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Location
of Kenya
Malindi
is the second largest coastal town of Kenya. Malindi Municipality has today a
population of about 145,000 inhabitants (in the year 1999) with the two most
important townships namely Malindi (app. 81,000 inhabitants) and Watamu (app.
17,000 inhabitants). (more about the population)
It is situated about 120 km north of Mombasa
just a little south of the equator. The district has a coastline of 155
kilometres, Malindi Municipality has a land area of app. 360 sqkm.
(more about the geographical structure).
There are two
principal roads crossing Malindi Municipality: the B 8 running south-north just
inland the coast coming from Mombasa and leading to Garissa/ Lamu and the C 113
coming from Malindi to Tsavo Park in east-west direction. In Malindi Town the
most important roads are tarmacked. (more
about transportation)
The landscape is predominately plain. The
district rises gently from the beach up to an elevation of 300 m.a.s.i..(more
about the topography and geology) It is generally hot
and humid throughout the year. The long rains come from April to July and the
short rains from October to November. The mean daily temperature is around
22o
Celsius minimum and 30,5o Celsius
maximum. (more
about the climate). The vegetation zones ranges in the
district from mangroves and swamps (mainly on the sides of Mida Creek in Watamu
on the Indian Ocean) to tropical monsoon forest, lowland dry forest
(Arabuko-Sokoke Forest) to savannah and bush land in the hinterland. Most of the
area up to 10 miles from the coastline is cultivated.
Economically, the
tourist sector is by far the most important industry in Malindi Municipality.
The tourist attractions mainly relate to tropical water and beaches and the
marine national parks. Today more than half of the local population benefit
directly or indirectly from tourism. The most significant economy outside
Malindi Township is agricultural based. Beside these there are some fisheries
activities, manufacturing and commerce and trade.
(more
about the economy)
Malindi Township is
administration seat of Malindi District and the Local Authority Municipal
Council of Malindi. (more
about the administration)
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