What is the capital of Kenya?

Nairobi exists because of a railway. When the line from Mombasa toward Lake Victoria was being pushed inland at the end of the nineteenth century, engineers needed a depot and workshop before tackling the climb into the highlands, and a swampy but well-watered spot on the plain served the purpose. The name comes from a Maasai phrase for cool water. What began as a camp of tents and sheds became the administrative centre of the colony, helped by an altitude high enough to be temperate and, at the time, considered healthier than the coast. After independence it stayed the capital and became a regional hub for East Africa, hosting international agencies and serving as a base for business across the region. One consequence of its origins remains visible: a national park with large wildlife sits directly against the city's southern edge, with giraffes grazing within sight of the skyline.

The colonial capital before the railway reached the interior was Mombasa on the coast.