Mombasa County is county 001 of Kenya’s 47, and the smallest of them by area. It covers 219.9 km² on the Indian Ocean coast, was part of the former Coast Province, and had 1,208,333 residents at the 2019 census. Its capital is Mombasa city — Mvita in Swahili, “the island of war” — which is also Kenya’s second-largest city and its main seaport.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Capital | Mombasa (Mvita) |
| County code | 001 |
| Population (2019 census) | 1,208,333 |
| Area | 219.9 km² |
| Former province | Coast |
| Sub-counties | 6 |
| Main languages | Swahili, English, Mijikenda, Arabic |
Towns and Villages in Mombasa County
Mombasa is a city county. It has no rural hinterland, so the places listed below are wards, estates, suburbs and old settlements rather than separate market towns. The county is divided into six sub-counties, each of which is also a constituency: Changamwe, Jomvu, Kisauni, Nyali, Likoni and Mvita. Mombasa Island itself holds Mvita and the Old Town; the mainland north is Kisauni and Nyali, the mainland south is Likoni, and the mainland west is Changamwe and Jomvu.
| Town | Type | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Mombasa | City, county capital | 1,208,333 (county) |
| Jomvu | Sub-county town | 163,415 |
| Kisauni | Sub-county town | — |
| Likoni | Sub-county town | — |
| Changamwe | Sub-county town | — |
| Bamburi | Suburb | — |
| Shanzu | Suburb | — |
The full list below records 37 named settlements, estates and localities across the county.
- Bamburi
- Bamburi Beach
- Belewa
- Bwagamoyo
- Changamwe
- Frere Town
- Golo
- Jomvu
- Jomvu Kuu
- Jumba la Mtwana
- Kashani
- Kengeleni
- Kilindini
- Kinang’una
- Kisauni
- Kongowea
- Kwa Bechombo
- Kwa Jomvu
- Likoni
- Markupa
- Maunguja
- Mirarani
- Miritini
- Mitsolokani
- Mkunguni
- Mombasa
- Mto Panga
- Mwakirunge
- Mwakirunge ya Pwani
- Mwandoni
- Old Mombasa
- Pendeza
- Shanzu
- Shimo la Tewa
- Tayari
- Tudor
- Utange
Geography
Mombasa sits on a coral island in a natural double harbour, about 4 degrees south of the equator. Kilindini Harbour lies to the west and Tudor Creek to the north-east. The island is joined to the mainland by the Makupa Causeway to the west, the Nyali Bridge to the north and the Likoni Ferry to the south. Inland, the county borders Kilifi County to the north and west and Kwale County to the south and south-west. The Indian Ocean forms the eastern boundary, with a fringing coral reef running the length of the shoreline at Nyali, Bamburi and Shanzu.
The land is flat and low, mostly under 50 m. Rainfall averages about 1,050 mm a year in two seasons: the long rains from April to June and the short rains in October and November. Daytime temperatures run between 25°C and 33°C all year, and humidity stays high. The kaskazi wind blows from the north-east between December and March; the kusi blows from the south-east from April to September, and both still set the fishing and dhow-sailing calendar.
Demographics
The 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census counted 1,208,333 people in Mombasa County — 610,257 men and 598,046 women — in 378,422 households. At 219.9 km², that is a density of roughly 5,495 people per km², by far the highest of any county outside Nairobi. Nyali and Kisauni are the most populous sub-counties; Mvita, the island, is the most densely built.
Mombasa is the most mixed county in Kenya. The Mijikenda, mainly Digo and Duruma, are the largest coastal group, alongside Swahili, Arab, Bajuni and Taita communities and large numbers of Kamba, Luo, Luhya and Kikuyu residents who came for port and industrial work. Swahili is the everyday language, English is used in business and government, and Arabic is widely used in religious life. Islam and Christianity are both strongly represented.
Economy and Local Life
The Port of Mombasa at Kilindini is the economic engine of the county and the main sea gateway for Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan and eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It handles containers, bulk grain, oil and vehicles across more than twenty berths. Around it sit clearing and forwarding firms, container depots at Changamwe and Miritini, and the Kenya Petroleum Refineries site at Changamwe.
Manufacturing is concentrated on the mainland west: cement at Bamburi, steel rolling, edible oils, glass and cashew processing. Tourism runs along the north coast at Nyali, Bamburi, Shanzu and Mtwapa, and on the south coast reached by the Likoni Ferry. Fort Jesus, built by the Portuguese from 1593 and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011, is the county’s best-known monument. Kongowea Market in Kisauni is the largest fresh-produce market on the Kenyan coast and supplies most of the region’s fruit and vegetables. Artisanal fishing, dhow repair at Old Port, and the Mombasa Old Town spice and curio trade remain important to household incomes.
Getting There
Mombasa is about 490 km south-east of Nairobi on the A109 highway, a drive of six to eight hours. The Standard Gauge Railway ends at the Mombasa Terminus in Miritini, roughly 12 km from the city centre; the Madaraka Express covers Nairobi to Mombasa in about five hours. Moi International Airport at Port Reitz handles domestic flights to Nairobi, Malindi, Lamu, Kisumu and Ukunda, plus seasonal charters from Europe.
The B8 runs north through Mtwapa to Kilifi, Malindi and Garsen. The A14 runs south from the Likoni Ferry to Ukunda, Msambweni and the Tanzanian border at Lunga Lunga. The Likoni Ferry carries vehicles and foot passengers across the Kilindini channel around the clock and is the only road link to the south coast.
FAQ
What is the capital of Mombasa County?
Mombasa city is the county capital and headquarters. The county offices sit on Mombasa Island in Mvita sub-county.
How many towns and villages are in Mombasa County?
This page lists 37 named settlements, estates and localities. Because Mombasa is a city county, most of them are urban neighbourhoods rather than separate towns.
Which sub-counties make up Mombasa County?
There are six: Changamwe, Jomvu, Kisauni, Nyali, Likoni and Mvita. Each is also a parliamentary constituency.
What is the population of Mombasa County?
The 2019 census recorded 1,208,333 residents. That works out to about 5,495 people per km².
How do you get from Mombasa Island to the south coast?
By the Likoni Ferry, which runs across the Kilindini channel day and night. From Likoni the A14 continues to Diani, Ukunda and Lunga Lunga.
What is Mombasa County’s county code?
Mombasa is county 001, the first of Kenya’s 47 counties.