Nairobi

American  

[nahy-roh-bee] / naɪˈroʊ bi /

noun

1. a city in and the capital of Kenya, in the SW part.

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Nairobi British  

/ naɪˈrəʊbɪ /

noun

1. the capital of Kenya, in the southwest, at an altitude of 1650 m (5500 ft): founded in 1899; became capital in 1905; commercial and industrial centre; the Nairobi National Park (a game reserve) is nearby. Pop: 2 818 000 (2005 est)

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Nairobi Cultural  

1. Capital of Kenya and largest city in the country, located in southern Kenya.

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Discover More

Nairobi is a center for tourist safaris.

It was the capital of British East Africa — Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika, and Zanzibar (see Tanzania) — from 1905 until the colonies became independent in the early 1960s.

Example Sentences

He was among a group of demonstrators who were marching along a road running close to the Nairobi National Park.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

"As a still developing country we have limited containment capacity... Our public health sector is in shambles," said a nurse in Nairobi, who asked for anonymity.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

Kenya Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said at a Nairobi business forum in March that the zero-tariff agreement gives Kenya an opportunity to reduce its trade deficit with China, which stands at some $4 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

Luis Tato, from Agence France-Presse's Nairobi bureau, won a prize in the Africa Stories category for his coverage of the 2025 "Gen Z uprisings" in Madagascar.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

Unable to diagnose himself, in severe pain, and unable to continue with his work, he presented himself to Dr. Antonia Bagshawe, a physician at Nairobi Hospital.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston