Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyorobi, which translates to “place of cool waters”, a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city.
Nairobi is home to the Kenyan Parliament Buildings and hosts thousands of Kenyan businesses and over 100 major international companies and organizations, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment) and the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON). Nairobi is an established hub for business and culture. The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) is one of the largest in Africa and the second-oldest exchange on the continent. It is Africa’s fourth-largest exchange in terms of trading volume, capable of making 10 million trades a day. It also has the Nairobi National Park with a large game reserve. Nairobi is currently under the Nairobi Metropolitan Service.
Parks
Nairobi has numerous recreational green areas. Nairobi National Park, located on the Southern side of the city, is an important attraction. Other parks and protected forests include Uhuru Park, Central Park, John Michuki Park, Nairobi Arboretum, City Park, Uhuru Gardens, Jeevanjee Gardens, Karura Forest, Ngong forest, and Ololua forest.
Airport
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is the largest airport in Kenya.
Wilson Airport is a general-aviation airport handling smaller aircraft, mostly propeller-driven. In July 2016, construction of a new air traffic control Tower commenced at KES 163 million (approximately US$1.63 million).
Moi Air Base is a military airport. In its earlier years, it was utilised as a landing strip in the pre-jet airline era. It was mostly used as a British passenger and mail route from Southampton to Cape Town in the 1930s & 1940s. This route was served by flying boats between Britain and Kisumu and then by land-based aircraft on the routes to the south.
Matatu
Matatus are the most common form of public transport in Nairobi, as in most of Africa they are usually smaller 1 to 13 passenger vehicles such as the Toyota Hi-ace.
Buses
Buses are increasingly becoming common in the city. Four major bus companies operating the city routes are the traditional Kenya Bus Service (KBS), and newer private operators Citi Hoppa, Compliant MOA and Double M.
Trains
Nairobi Terminus
Nairobi was founded as a railway town, and the main headquarters of Kenya Railways (KR) is still situated at Nairobi railway station, which is located near the city centre. The line runs through Nairobi, from Mombasa to Kampala. Its main use is freight traffic connecting Nairobi to Mombasa and Kisumu.
The new Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway connects the port city of Mombasa and Nairobi.
Roads
Nairobi is served by highways that link Mombasa to Kampala in Uganda and Arusha in Tanzania. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Ongata Rongai, Kasarani, Eastlands, and Embakasi are connected by Thika Road, Jogoo Road, and Outer Ring Road.
Highways connect the city with other major towns such as Mombasa, Machakos, Voi, Eldoret, Kisumu, Nakuru, Naivasha, and Namanga Border Tanzania
