The Coast Province ( Swahili : Mkoa wa Pwani ) was one of Kenya 's eight provinces . It covered the entire country's coastline on the Indian Ocean . Its capital city was Mombasa . It was inhabited by the Mijikenda and Swahili peoples, among others. The province covered an area of 79,686.1 km .
32-445: Some of the province's important towns included Kilifi , Malindi , Watamu and Lamu in the north, and Mwandimu and Magunda in the south. Some of the coastal population was located in resort and beach settlements such as Kiongwe and Kipini . Diani Beach was one of the province's major tourist centres, with palm trees and white sandy beaches like Mombasa. Malindi is where Vasco da Gama picked up his pilot to navigate with
64-486: A Swahili settlement since at least the 13th century. Once rivalled only by Mombasa for dominance in this part of East Africa, Malindi has traditionally been a port city. In 1414, the town was visited by the fleet of the Chinese explorer Zheng He . Malindi's ruler sent a personal envoy with a giraffe as a present to China on that fleet. The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama met Malindi authorities in 1498 to sign
96-525: A Swahili drink called tembo. Malindi was officially made a town in 1903. Ten years later its population stood at around 1148 and included 843 Africans, 230 Arabs, 67 Asians and 8 Europeans. Malindi experienced a trade boom between the end of the World War I and 1925, when a famine occurred. Exports to foreign ports grew to £26,000 by 1924. Europeans started to return to Malindi in the 1930s, buying land from Arabs. Some of them like Commander Lawford opened
128-560: A coastline with several kilometers of sandy beaches, including Bofa Beach, which is noted for its clear waters and white sands. The area offers a less commercialized alternative compared to nearby destinations such as Malindi and Watamu . Historical landmarks, such as the Mnarani Ruins from the 14th century, contribute to Kilifi's appeal, providing insight into the region's Swahili history. Cultural festivals in Kilifi also highlight
160-608: A trade agreement and hire a guide for the voyage to India, when he erected a padrão known today as the Vasco da Gama Pillar . Vasco da Gama was given a warm reception from the Sultan of Malindi, which contrasted with the hostile reception he encountered in Mombasa . It is a popular tourist attraction for both local and international tourists. In 1498 Malindi was a prosperous town with a population between 5,000 and 10,000. The majority of
192-607: Is Muslim . Malindi is home to the Malindi Airport and the Broglio Space Center (the previous San Marco Equatorial Range ). Malindi developed as part of the emerging Swahili civilisation in the 5th–10th centuries. Bantu -speaking farmers moved into the area, where they smelted iron, built timber and wattle houses thatched with palm leaves, spoke a local dialect of kiSwahili , and engaged in regional and sometimes long-distance trade. The resurgence of
224-774: Is a town on Malindi Bay at the mouth of the Sabaki River , lying on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya . It is 120 kilometres northeast of Mombasa . The population of Malindi was 119,859 as of the 2019 census. It is the largest urban centre in Kilifi County . Tourism is the major industry in Malindi. Notable heritage sites include the Vasco da Gama Pillar , the Portuguese Chapel , the House of Columns and
256-524: Is a town on the coast of Kenya , 56 kilometres (35 mi) northeast of Mombasa by road. The town lies on the Kilifi Creek and sits on the estuary of the Goshi River . Kilifi is the capital of Kilifi County and had a population of 122,899 during the 2009 census. Kilifi is known for its sandy beaches and for the ruins of Mnarani , including mosques and tombs , dating from the 14th to
288-517: Is situated in the Mtaani area of Sokoni Sub-Location opposite Masjid Hudaa. Mephi Hospital is also a registered and certified level 4 hospital situated in Mephi Plaza, Prison Road off Mombasa - Malindi highway, offering intensive medical services including dialysis, minor surgeries and radiological services. Kilifi is home to several notable organizations, including: Malindi Malindi
320-535: The Indian Ocean trade networks at the end of the first millennium led to larger settlements, increased long-distance trade, and greater social complexity. Beginning in the 11th century, the Swahili along the coast were acting as middlemen for Somali , Egyptian , Nubian , Arab , Persian , and Indian traders. They began building walled towns, coral houses, and elites converted to Islam, often speaking Arabic. The Malindi Kingdom appears to have been formed around
352-621: The Köppen climate classification system. In 1999, the Mombasa Republican Council was formed, with the goal of engineering the Coast Province's secession from Kenya. In 2010, a new constitution came into effect which divided Kenya's 8 provinces into 47 counties . The Coast Province was divided into six: Mombasa , Kwale , Kilifi , Tana River , Lamu , and Taita–Taveta counties. Kilifi Kilifi
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#1732772480937384-562: The Malindi Museum Heritage Complex . Malindi is served with a domestic airport and a highway between Mombasa and Lamu . The nearby Watamu town and Gedi Ruins (also known as Gede) are south of Malindi. The mouth of the Sabaki River lies in northern Malindi. The Watamu and Malindi Marine National Parks form a continuous protected coastal area south of Malindi. The area shows classic examples of Swahili architecture . The majority of Malindi's population
416-547: The Portuguese established a factory in Malindi, which lasted till 1593. The decline of Kilwa and Mombasa led to Malindi's flourishing. Malindi grew as other Swahili, as well as Arab, Persian, and Indian, merchants, craftsmen, sailors, and labourers flocked to newly powerful city. Malindi remained the centre of Portuguese activity in eastern Africa until 1593, when the Portuguese moved their main base to Mombasa. This
448-579: The 17th century. Kilifi town sits on both sides of the estuary and is linked by the Kilifi Bridge which overlooks the estuary. The south side has the Mnarani ruins and Shauri Moyo beach while the north side is the main part of Kilifi Town and Bofa Beach. The weather is generally warm throughout the year (above 25 °C) with two seasons of moderate rainfall (about 800–1000 mm). Long periods of rain start around March and last into July, while
480-400: The 9th century AD and to have grown powerful in the two centuries before Vasco da Gama ushered in the Portuguese colonisation of the region, the latter leading to the decline of the civilisation. The city of Malindi, founded around 850 AD, was in a somewhat more northerly location than the modern city, and appears to have been destroyed around 1000 AD. There are sparse signs of habitation for
512-591: The KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, a large medical research centre collaborative between Kenya's KEMRI and the British Wellcome Trust , known for its work on malaria and bacterial and viral childhood infections. Several other private clinics can be found here. The Khairat Medical Centre which was recently opened is equipped with a modern laboratory, x-ray, and scan machines with qualified personnel and
544-478: The Swahili-Arab descendants, Barawas, Bajunis, Somalis as well as other groups from inland. There is a handful of Indians, and Europeans, mainly British, German and Italian. Like every coastal town, fishing in Kilifi is one of the historical economic activities. With time, the town has slowly been transforming from a fishing village to basic industrial and service. The growth of the town was mainly fuelled by
576-578: The administrative changes in the new constitution passed in August 2010. Malindi forms a municipal council with the following thirteen wards: Barani, Ganda/Mkaumoto, Gede , Gede North, Gede South, Kijiwetanga, Madunguni, Malimo, Malindi Central, Malindi North, Maweni, Shella, and Watamu Town . All of them are located within Malindi Constituency . The novel “MALI D’AFRICA” (by Sara Cardelli) describes an impossible love in Malindi. Most of
608-559: The cashew nut milling factory between 1976 and 1990; the district has been a producer of cashews since 1930. The town almost became a ghost town when the factory was closed in 1990 due to a decline in nuts supply, mismanagement of the factory and increased global competition. Other industrial activities include sisal farming at Kilifi Plantations. Since 2008 with the transformation of the Kilifi Institute of Agriculture into Pwani University there has been substantial expansion of
640-623: The city. In 1592, the Segeju occupied Mombasa, eventually surrendering it to the Sheikh of Malindi. The Sheikh then moved his court from Malindi to Mombasa and ruled from 1593 to 1630. During this time, he invited his allies, the Portuguese, to build a Garrison and they dominated the city. After the Portuguese departed the town gradually declined until it almost disappeared by the end of 17th century. An 1823 United Kingdom Admiralty chart of 'Melinda' declared that at that time there were 'no vestiges of
672-477: The end of 19th century served as a centre of the slave trade. A plan of the town in 1873 indicates the area of occupation by that time. In 1890, Malindi came under British administration and slave trade and slavery were abolished. This act led to a significant decline in agricultural production. Outside agriculture there were few industries in Malindi at the beginning of the 20th century; among them were making mats and bags, crushing sesame seeds for oil and producing
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#1732772480937704-607: The first hotels, which became the foundation of the future tourist industry. During World War II , Malindi was one of only two towns in East Africa bombed by the Italians. This happened on 24 October 1940, and after this event allied troops were stationed in the town until the end of the war. After World War II Malindi began developing into a resort. Malindi has a tropical dry savanna climate ( Köppen climate classification As ). Malindi now falls under Kilifi County as per
736-547: The monsoon winds to India; Mambrui appears to be the site where contact occurred with the Chinese during the era of the Yongle Emperor and the expeditions of Zheng He . Watamu is a small fishing community and contains East Africa's first marine national park, the Watamu Marine National Park . The Coast Provinces had a population of 3,325,307 in 2009. The climate is designated as Aw in
768-485: The nature of Swahili political organisation. The wazee spoke both Swahili and Arabic, and claimed mythological origins from the East, most often Persia. Malindi's main source of prosperity was the export of ivory and rhino horns as well as exporting agricultural products such as coconuts, oranges, millet and rice. In the years before the arrival of the Portuguese, Malindi was a regional power but lagged significantly behind
800-485: The next two centuries, then recovery and prosperity in the 1200s. The first written reference to the present-day Malindi likely comes from Abu al-Fida (1273–1331), a Kurdish geographer and historian. He wrote that Malindi was situated to the south of the mouth of a river which began in a mountain hundreds of miles away. This mountain may be Mount Kenya , where the Galana River rises. Thus, Malindi has existed as
832-481: The once splendid city of Melinda' apart from Vasco da Gama's Pillar . In 1845, Ludwig Krapf visited the town and found it overgrown by vegetation and uninhabited. A Portuguese chapel with a graveyard was built before 1542 when Francis Xavier visited the town. Many buildings of Swahili architecture survive, including the Juma Mosque. Malindi was refounded by Sultan Majid of Zanzibar in 1861 and until
864-438: The population was Muslim by this period, having converted largely between the 13th and 14th centuries. Like other Mediaeval Swahili towns, the ruling class or wazee was made up of the heads of the wealthiest patrician families. Similar to other Bantu-speaking peoples, these clan leaders elected a mwenye mui or chief who spoke on behalf of the patricians. The Portuguese mistakenly titled these individuals "Kings," misunderstanding
896-458: The service sector as a result of this. Banking activity has been growing with about 7 banks (KCB, Barclays, Postbank, Imperial, Equity, Cooperative, Diamond Trust Bank and most recently National Bank) as well as microfinance institutions. Retail businesses and hotels have historically been significant economic activities. Tourism is an important economic activity in Kilifi, supported by its beaches, historical sites, and cultural heritage. Kilifi has
928-473: The short periods start around October and last until December. The terrain is generally flat with sandy-loamy soils with the common trees being Cocos nucifera , Anacadium occidentale , Azadirachta indica , and Mangifera indica . Kilifi is a cosmopolitan town with mixed ethnic groups. The predominant inhabitants (about 80%) are from the Mijikenda groups (mainly Giriama and Chonyi). Other groups include
960-496: The traditions of the local Mijikenda communities, drawing visitors from both within Kenya and abroad. Tourism in Kilifi contributes to local employment and supports businesses such as hotels, restaurants, and tour operators. Sustainable tourism initiatives are being promoted to preserve the area's natural and cultural resources. The Kilifi County Hospital, which is also a referral hospital, serves all of Kilifi County and also supports
992-525: The two greatest states, Mombasa and Kilwa. When, in 1499, the Portuguese established a trading post in Malindi that served as a rest stop on the way to and from India, they were eagerly welcomed by the wazee who sought to use the Portuguese military might to establish themselves over their rivals in Mombasa. In 1500, King Dom Manuel I offered vassal status to Malindi. Malindi supported Portugal's successful efforts to conquer Kilwa and Mombasa in 1505. In 1502,
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1024-547: Was through the help of the Segejus and the Sheikh of Malindi. As the major East African ally of Portugal along the Swahili Coast, Malindi supported Portugal's successful efforts to conquer Kilwa and Mombasa. The two Swahili city states often had feuds with each other as they fought for dominance over the trade. In his military struggles against Mombasa, the Sheikh of Malindi allied with the Portuguese and Segeju to take over
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