Muranga County

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Muranga County
County
Muranga County Landscape
Muranga County Landscape
Coat of arms of Muranga County
Coat of arms
Location in Kenya
Location in Kenya
Country  Kenya
Formed March 4th 2013
Capital Murang'a
Government
 • Governor Mwangi Wa Marima
Area
 • Total 2,325.8 km2 (898.0 sq mi)
Population (2009)
 • Total 942,581 [1]
Time zone EAT (UTC+3)
Website muranga.go.ke

Muranga County is one of the counties of Kenya's former Central Province. Its largest town is Murang'a its capital, called Fort Hall in colonial times (before 1963). It is inhabited mainly by and is considered the home of the Kikuyu, the largest community in Kenya. The county has a population of 942,581 (2009 census).[2] Many have traveled to Muranga to enjoy the lush foliage (www.planning.go.ke). On the road to the post office the road forks leading traveler to take the road to Nyeri via Kiria-ini and beyond or the road to the Muranga Technical College. As the traveler walks along the road, an old English pub sits along the road on the right. Over the course of several years Muranga became a site for placement of Peace Corps volunteers (www.peacecorps.com)

History

When missionaries first came to Kenya, they were prevented from settling on the coast by the Portuguese, who had taken the coastal area, strategic for trade, from Arab powers in the 16th century. The missionaries were forced to venture into Kenya's rugged interior, and Muranga was one of the first places they settled.

When the British set up the East African Protectorate in 1895, their first administrative post, Fort Smith, was located in Muranga.

One on the main highlights of Muranga's history, however, is that the Mau Mau uprising was led by the Kikuyu community and the Kikuyu consider Muranga their ancestral origin. Muranga is considered by some as the birthplace of the Kenyan independence movement.

County subdivisions

Local authorities (councils)
Authority Type Population* Urban pop.*
Muranga Municipality 24,443 11,021
Kangema Town 18,229 3,971
Muranga County County 305,632 0
Total - 348,304 14,992
* 1999 census. Source: [2]

-Kigumo

Administrative divisions
Division Population* Urban pop.* Headquarters
Kiharu 84,868 10,433 Muranga
Kahuro 92,104 0
Kangema 61,182 785
Mathioya 110,139 0
Total 348,304 11,218 -
* 1999 census. Sources: [3], [4],

The county has seven constituencies:

The county has several upcoming towns:

Central Kenya Region

Urbanisation

Urbanisation in Central Kenya
County
Urbanisation in Central Kenya (Percent)
Kiambu County
60.8
Nyeri County
24.5
Nyandarua County
18.5
Muranga County
16.3
Kirinyaga County
15.8
 Kenya Average
32.3

Urbanisation by County in Central Kenya

[3]

Wealth/Poverty Level

Wealth/Poverty Level in Central Kenya
County
Poverty Level in Central Kenya (Percent)
Kirinyaga County
25.2
Muranga County
28.5
Kiambu County
28.9
Nyeri County
32.7
Nyandarua County
46.6
 Kenya Average
45.9

Poverty level by County

[4] [5]

Cash crops in Murang'a county:

  • Tea
  • Coffee

See also

References

  1. http://www.scribd.com/doc/36672705/Kenya-Census-2009
  2. [1]
  3. https://kenya.socrata.com/Counties/County-Urbanization-Nairobi/g4vq-85ds/
  4. https://kenya.socrata.com/Poverty/Poverty-Rate-by-District/i5bp-z9aq/
  5. http://data.worldbank.org/country/kenya/

www.peacecorps.com

External links

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