Malindi (mälĭn'dē), town, SE Kenya, on the Indian Ocean. It is a beach resort and a commercial center. Probably founded in the 10th cent. by Arab traders, Malindi became an important city-state and a major port. The Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama landed there in 1498 and erected a monument that still stands. Nearby are the ruins of Gedi, an ancient walled city. South of the town lies a national park established to protect coral reefs and aquatic wildlife.
Malindi
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Malindi (once known as Melinde) is a town on Malindi Bay at the mouth of the Galana River, lying on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. It is 120 kilometres northeast of Mombasa. The population of Malindi is 117,735 (in 1999 census).[1] It is the capital of the Malindi District.
Tourism is the major industry in Malindi. The city is exceptionally popular among Italian tourists. Malindi is served with a domestic airport and a highway between Mombasa and Lamu. The nearby Watamu resort and Gedi Ruins (also known as Gede) are located 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.
Malindi is home to the Malindi Airport, and Broglio Space Port.
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History
Malindi has been a Swahili settlement since the 14th century. Once rivaled only by Mombasa for dominance in this part of East Africa, Malindi has traditionally been a port city for foreign powers. In 1414, the town was visited by the fleet of the Chinese explorer Zheng He. Malindi's ruler sent a personal envoy together with a giraffe as a present to China on that fleet.
The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama met Malindi authorities in 1498 to sign a trade agreement and hire a guide for the voyage to India, when he erected a still existent coral pillar. In 1499 the Portuguese established a trading post in Malindi which served as a resting stop on the way to and from India. A church dates from this era. The pillar stands to this day, though there have been calls by conservationists to take care of the pillar, since soil erosion might make the pillar fall into the ocean.
Many traditional buildings survive, including the Juma Mosque and palace on the beach, a stretch popular with tourists.
Local governance
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, Watamu Town. All of them are located within Malindi Constituency.[2]
The mayor of Malindi is Mohamed Menza.[3]
Malindi is also one of four administrative divisions in Malindi District. It has the following eight locations: Chakama, Ganda, Gede, Goshi, Jilore, Langobaya, Malindi and Watamu.[4]
References
- ^ "Population of Local Authorities" (with towns), Government of Kenya, 1999, webpage: GovtKenya-Population-PDF.
- ^ Polling Centres in Kenya. Electoral Commission of Kenya.
- ^ Rivals trade accusations at hearing. Daily Nation, June 22, 2008.
- ^ Kenya Administrative Levels 1-4. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
External links
Coordinates: 3°13′S 40°07′E / 3.217°S 40.117°E
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Mentioned in
- Tana
- Peta Teanet (World Artist, '90s)
- Songs from Home (1992 Album by Craig Peyton)
- Jacklight (1995 Drama Film)
- Everything Relative (1996 Drama Film)
- Nel Continente Nero (1993 Film)
- Vasco da Gama (Portuguese navigator)
- Marcusenius sp. nov. 'Malindi'
- Malindi Constituency
- Malindi Airport
- B8 road (Kenya)
- Malindi District
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Malindi
- Melinde
