Mombasa Island
Encyclopedia
Mombasa Island is a 5 km by 3 km coral
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...

 outcrop located on Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...

's coast on the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...

, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway
Causeway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...

. The city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...

 of Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....

 is located on the island.

The old town of Mombasa is located at the eastern, seaward end of the island. Kilindini
Kilindini Harbour
Kilindini Harbour is a large, natural deep-water inlet extending inland from Mombasa, Kenya. It is 25-30 fathoms at its deepest center. It serves as the harbour for Mombasa, with a hinterland extending to Uganda and Sudan. Kilindini Harbour is the main part of the Port of Mombasa, the only...

 and Port Reitz
Port Reitz
Port Reitz is a district of Mombasa, Kenya, and is located north-west of the island.- Mombasa Airport :Port Reitz is the location of Moi International Airport, the second largest airport in Kenya. The dual-runway airport was originally named Port Reitz Airport.- Port Reitz Hospital :At the end of...

, the modern deep water harbour and port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....

 separates the island from the Kenyan mainland to the south. The old harbour, which is named Port Tudor and guarded by Fort Jesus
Fort Jesus
Fort Jesus is a Portuguese fort built in 1593 by order of King Philip I of Portugal , then ruler of the joint Portuguese and Spanish Kingdoms, located on Mombasa Island to guard the Old Port of Mombasa, Kenya. It was built in the shape of a man , and was given the name of Jesus...

, and Tudor Creek
Tudor Creek
Tudor Creek is one of two main water bodies separating Mombasa Island from the Kenyan mainland ....

 separate the island from the northern mainland. Modern residential sprawl and industrial areas now occupy the rest of the island.

Mombasa is linked to the mainland by the Makupa Causeway
Makupa Causeway
The Makupa Causeway is a causeway linking Mombasa island to the Kenyan mainland. The road runs for approximately one and a half miles between the Magongo Circus and Makupa Circus...

 to the north-west, by the Nyali Bridge
Nyali Bridge
The Nyali Bridge is a concrete girder bridge connecting the city of Mombasa on Mombasa Island to the mainland of Kenya. The bridge crosses Tudor Creek to the north-east of the island. The bridge is one of two road links out of Mombasa...

 to the east and by the Likoni Ferry
Likoni Ferry
The Likoni Ferry is a boat service across the Kilindini Harbour, serving both the island city of Mombasa and the Kenyan mainland town of Likoni. Two double-ended ferries alternate across the harbour, carrying both road and foot traffic. The ferries are operated by the Kenya Ferry Services , and is...

 to the south. A road and rail bridge also serves the mainland container port near Port Reitz.

Port Tudor and Tudor Creek were named by Owen Tudor the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 captain who first surveyed the area.

Mombasa Island in one of the four divisions of Mombasa District
Mombasa District
Mombasa District is one of the 71 districts of Kenya. Its capital and the only town is Mombasa.Kenya is divided into eight provinces, which are subdivided into 71 districts. In Coast Province there are seven districts, Mombasa District being one of them. It is situated in the southeast of Coast...

. The division has a population of 146,334 (1999 census)http://www.cck.go.ke/html/final_annex1_cover_status.pdf. It is divided into six subdivisions http://www.ilri.cgiar.org/html/Urban%20Poverty%20all%20Kenya%20Province%20through%20Location%20Final.xls:
  • Ganjoni
  • Railway
  • Tononoka
  • Tudor
    Tudor, Mombasa
    - Geography :The area is located to the north of Mombasa Island, bordered by Jomo Kenyatta Avenue to the south-west and Tudor Creek to the north-east.- Mombasa Polytechnic :...

  • Majengo
  • Old Town
    Mombasa Old Town
    Old Town is an area of Mombasa, Kenya. Situated on the south-east side of Mombasa Island, the Old Town covers an area of , and is inhabited by a mix of local, Arab, Asian, Portuguese and British settlers....

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