Coast numbers grew 29pc, but Lamu trails the pack

Four of the six coastal counties have more men than women, data from the national population census show.

Mombasa, Taita Taveta, Tana River and Lamu have a combined male population of 1,018,247 compared to 990,577 women.

Individually, Mombasa has the highest variance at 12,211, while Tana River has the lowest at 1,159.

The data contained in the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing census released yesterday show that only Kilifi and Kwale counties have more members of the fairer sex at 748,673 and 441,681 respectively.

Kilifi has 704,089 men while Kwale has 425,121.

The total population in the six coastal counties is 4,283,095 representing nine per cent of the country’s total population of 47,213,282.

This is an increase of 29 per cent from the 2009 census which placed the region’s population at 3,325,307.

Mombasa is the second most densely populated county in the country, holding 5,495 people per square kilometre. It trails Nairobi which has a population density of 6,247.

The census was undertaken by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) between August 24 and 31.

The figures also show that Mombasa has the highest number of intersex people among the coastal counties at 30, followed by Kilifi (25), Kwale (18), Lamu (four) and Tana River (two).

Nyali sub-county has the highest number of intersex people at the coastal region at 12, followed by Rabai (nine) and Kisauni (six).

Five per cent of the country’s 1,524 intersex people live in the coastal region, the data shows.

Among coastal sub-counties, the data shows that Malindi has the highest population at 333,226, followed by Kisauni at 291,930 and Likoni (250,358).

Sub counties with high population are Nyali at 216,577, Kilifi South 206,753 and Samburu-Kwale 202,235.

Mombasa also has the highest number of households at 378,422 with Lamu having the lowest at 37,963. Others are Kilifi at 298,472, Kwale 173,176, Taita Taveta 96,429 and Tana River 68,242.

Kauma sub-county in Kilifi supports the largest numbers of people per household at 6.5 while Changwamwe in Mombasa supports the lowest at 2.8.

The population census is key in government planning and distribution of resources.