city of Mombasa, in a township called Port Reitz, in southeastern Kenya, along the Indian Ocean coast.Its...
and the Port Reitz District Hospital are in Port Reitz.
In Pop Culture
- Mombasa is noted in the 20102010 in filmThe year 2010 saw many new films released worldwide. 2010 saw a dramatic increase and prominence in the use of 3D-technology in filmmaking and film releases after the success of Avatar in the format, with releases such as Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, Jackass 3D, all animated films and...
film InceptionInceptionInception: The Subconscious Jams 1994-1995 is a compilation of unreleased tracks by the band Download.-Track listing:# "Primitive Tekno Jam" – 3:23# "Bee Sting Sickness" – 8:04# "Weed Acid Techno" – 8:19...
as the place where a foot chase sequence occurs and where two members of the Inception team are recruited. The city of TangierTangierTangier, also Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 . It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel...
, MoroccoMoroccoMorocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
serves as a stand-in for Mombasa. - FinnishFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
pop hit Mombasa by TaiskaTaiskaTaiska or Hannele Kauppinen, née Suominen is a Finnish singer of popular music. She is mostly known for her evergreen hit "Mombasa" . Following the death of both her mothers in 1969 Taiska went into a spiral of deep depression which lead to her newest hit, "I miss my moms"...
is about Mombasa. - Mentioned in the Warren Zevon song Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner
- Mombasa expands into a mega city known as New Mombasa in the Halo Universe and is home to the massive ForerunnerForerunner-Religious:*Forerunner, title of St. John the Baptist, forerunner of Jesus*Jesus in Islam, forerunner of Muhammad *Shaykh Ahmad, forerunner of Bábism *Sayyid Kazim Rashti, forerunner of Bábism...
artifact that is buried beneath the city and extends into the Indian Ocean. It is also the main setting for Halo 3: ODST.
Twin cities
- Mombasa is a sister cityTown twinningTwin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
of:City State Country Year Seattle Seattle, WashingtonSeattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
Washington
United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...April 9, 2010 Long Beach Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...April 9, 2010 Honolulu 
HawaiiHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of... United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...April 9, 2010