Taita-Taveta District
Encyclopedia
Taita Taveta-District is one of the seventy-one districts
of Kenya
, located in the Coast Province
of that country. It lies approximately 200 km northwest of Mombasa
and 360 km southeast of Nairobi
city.
The population of the district 30 years ago was approximately 45,000 persons but this has shot up to well over 250,000 persons with population densities ranging from 3 persons per km2. to more than 800 persons per km2. This is due to the varied rainfall and terrain with the lower zones receiving an average 440 mm of rain per annum and the highland areas receiving up to 1900 mm of rain. The range rises in altitude from 500 m above sea level to almost 2,300 a.s.a at vuria peak which is the highest.
In 2007, the Taita-Taveta District was split into two districts: the Taita District and the Taveta District
and Tsavo West National Park
s. The remaining 5,876 km2 is occupied by ranches, sisal
estates, water bodies such as Lakes Chala
and Jipe in Taveta
and mzima springs, and the hilltop forests which occupy less than 100 km2. or approximately 10 km² out of 587.5 km².
The lowland areas of the district that are do not belong to national parks are divided to ranches, estates and wild life sanctuaries. The district has approximately 25 ranches. The main land use in ranche is cattle grazing. The three operating sisal estates of the district are the Teita Sisal Estate
, Voi Sisal Estate
and Taveta Sisal Estate. Many ranches utilize also wildlife tourism and conservation. The Taita Hills and Saltlick Lodges sanctuary
is located in the district.
There are 48 forests which have survived on hill tops in the district of which 28 are gazetted and are under government protection and management. They range in size from small 500 square metres with a few remnant trees to modestly vast 2 square kilometres indigenous and exotic forest mountains. These forests are part of a unique Eastern Arch range of forests which are found mostly in Eastern Tanzania
with the Taita Hills
forming the only Kenyan Eastern Arc forest type in East Africa.
The Taita Hills
forest hold a unique biodiversity with 13 taxa of plants and 9 taxa of animals found only in the Taita Hills and nowhere else in the world. In addition 22 plant species found in the Taita Hills forests are typical of the Eastern arc forests. The next being in eastern Tanzania. Some of the endemic African violet - Saintpaulia teitensis among others. Within these beautiful indigenous forests, bubble pure clean water to the lowland areas to cater for both human agricultural activities and wildlife in the Taita game sanctuary and Aruba dam in Tsavo East. The lower plains are thus supplied with water by the forests in the hills which are a good catchment of rains. http://www.easternarc.org/html/bio.html
, though Voi
is the largest town in the district.
The district has four constituencies:
Districts of Kenya
The provinces of Kenya are subdivided into number of districts .- List of districts of Kenya :Following a High Court ruling in September 2009, there are 46 legal districts in Kenya :Coast Province:...
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...
, located in the Coast Province
Coast Province
Coast Province of Kenya, along the Indian Ocean, is one of Kenya's seven administrative provinces outside Nairobi. It comprises the Indian Ocean coastal strip with the capital city at Mombasa and is inhabited by the Mijikenda and Swahili, among others...
of that country. It lies approximately 200 km northwest of Mombasa
Mombasa
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....
and 360 km southeast of 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...
city.
The population of the district 30 years ago was approximately 45,000 persons but this has shot up to well over 250,000 persons with population densities ranging from 3 persons per km2. to more than 800 persons per km2. This is due to the varied rainfall and terrain with the lower zones receiving an average 440 mm of rain per annum and the highland areas receiving up to 1900 mm of rain. The range rises in altitude from 500 m above sea level to almost 2,300 a.s.a at vuria peak which is the highest.
In 2007, the Taita-Taveta District was split into two districts: the Taita District and the Taveta District
District land use
The district covers an area of 16,975 km2. of which a bulk 62% or 11,100 km2. is within Tsavo EastTsavo East National Park
Tsavo East National Park is one of the oldest and largest parks in Kenya at 11,747 square kilometres. Opened in April 1948, it is located near the village of Voi in the Taita-Taveta District of Coast Province. The park is divided into east and west sections by the A109 road and a railway...
and Tsavo West National Park
Tsavo West National Park
Tsavo West National Park is located in the Coast Province of Kenya. The park covers an area of 9,065 square kilometres. The A109 road Nairobi-Mombasa and a railway divides the park into east and west...
s. The remaining 5,876 km2 is occupied by ranches, sisal
Sisal
Sisal is an agave that yields a stiff fibre traditionally used in making twine, rope and also dartboards. The term may refer either to the plant or the fibre, depending on context...
estates, water bodies such as Lakes Chala
Lake Chala
Lake Chala is a crater lake in a caldera on the borders of Tanzania and Kenya on the eastern edge of Mount Kilimanjaro, not far from the town of Moshi and 8 km north of Taveta. Depending on the time of year, it ranges in colour from deep blue to turquoise and green, it is surrounded by a 100...
and Jipe in Taveta
Taveta
Taveta is the name of a tribe of East Africa, the name of the principal town in the land of the Taveta people, and also the name of the surrounding subdistrict of Kenya.-The people of Taveta:...
and mzima springs, and the hilltop forests which occupy less than 100 km2. or approximately 10 km² out of 587.5 km².
The lowland areas of the district that are do not belong to national parks are divided to ranches, estates and wild life sanctuaries. The district has approximately 25 ranches. The main land use in ranche is cattle grazing. The three operating sisal estates of the district are the Teita Sisal Estate
Teita Sisal Estate
The Teita Sisal Estate is one of the largest sisal estates in the world. It is located in Kenya Coast Province in district of Taita-Taveta near the town of Mwatate. The company is active in growing sisal and in manufucturing sisal goods such as rope, sacks and baling twine, at its manufacturing...
, Voi Sisal Estate
Voi Sisal Estate
Voi Sisal Estate is located near the township of Voi in the Taita-Taveta District. It specializes mainly to production of sisal fiber and farming of pineapples....
and Taveta Sisal Estate. Many ranches utilize also wildlife tourism and conservation. The Taita Hills and Saltlick Lodges sanctuary
Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary
Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary is a privately owned wildlife sanctuary in Kenya. It is located in the Coast Province in Taita-Taveta District approximately 220 kilometers from Mombasa. The sanctuary covers an area of , and is adjacent to Tsavo West National Park and the LUMO Community Wildlife...
is located in the district.
There are 48 forests which have survived on hill tops in the district of which 28 are gazetted and are under government protection and management. They range in size from small 500 square metres with a few remnant trees to modestly vast 2 square kilometres indigenous and exotic forest mountains. These forests are part of a unique Eastern Arch range of forests which are found mostly in Eastern Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
with the Taita Hills
Taita Hills
The Taita Hills, sometimes also spelled as Teita Hills, are a precambrian mountain range in the south-west of Kenya in Taita-Taveta District. The hills consist of three massifs namely Dabida, Sagalla in the southern side of Voi township and Kasigau in the south near the border of Tanzania...
forming the only Kenyan Eastern Arc forest type in East Africa.
The Taita Hills
Taita Hills
The Taita Hills, sometimes also spelled as Teita Hills, are a precambrian mountain range in the south-west of Kenya in Taita-Taveta District. The hills consist of three massifs namely Dabida, Sagalla in the southern side of Voi township and Kasigau in the south near the border of Tanzania...
forest hold a unique biodiversity with 13 taxa of plants and 9 taxa of animals found only in the Taita Hills and nowhere else in the world. In addition 22 plant species found in the Taita Hills forests are typical of the Eastern arc forests. The next being in eastern Tanzania. Some of the endemic African violet - Saintpaulia teitensis among others. Within these beautiful indigenous forests, bubble pure clean water to the lowland areas to cater for both human agricultural activities and wildlife in the Taita game sanctuary and Aruba dam in Tsavo East. The lower plains are thus supplied with water by the forests in the hills which are a good catchment of rains. http://www.easternarc.org/html/bio.html
Townships and villages
The capital of the district is small town of WundanyiWundanyi
Wundanyi is a town lying in the Taita Hills of southern Kenya, west of Voi and near Ngerenyi. It is also the Headquarters of Taita-Taveta District...
, though Voi
Voi
Voi is a market town in southern Kenya, lying on the edge of the Tsavo National Park. It lies at the junction of the railway lines from Nairobi to Mombasa and Taveta. Also the Voi Sisal Estates are located near the town. Voi is also located near some Taita villages like, Ikanga and...
is the largest town in the district.
| Local authorities (councils) | |||
| Authority | Type | Population* | Urban pop.* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voi Voi Voi is a market town in southern Kenya, lying on the edge of the Tsavo National Park. It lies at the junction of the railway lines from Nairobi to Mombasa and Taveta. Also the Voi Sisal Estates are located near the town. Voi is also located near some Taita villages like, Ikanga and... |
Municipality | 32,176 | 16,863 |
| Taveta Taveta, Kenya Taveta is a town in the Taveta District of Coast Province in Kenya. The town has an urban population of 11,500 .- Overview :The town of Taveta is wedged into a projection of Kenyan territory bordered on the north and west by Tanzania. The irregularity in the border was created c... |
Town | 52,456 | 11,495 |
| Taita-Taveta | County | 162,039 | 8,032 |
| Total | - | 246,671 | 36,390 |
| Administrative divisions | |||
| Division | Population* | Urban pop.* | Headquarters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mwambirwa | 4,927 | 0 | |
| Mwatate | 56,365 | 3,386 | Mwatate Mwatate Mwatate is a village in Taita-Taveta District in the southern side of the Taita Hills. It is the headquarters of the Mwatate administrative division of the district.... |
| Tausa | 20,275 | 0 | |
| Taveta | 53,038 | 22,219 | Taveta Taveta, Kenya Taveta is a town in the Taveta District of Coast Province in Kenya. The town has an urban population of 11,500 .- Overview :The town of Taveta is wedged into a projection of Kenyan territory bordered on the north and west by Tanzania. The irregularity in the border was created c... |
| Tsavo West N.P. Tsavo West National Park Tsavo West National Park is located in the Coast Province of Kenya. The park covers an area of 9,065 square kilometres. The A109 road Nairobi-Mombasa and a railway divides the park into east and west... |
2,733 | 0 | |
| Voi | 54,562 | 15,382 | Voi Voi Voi is a market town in southern Kenya, lying on the edge of the Tsavo National Park. It lies at the junction of the railway lines from Nairobi to Mombasa and Taveta. Also the Voi Sisal Estates are located near the town. Voi is also located near some Taita villages like, Ikanga and... |
| Wundanyi | 54,771 | 4,055 | Wundanyi Wundanyi Wundanyi is a town lying in the Taita Hills of southern Kenya, west of Voi and near Ngerenyi. It is also the Headquarters of Taita-Taveta District... |
| Total | 246,671 | 34,042 | |
The district has four constituencies:
- Taveta ConstituencyTaveta ConstituencyTaveta Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of four constituencies in Taita-Taveta District. The constituency has six wards, all belonging to the Taveta town council. The constituency was established for the 1966 elections....
- Wundanyi ConstituencyWundanyi ConstituencyWundanyi Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of four constituencies in Taita-Taveta District. The constituency has four wards, all belonging to the Taita-Taveta county council. The constituency was established for the 1963 elections....
- Mwatate ConstituencyMwatate ConstituencyMwatate Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of four constituencies in Taita-Taveta District. The constituency was established for the 1988 elections.- Members of Parliament :- Locations and wards :- External links :*...
- Voi ConstituencyVoi ConstituencyVoi Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of four constituencies in Taita-Taveta District. The constituency was established for the 1966 elections.- Members of Parliament :- Wards :...