Garissa
Encyclopedia
Garissa is a city in the North Eastern Province
of Kenya
. It is the capital of both the province and Garissa District
.
flows through the city.
and pastoralists
. These are further sub-divided into clans, with the Ogaden
sub-clan of the Somali Darod
especially well-represented. There are also a small number of other minority ethnic groups, commonly referred to as corner tribes.
Wards:
, and has a very warm/hot climate due to the low elevation and distance away from the cooler coastal areas. The daytime temperature typically rises above 33°C (91°F), every day, but returns to a mild temperature, every night (see chart below).
North Eastern Province (Kenya)
North Eastern Province is the third largest province in Kenya and has thirteen constituencies represented in the Kenya National Assembly.The region is home to a rare type of antelope called the Hirola, which is classified as an endangered species. The NFD's pastoralists also possess livestock in...
of 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...
. It is the capital of both the province and Garissa District
Garissa District
Garissa District is an administrative district in the North Eastern Province of Kenya. Its capital town is Garissa. The district has a population of 329,939...
.
Overview
Garissa is located at 0°27′25"S 39°39′30"E and has a population of 65,881 inhabitants (1999 census). The Tana RiverTana River (Kenya)
The long Tana River is the longest river in Kenya, and gives its name to the Tana River District. Its tributaries include the Thika. The river rises in the Aberdare Mountains to the west of Nyeri. Initially it runs east before turning south around the massif of Mount Kenya. The river then runs...
flows through the city.
Demographics
Most of the town's inhabitants are ethnic SomalisSomali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
and pastoralists
Pastoralism
Pastoralism or pastoral farming is the branch of agriculture concerned with the raising of livestock. It is animal husbandry: the care, tending and use of animals such as camels, goats, cattle, yaks, llamas, and sheep. It may have a mobile aspect, moving the herds in search of fresh pasture and...
. These are further sub-divided into clans, with the Ogaden
Ogaden (clan)
The Ogaden is a Somali clan, and one of the largest Darod subclans.-Overview:Members of the Ogaden clan primarily live in the central Ogaden plateau of Ethiopia , the North Eastern Province of Kenya, and the Jubaland region of Southern Somalia...
sub-clan of the Somali Darod
Darod
The Darod is a Somali clan. The father of this clan is named Abdirahman bin Isma'il al-Jabarti, but is more commonly known as Darod. In the Somali language, the word Daarood means "an enclosed compound," a conflation of the two words daar and ood .The Darod population in Somalia lives principally...
especially well-represented. There are also a small number of other minority ethnic groups, commonly referred to as corner tribes.
Administrative divisions
Garissa forms a municipality that has six wards. All of them belong to Dujis Constituency, which has a total of thirteen wards. The remaining seven are located within Garissa County Council, the rural council of Garissa District.Wards:
- Biashara
- Bulla
- Jamhuri
- Market
- Mashambani
- Stadium
Climate
Garissa's landscape is mostly arid, desert terrain.The city lies along the Tana RiverTana River (Kenya)
The long Tana River is the longest river in Kenya, and gives its name to the Tana River District. Its tributaries include the Thika. The river rises in the Aberdare Mountains to the west of Nyeri. Initially it runs east before turning south around the massif of Mount Kenya. The river then runs...
, and has a very warm/hot climate due to the low elevation and distance away from the cooler coastal areas. The daytime temperature typically rises above 33°C (91°F), every day, but returns to a mild temperature, every night (see chart below).