Nyanza Province

Nyanza
—  Province  —
Location in Kenya.
Coordinates:
Country  Kenya
No. of districts: 19
Capital Kisumu
Area
 - Total 16,162 km2 (6,240.2 sq mi)
Population (1999)
 - Total 4,392,196
Time zone EAT (UTC+3)
The capital of Kenya's Nyanza Province, on Lake Victoria, is Kisumu (click to enlarge map)

Nyanza Province of Kenya, is one of Kenya's seven administrative provinces. It is located in the southwest part of Kenya around Lake Victoria. Nyanza includes part of the eastern edge of Lake Victoria and is inhabited predominantly by the Luo. There are also Bantu-speaking tribes such as the Gusii, the Kuria and a few traces of the Luhya living in the province. The province derives its name from Nyanza a Bantu word which means a large mass of water.

The provincial capital is Kisumu, the third largest city in Kenya. The province has a population of 4,392,196 (as of 1999) within an area of 16,162 km².[1]

The climate is tropical humid.

Contents

Districts

Initially, Nyanza had four administrative districts. Since the 1990s, the province has been further divided into the following districts:

District (capital):
Bondo (Bondo) · Gucha (Ogembo a) · Homa Bay (Homa Bay) · Kisii (Kisiib · Kisumu (Kisumu) · Kuria (Kehancha) · Migori (Migori) · Nyamira (Nyamirac · Nyando (Awasi) · Rachuonyo (Oyugis) · Siaya (Siaya) · Suba (Mbita)

a Also known as South Kisii District and Ogembo District.
b Also known as Kisii Central District.
c Also known as North Kisii District.

Districts after 2007

Several new districts were created in 2007 in Kenya, also in Nyanza Province [2]:

District Capital
Bondo Bondo
Borabu Nyansiongo
Gucha Ogembo
Homa Bay Homa Bay
Kisii Kisii
Kisumu East Kisumu town
Kisumu West Holo
Kuria West District Kehancha
Kuria East District Kegonga
Manga
Masaba Keroka
Migori Migori
Nyamira Nyamira
Nyando Awasi
Rachuonyo Kosele
Rarieda Madiany
Rongo Rongo
Siaya Siaya
Suba Sindo

Languages

The predominant language in Nyanza is Dholuo, a Nilotic language whose origins are from Southern Sudan, spoken by the Luo.

Other languages include Gusii, Luhya, Kuria and the national languages English and Swahili. Other languages from the many Kenyan communities are also spoken in small pockets by migrants from these communities.

Notable residents

Barack Obama, Sr., ethnic Luo and father of former United States Senator and current President of the United States Barack Obama II, was born in the Nyanza Province.

References

External links

Languages