Asia Capitals Quiz
Test your knowledge of Asian countries and their capital cities.
🇰🇪 Kenya
Capital: Nairobi
Nairobi – The Green City in the Sun
Nairobi is Kenya’s capital and largest city, serving as a major center for government, commerce, transport, technology, and diplomacy in East Africa. Established as a railway settlement in the late 19th century, the city later became the capital of British East Africa and remained Kenya’s capital after independence. Nairobi is also unusual among national capitals for having a major wildlife protected area directly beside its urban districts.
đź“ś Timeline of Nairobi
1899: Nairobi was established as a railway depot during construction of the Uganda Railway.
1907: Nairobi became the capital of the British East Africa Protectorate.
1963: Kenya gained independence from British rule, with Nairobi remaining the national capital.
April 2026: The Nairobi Railway City programme advanced with an agreement for an arena and entertainment district, described as the first major development within the wider urban renewal project.
July 2026: Nairobi County approved the implementation framework for Phase I of the Nairobi Metropolitan Mass Rapid Transit System, centered on a CBD underground core and the Eastlands Line.
Today: Nairobi remains Kenya’s political and economic center while major rail, public transport, and urban redevelopment projects move forward across the capital.
đź“Š Quick Stats
Founded
1899
Languages
English, Swahili
Currency
Kenyan Shilling (KES)
Geography
South-central Kenya, beside Nairobi National Park
Time Zone
East Africa Time (EAT), UTC+3
Kenya does not observe daylight saving time.
Calling Code
+254
Driving Side
Left-hand traffic
🏛️ Iconic Landmarks
Nairobi National Park
A protected wildlife area immediately south of the city, home to lions, giraffes, rhinos, and many other species.
Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
A wildlife conservation organization known for its orphan elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in Nairobi National Park.
Giraffe Centre
A conservation and education center in Lang’ata associated with the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe.
2026 Urban Transformation
Two large projects advanced Nairobi’s transport and urban redevelopment plans during 2026. The Nairobi Railway City project is designed to redevelop land around Nairobi Central Railway Station as a mixed-use district linked to rail and other transport services.
On April 10, 2026, Kenya Railways Corporation and Zaria Group signed a lease agreement for a modern arena and entertainment district within Railway City. The government described it as the first major development under the wider urban renewal programme.
A separate transport project moved closer to implementation on July 22, 2026, when the Nairobi City County Executive approved the implementation framework for Phase I of the Nairobi Metropolitan Mass Rapid Transit System. The first phase centers on two elements: an underground transit core through the Central Business District and a high-capacity connection to Eastlands.
The planned system is intended to connect with Bus Rapid Transit routes at interchange points. Public participation, transport-sector consultations, and inter-agency preparations are expected to precede the official groundbreaking schedule, so the July approval marks an implementation step rather than the completion of construction.
Nairobi remains Kenya’s political, commercial, and diplomatic center. Railway City and the planned mass rapid transit network are adding new transport and redevelopment projects to a capital that began as a railway settlement in 1899.
