Turkana County is county 023 of Kenya’s 47 counties and the largest of them by area, in the former Rift Valley Province. Its capital is Lodwar, on the Turkwel River. The 2019 census recorded 926,976 residents across 68,232.9 km² of land, with a further 2,279 km² of water, mostly Lake Turkana. The county meets three international borders and holds Kenya’s oil discoveries and its largest refugee settlement.
| Capital | Lodwar |
| County code | 023 |
| Population (2019 census) | 926,976 |
| Area | 68,232.9 km² land (70,512 km² with water) |
| Former province | Rift Valley |
| Sub-counties | 6 |
| Main languages | Turkana, Swahili, English |
Towns and Villages in Turkana County
Lodwar is the administrative and commercial centre. Kakuma’s size reflects the refugee camp beside it: Kakuma and the neighbouring Kalobeyei settlement together host well over 200,000 registered refugees, counted separately from the host population. The figures below are settlement-level estimates rather than KNBS urban counts.
| Town | Type | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Lodwar | County capital | 82,970 |
| Kakuma | Town | 22,984 |
| Lokichar | Town | 12,676 |
| Lokichokio | Town | 11,626 |
| Kainuk | Town | 10,535 |
Settlement is sparse and widely spaced across the county. The list below names all 57 recorded towns, trading centres and villages, from Kainuk in the south to Lokitaung and Nadapal in the far north.
- Anglogitat
- Angorangora
- Chepterr
- Gakong
- Kaalim
- Kachon
- Kagododoya
- Kainuk
- Kainyunyok
- Kakalet
- Kakem
- Kakujukwol
- Kakuma
- Kalimaruk
- Kalobosa
- Kalokol
- Kalomwai
- Kalongoleputh
- Kanamkemer
- Kapedo
- Kaperepere
- Kaputir
- Katabui
- Kauretangthuro
- Kolitak
- Korrdi
- Kosipirr
- Lodwar
- Loichangamatak
- Loiya
- Lokichar
- Lokichokio
- Lokiriama
- Lokitaung
- Lokone
- Lokori
- Lokwa Kangole
- Lokwamothing
- Lolimo
- Lomelo
- Lomoru Itae
- Lomorueseik
- Loperot
- Lopusiki
- Lorukumu
- Loruth
- Muriling
- Muru-erith
- Nabeiye
- Nadapal
- Nakwamurua
- Naoiyapua
- Napeitom
- Nathajait
- Nganukonharengak
- Oropoi
- Tamanak
Geography
Turkana is hot, low-lying and arid. Most of it sits between 400 m and 900 m, with rainfall under 250 mm a year and daytime temperatures often above 35 °C. Rain falls in short, violent bursts, and the rivers reflect that: the Turkwel and the Kerio flow seasonally, and the Turkwel keeps a green corridor of doum palm and acacia through Lodwar.
Lake Turkana forms the eastern boundary. It is the world’s largest permanent desert lake and its largest alkaline lake, and Central Island National Park sits within it. The Suguta Valley in the south-east is among the hottest places in Kenya. Hills break the plains at Loima in the west, Lorukumu and Lapur in the north; the Ilemi Triangle, at the northern tip, is claimed by both Kenya and South Sudan.
The county borders West Pokot County to the south-west, Baringo County to the south, Samburu County to the south-east and Marsabit County across the lake to the east. Uganda lies west, South Sudan north-west and Ethiopia north.
Demographics
The 2019 census recorded 926,976 residents. Average density is about 14 people per square kilometre, the sparsest in Kenya after Marsabit, and much of the county is effectively unsettled between waterpoints.
The Turkana are the dominant community and speak Ng’aturkana, a Nilotic language close to Karamojong and Toposa across the borders. Pokot, Samburu and Rendille households live along the southern and eastern margins. The refugee population at Kakuma and Kalobeyei is drawn largely from South Sudan and Somalia, with Sudanese, Congolese, Ethiopian and Burundian communities as well.
Economy and Local Life
Pastoralism supports most households. Herds of goats, cattle, camels and donkeys move between wet-season and dry-season grazing, and livestock markets at Lodwar, Lokichar and Kakuma set the trading rhythm. Fishing is the second livelihood, landed at Kalokol, Longech and other lakeshore villages and dried for sale inland.
Oil was discovered at Ngamia and Amosing near Lokichar in 2012, in exploration blocks 10BB and 13T; full production awaits an export pipeline. The Turkwel hydroelectric dam on the south-western boundary generates 106 MW. Irrigated sorghum and vegetable plots line the Turkwel and Kerio. Aid agencies, schools and county government are large employers around Lodwar and Kakuma, and Turkana basketry and beadwork sell in both towns.
Getting There
The A1 highway is the spine. It enters from Kitale in the south, crosses the Turkwel at Kainuk, runs through Lokichar to Lodwar, then continues north through Kakuma and Lokichokio to the South Sudan border at Nadapal. The road is tarmac for most of its length and buses run daily from Kitale and Eldoret.
Lodwar is roughly 700 km from Nairobi, a full day’s drive. Lodwar Airport has scheduled flights to Nairobi, and airstrips serve Kakuma, Lokichokio and Lokitaung. Access east to Lake Turkana is by murram road from Lodwar to Kalokol, about 60 km.
FAQ
What is the capital of Turkana County?
Lodwar is the county capital and largest town, on the Turkwel River in Turkana Central.
How many towns and villages are in Turkana County?
This page lists all 57 recorded towns, trading centres and villages — a small number for a huge county, because settlement clusters around water and the main road.
Which sub-counties make up Turkana County?
Six: Turkana Central, Turkana North, Turkana South, Turkana East, Turkana West and Loima. Each is also a constituency.
Is Turkana the largest county in Kenya?
Yes. At 68,232.9 km² of land, and 70,512 km² including its share of Lake Turkana, it is the largest of the 47 counties.
What is the population of Turkana County?
The 2019 census recorded 926,976 people, about 14 per square kilometre.
How far is Lodwar from Nairobi?
About 700 km by road via Nakuru, Eldoret and Kitale, or roughly 90 minutes by air.