Top 20 Smallest Counties in Kenya (2024)

Smallest Counties In Kenya – The Kenyan territory was subdivided into 47 counties –each of them to be headed by a county government. Previously, Kenya had districts that were established as per the provisions of the 1992 Districts of Kenya but after the 2013 general elections, county governments were created –a total of 47 counties with their names provided in the First Schedule of the Constitution of Kenya. Kenya’s new 47 counties are subdivided from the former eighth provinces which are Coastal, Eastern, North Eastern, Rift Valley, Central, Western, Nairobi, and Nyanza Provinces.

Meanwhile, this article is a survey of the 20 Smallest Counties in Kenya based on their land sizes.

Top 20 Smallest Counties in Kenya

1. Mombasa County

Mombasa County is Kenya’s county with the smallest landmass. The county’s meager land area occupies a total of 212.5 square kilometers and it is one of the prominent counties situated in Kenya’s former Coast Province.

2. Vihiga County

With a small landmass that covers 531.3 square kilometers, Vihiga County dominates the second spot of Kenya’s smallest counties. Meanwhile, Vihiga County is one of the Kenyan counties located in the Western Province.

3. Nairobi County

This county comes third –just behind Vihiga County –on the list of Kenya’s smallest counties. Nairobi County is Kenya’s chief county because it houses Kenya’s capital city –Nairobi. Also, Nairobi County is the only county situated in the former Nairobi Province of Kenya. As regards its land area, Nairobi County covers a total of 694.9 square kilometers.

Besides, Nairobi County is considered one of the richest Kenyan counties since a significant number of Kenyan dignitaries are found in its luxurious residential quarters.

4. Nyamira County

Nyamira County covers a total of 912.5 square kilometers out of Kenya’s entire landmass of 581, 309.03. Likewise, the county is one of the well known Kenyan counties located in the former Nyanza Province of Kenya. Amongst the several other Kenyan counties in this Province are Kisii, Migori, Homa Bays, Kisumu, and Siaya.

5. Kirinyaga County

Kirinyaga County is associated with a land area of 1,205.4 square kilometers and this classifies it as the fifth smallest county in Kenya. Like several other Kenyan counties, Kirinyaga County is situated in Kenya’s former Central Province.

6. Kisii County

Just like Nyamira County, Kisii County is located around the former Nyanza Province of Kenya. Associated with a landmass of 1,317.9 square kilometers, Kisii County is regarded as the sixth smallest county in Kenya.

7. Busia County

Busia County is among the four counties located in the former Western Province of Kenya –the three others being Bungoma, Vihiga, and Kakamega Counties. With regard to its land area, Busia County accounts for 1,628.4 square kilometers out of Kenya’s entire landmass.

8. Bomet County

With a landmass of 1,997.9 square kilometers, Bomet County is Kenya’s eighth smallest county. The county is situated in the renowned former Rift Valley Province of Kenya –the Province with the highest number of counties.

9. Kisumu County

Alongside several other Kenyan counties, Kisumu County is located in the former Nyanza Province of Kenya. The county occupies a small patch of 2,009.5 square kilometers out of Kenya’s total land area and this makes it the ninth smallest county in Kenya.

10. Murang’a County

Alongside Kirinyaga, Nyeri, and two other counties, Murang’a County is one of the famous counties in Kenya’s former Central Province. Meanwhile, the landmass of Murang’a County occupies about 2,325.8 square kilometers.

11. Nyeri County

In addition to Murang’a and three other counties, Nyeri County is located in the former Central Province of Kenya. Also, its land area makes up 2,361.0 square kilometers out of Kenya’s entire landmass.

12. Tharaka Nithi County

Alongside Kitui, Embu, and 5 other counties, Tharaka Nithi County is located in Kenya’s former Eastern Province. With respect to its small landmass, Tharaka Nithi County makes up only 2,409.5 square kilometers out of Kenya’s overall land area.

13. Kiambu County

Though Kiambu County is one of the smallest Kenyan counties, it ranks impressively in the aspect of wealth. Based on the GDP statistics recorded for Kenyan counties, Kiambu County appears among the top 10 richest counties in Kenya. In the aspect of the land area, Kiambu County makes up a total of 2, 449.2 square kilometers. Likewise, it is one of the counties in the former Central Province of Kenya. The other counties within this Province are Murang’a, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, and Nyandarau.

14. Trans Nzola

Trans Nzola County is not only one of the smallest Kenyan counties but also one of the counties existing around the former Kenyan Province of Rift Valley –one of Kenya’s provincial divisions. With regard to its land area, Trans Nzola County makes up 2,469.9 square kilometers of Kenya’s entire landmass.

15. Embu County

Embu County is one of the counties situated in the former Eastern Province of Kenya. Meanwhile, the former Eastern Province comprises eight counties which are Makueni, Machakos, Kitui, Embu, Tharaki Nithi, Meru, Isiolo, and Marsabit. As regards its land size, Embu County spans across 2,555.9 square kilometers.

16. Nandi County

Nandi County covers a portion of 2,884.5 square kilometers out of Kenya’s overall landmass. The county is also one of the famous counties around Kenya’s former Province of Rift Valley.

17. Uasin Gishu

Uasin Gishu is another Kenyan county situated in the former Kenyan Province of Rift Valley. Some of the other provincial counties surrounding Uasin Gishu are Baringo, Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet, Laikipia, etc. As regards landmass, Uasin Gishu occupies about 2,955.3 square kilometers.

18. Bungoma County

Bungoma County is one of the Kenyan counties in the former Western Province of Kenya –the others being Busia, Vihiga, and Kakamega. Inland mass, Bungoma County stretches up to 3,033.8 square kilometers and this makes it the eighteenth smallest county in Kenya.

19. Elgeyo Marakwet County

Elgeyo Marakwet County is one of the counties situated in the former Rift Valley Province of Kenya. This county has a total of 3,049.7 square kilometers in landmass.

20. Nyandarau County

Nyandarau County is among the 5 counties in the former Central Province of Kenya. With a landmass of 3, 107.7 square kilometers, the country comes last on our list of Top 20 Smallest Counties in Kenya.

That’s all on the List of Smallest Counties In Kenya.

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