Kitale

Kitale
Municipality
Downtown Kitale
Nickname: 
KTL
Kitale is located in Kenya
Kitale
Kitale
Location in Kenya
Coordinates: 1°01′N 35°00′E / 1.017°N 35.000°E / 1.017; 35.000
Country Kenya
CountyTrans-Nzoia County
Elevation
1,900 m (6,200 ft)
Population
 (2019)
 • Total
162174
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)
Postal code
30200

Kitale is a town in the north west of Kenya, within the county of Trans Nzoia which was formerly in the former Rift Valley province prior to the creation of the 2010 constitution. The town lies between Mount Elgon and the Cherang'any Hills. It has an elevation of around 1900 metres (6200 ft). Its population was 162,174 as of 2019. It is the location of Kitale Airport.

The National Museum of Western Kenya in Kitale is a natural history museum.

Location

Kitale lies between Mount Elgon and Cherang'any Hills is 72.3 km (44.9 mi) by road north west of Eldoret.

History

In 1920, Arthur Champion, the colonial district commissioner, established a new administrative centre in the Trans Nzoia region, at the future site of the township of Kitale.

In 1930, locusts caused extensive damage to crops.

Places of Interest

Neighborhoods

Kitale is subdivided into 8 Wards totaling 167 (km²) of area.

Ward Area (km²)
Tuwan 5
Matisi 38
Sirende 14
Waitaluk 18
Bidil 32
Hospital 34
Kinyoro 19
Kapomboi 7

Climate

Kitale has a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb) very closely bordering on Cwb.

Climate data for Kitale (1961–1990, extremes 1921–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 36.0
(96.8)		 35.2
(95.4)		 37.8
(100.0)		 33.0
(91.4)		 33.3
(91.9)		 29.2
(84.6)		 27.8
(82.0)		 30.0
(86.0)		 29.8
(85.6)		 29.8
(85.6)		 33.0
(91.4)		 33.6
(92.5)		 37.8
(100.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 27.0
(80.6)		 27.7
(81.9)		 27.5
(81.5)		 25.8
(78.4)		 24.8
(76.6)		 24.1
(75.4)		 23.3
(73.9)		 23.7
(74.7)		 24.8
(76.6)		 25.1
(77.2)		 24.9
(76.8)		 25.7
(78.3)		 25.4
(77.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) 18.8
(65.8)		 19.5
(67.1)		 19.8
(67.6)		 19.3
(66.7)		 18.7
(65.7)		 17.9
(64.2)		 17.4
(63.3)		 17.5
(63.5)		 17.9
(64.2)		 18.3
(64.9)		 18.1
(64.6)		 18.1
(64.6)		 18.4
(65.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 10.5
(50.9)		 11.4
(52.5)		 12.0
(53.6)		 12.9
(55.2)		 12.6
(54.7)		 11.7
(53.1)		 11.6
(52.9)		 11.3
(52.3)		 11.0
(51.8)		 11.5
(52.7)		 11.3
(52.3)		 10.5
(50.9)		 11.5
(52.7)
Record low °C (°F) 6.0
(42.8)		 6.0
(42.8)		 7.0
(44.6)		 7.4
(45.3)		 7.3
(45.1)		 7.0
(44.6)		 8.0
(46.4)		 6.5
(43.7)		 7.0
(44.6)		 7.0
(44.6)		 5.0
(41.0)		 5.8
(42.4)		 5.0
(41.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 20.4
(0.80)		 52.2
(2.06)		 102.5
(4.04)		 190.3
(7.49)		 198.4
(7.81)		 101.1
(3.98)		 123.3
(4.85)		 150.9
(5.94)		 102.8
(4.05)		 91.5
(3.60)		 90.9
(3.58)		 34.8
(1.37)		 1,259.1
(49.57)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 8 13 14 13 17 15 13 14 13 7 5 5 137
Average relative humidity (%) 50 52 54 66 70 70 73 72 67 63 63 56 63
Mean monthly sunshine hours 257.3 218.4 226.3 195.0 210.8 207.0 192.2 201.5 210.0 223.2 207.0 254.2 2,602.9
Mean daily sunshine hours 8.3 7.8 7.3 6.5 6.8 6.9 6.2 6.5 7.0 7.2 6.9 8.2 7.1
Source 1: NOAA
Source 2: Deutscher Wetterdienst (humidity, 1961–1990), Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)

References

  1. 1 2 "2009 Census Vol 1 Table 3 Rural and Urban Population". Archived from the original on 2016-07-29. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  2. ↑ "Kenya: Provinces, Major Cities, Towns & Urban Centers - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de.
  3. ↑ "The 40 Highest Towns and Cities in Africa". Archived from the original on 2013-03-17. Retrieved 2013-05-23.
  4. ↑ "Kitale". 2019.
  5. ↑ "List of All Postal Codes in Kenya". 26 March 2019.
  6. ↑ "About Kenyan Museums". Kenyan Museums. Archived from the original on 2013-11-11. Retrieved 2008-01-05.
  7. ↑ E.A.W.L, Trans Nzoia Branch (1969). "Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Hoey". Trans–Nzoia Scrap Book 1969.
  8. ↑ Nicholls, Christine (4 November 2014). "The Founding of Kitale". oldafricamagazine.com. Old Africa Magazine. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  9. ↑ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  10. ↑ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  11. ↑ "About Us – Kitale Municipality". Retrieved 2025-08-14.
  12. ↑ "Kitale Climate Normals 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (FTP). Retrieved July 6, 2015. (To view documents see Help:FTP)
  13. ↑ "Klimatafel von Kitale / Kenia" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Station Kitale" (in French). Meteo Climat. Retrieved August 31, 2016.

1°01′N 35°00′E / 1.017°N 35.000°E / 1.017; 35.000