Editing Rift Valley Province

{{Short description|Province of Kenya}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2007}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Rift Valley Province
| native_name        = ''Mkoa wa Bonde la Ufa''
| native_name_lang   = sw
| motto              = 
| settlement_type    = [[Provinces of Kenya|Former Province]]
| image_skyline      = 
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Rift Valley
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = 
| image_shield       = 
| image_map          = Rift Valley in Kenya.svg
| mapsize            = 
| map_caption        = Location in Kenya
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|Kenya}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[Counties of Kenya|No. of Counties]]:
| subdivision_name1  = 14
| seat_type          = Capital
| seat               = [[Nakuru]]
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = 
| area_total_km2     = 182,505.1
| population_as_of   = 2009
| population_note    = 
| population_total   = 10,006,805
| population_density_km2 = auto
| timezone           = [[East Africa Time|EAT]]
| utc_offset         = +3
| coordinates        = {{coord|0|30|N|36|0|E|region:KN|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_m        = 
| elevation_ft       = 
| postal_code_type   = 
| postal_code        = 
| area_code          = 
| website            = 
| footnotes          = 
}}
'''Rift Valley Province''' ({{langx|sw|Mkoa wa Bonde la Ufa}}) of [[Kenya]], bordering [[Uganda]], was one of Kenya's eight [[Provinces of Kenya|provinces]], before the 2013 [[Kenyan general election, 2013|Kenyan general election]].
Rift Valley Province was the largest and one of the most economically important provinces in [[Kenya]]. It was dominated by the [[Great Rift Valley, Kenya|Kenya Rift Valley]] which passes through it and gave the province its name. According to the 2009 Census, the former province covered an area of {{convert|182,505.1|km2|acre sqmi}} and would have had a population of 10,006,805,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.knbs.or.ke/docs/PresentationbyMinisterforPlanningrevised.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=January 15, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130810185221/http://www.knbs.or.ke/docs/PresentationbyMinisterforPlanningrevised.pdf |archive-date=August 10, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/36672705/Kenya-Census-2009|title=Kenya Census 2009}}</ref> making it the largest and most populous province in the country.  The bulk of the provincial population inhabited a strip between former [[Nairobi]] and [[Nyanza Province]].  The capital was the town of [[Nakuru]].

== Counties ==
As of March 2013 after the [[Kenyan general election, 2013]], the Province was partitioned into counties and Rift Valley Province was dissolved.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://opendata.go.ke/facet/counties|title=Open Data Portal|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711111830/http://www.opendata.go.ke/facet/counties|archive-date=2011-07-11}}</ref>

{| class="sortable wikitable"
|-
! Code || County || Former Province || Area (km<sup>2</sup>) || Population<br>Census 2009 || Capital
|-
| 23 || [[Turkana County|Turkana]] || Rift Valley ||align="right"|71,597.8||align="right"|855,399|| [[Lodwar]]
|-
| 24 || [[West Pokot County|West Pokot]] || Rift Valley ||align="right"|8,418.2||align="right"|512,690|| [[Kapenguria]]
|-
| 25 || [[Samburu County|Samburu]] || Rift Valley ||align="right"|20,182.5||align="right"|223,947|| [[Maralal]]
|-
| 26 || [[Trans Nzoia County|Trans Nzoia]] || Rift Valley ||align="right"|2,469.9||align="right"|818,757|| [[Kitale]]
|-
| 27 || [[Uasin Gishu County|Uasin Gishu]] || Rift Valley ||align="right"|2,955.3||align="right"|894,179|| [[Eldoret]]
|-
| 28 || [[Elgeyo-Marakwet County|Elgeyo-Marakwet]] || Rift Valley ||align="right"|3,049.7||align="right"|369,998|| [[Iten]]
|-
| 29 || [[Nandi County|Nandi]] || Rift Valley ||align="right"|2,884.5||align="right"|752,965|| [[Kapsabet]]
|-
| 30 || [[Baringo County|Baringo]] || Rift Valley ||align="right"|11,075.3||align="right"|555,561|| [[Kabarnet]]
|-
| 31 || [[Laikipia County|Laikipia]] || Rift Valley ||align="right"|8,696.1||align="right"|399,227|| [[Nanyuki]]
|-
| 32 || [[Nakuru County|Nakuru]] || Rift Valley ||align="right"|7,509.5||align="right"|1,603,325|| [[Nakuru]]
|-
| 33 || [[Narok County|Narok]] || Rift Valley ||align="right"|17,921.2||align="right"|850,920|| [[Narok]]
|-
| 34 || [[Kajiado County|Kajiado]] || Rift Valley ||align="right"|21,292.7||align="right"|687,312|| [[Kajiado]]
|-
| 35 || [[Kericho County|Kericho]] || Rift Valley ||align="right"|2,454.5||align="right"|752,396|| [[Kericho]]
|-
| 36 || [[Bomet County|Bomet]] || Rift Valley ||align="right"|1,997.9||align="right"|730,129|| [[Bomet]]
|-
| || '''''Totals''''' || ||align="right"|182,505.1||align="right"|10,006,805|| -
|}

== Geography ==
[[Image:Kenya-relief-map-towns.jpg|thumb|Map of Kenya, showing its provinces]]
The Great Rift Valley runs south through Kenya from [[Lake Turkana]] in the north and has several unique geographical features, including the [[Elgeyo escarpment]] which is a popular tourist attraction.

Apart from the Rift Valley itself, the area has other important geographic features such as: the extinct volcanoes [[Mount Longonot]] and [[Mount Suswa]] and [[Lake Baringo]], [[Lake Bogoria]], [[Lake Magadi]], [[Lake Nakuru]], [[Lake Naivasha]], the  [[Suguta|Suguta Valley]], and [[Lake Turkana]].

== Geology ==
A large part of Kenya is underlain by [[Precambrian]] basement, while the Kenya rift basin (a typical extensional basin) hosts [[Tertiary]] [[volcanics]] that cover [[Mesozoic]] sediments (Recently these sediments have been considered for oil exploration).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epgeology.com/page.php?p=kenya-rift-basin|title=Petroleum Potential of NW-Kenya Rift Basins: A Synopsis of Evidence and Issues - Exploration & Production Geology}}</ref> The [[sedimentary basin]]s evolved along the [[Anza trough]] during the Late [[Paleozoic]] to Early Tertiary times through extension tectonics during the major [[Gondwana]]land breakup. In the [[Miocene]] Period, the region underwent intermittent uplift and subsidence along major boundary faults accompanied by a large outpouring of lava flows. The Anza trough intersects the modern rift valley in the area of Lake Turkana. Rifting still continues today; primarily in the north, where active volcanoes are more plentiful.

== Economy ==
The highlands provide adequate rainfall for farming and agriculture which is the economic base of the residents of the Rift Valley. [[Tea]] from the highlands in the [[Kericho]] district enjoys a worldwide reputation, but [[horticulture]] is an important part of the district's economy and cattle raising is also practised to a large extent.

The full economic potential of the Rift Valley region is, however, far from fully exploited, though the current growth in population and improved education may change this in a near future.  People in the province are still mostly rural, but [[urbanisation]] is gradually increasing; new cities and towns contain the rural-urban migration and, provided the right policies are instituted, the Rift Valley province will be able to emerge as a national economic and cultural hub.

== Ethnicity ==
The Rift Valley is home to various communities. The people of the Rift Valley are a mesh work of different ethnic identities, and the [[Kalenjin people|Kalenjin]] and the [[Maasai people|Maasai]] are two of the best known ethnic groups.  Most of Kenya's top runners come from the [[Kalenjin people|Kalenjin]] community.  The [[Maasai people]] have the most recognizable cultural identity, both nationally and internationally, and serve as Kenya's international cultural symbol.

==Villages and settlements==
{{columns-list|colwidth=10em|
* [[Baraton]]
* [[Bartimaro]]
* [[Burgich]]
* [[Chamagel]]
* [[Chebara]]
* [[Cheboin]]
* [[Chemosiet]]
* [[Chemuswa]]
* [[Chepkum]]
* [[Cheptonge]]
* [[Chepunyal]]
* [[Chororget]]
* [[Cokereria]]
* [[Dol Dol]]
* [[Emdin]]
* [[Enangiperi]]
* [[Gichage]]
* [[Gituandaga]]
* [[Goroba]]
* [[Ilbisil]]
* [[Ilpartimaro]]
* [[Ilyagaleni]]
* [[Jamji]]
* [[Kabaldamet]]
* [[Kabetwa]]
* [[Kabisaga]]
* [[Kabungwa]]
* [[Kaiboi]]
* [[Kaitui]]
* [[Kalema]]
* [[Kamamut]]
* [[Kamnunguuawa]]
* [[Kampi ya Bibi]]
* [[Kampi ya Simba]]
* [[Kamugeno]]
* [[Kamwaura]]
* [[Kanyarkwat]]
* [[Kap Sarok]]
* [[Kapchebelel]]
* [[Kapchorewe]]
* [[Kapsamonget]]
* [[Kapsaos]]
* [[Kapteren]]
* [[Kapuset]]
* [[Karero]]
* [[Kauro]]
* [[Kebenet]]
* [[Kenegut]]
* [[Kerisa]]
* [[Kibebetiet]]
* [[Kiberengi]]
* [[Kibingor]]
* [[Kiligis]]
* [[Kimana]]
* [[Kiminini]]
* [[Koiparak]]
* [[Koitilial]]
* [[Kongelai]]
* [[Korikabemitik]]
* [[Kosipirr]]
* [[Kukurna]]
* [[Kunyao]]
* [[Lamuria]]
* [[Lengesim]]
* [[Logumukum]]
* [[Loichangamatak]]
* [[Lokwakangole]]
* [[Lolnguswa]]
* [[Lomelo]]
* [[Lomut]]
* [[Lorugumu]]
* [[Loruth]]
* [[Lossom]]
* [[Lotongot]]
* [[Machege]]
* [[Mailua]]
* [[Makandara]]
* [[Marashoni]]
* [[Mbagathi]]
* [[Melewa]]
* [[Miti ya Hunter]]
* [[Mogwooni]]
* [[Morkwijit]]
* [[Mtembur]]
* [[Mugus]]
* [[Muriling]]
* [[Murua Korg]]
* [[Musereita]]
* [[Nakinglas]]
* [[Ndamichoni]]
* [[Ndiuini]]
* [[Nganukonharengak]]
* [[Nkidongi]]
* [[Nyangoso]]
* [[Nyaru]]
* [[Ole Seni]]
* [[Olengarua]]
* [[Olkeramatian]]
* [[Oloiyangalani]]
* [[Olokurto]]
* [[Orwa]]
* [[Samuli]]
* [[Sigoor Camp]]
* [[Subuku]]
* [[Thuthuriki]]
* [[Yatya]]
}}

==See also==
* [[Kerio River]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{commons category-inline}}

{{First and second-level administrative divisions of Kenya}}
{{Great Rift Valley, Kenya}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Rift Valley Province| ]]
[[Category:Provinces of Kenya]]
[[Category:Great Rift Valley]]
[[Category:Former provinces]]
[[Category:2013 disestablishments in Kenya]]