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Thika (pronounced (:ˈθika)) is an industrial town in Kiambu County, Kenya, lying on the A2 road north east of Nairobi, near the confluence of the Thika and Chania Rivers. Although Thika town is administratively in Kiambu County, the greater Thika area comprising such residential areas such as Bendor estate, Maporomoko, Thika Greens, Thika Golden Pearl, Bahati Ridge, Thika Sports Club, Kahawa Sukari among others, are within Murang'a County. Thika has a population of 139,853〔 which is growing rapidly, as is the entire greater Nairobi area. Its elevation is approximately . Thika is home to the Chania Falls, Fourteen Falls on the Athi river and the Thika Falls, Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park lies to the southeast. The town has a railway station with limited passenger service as only cargo trains operate, although there are plans to extend the proposed light rail system to Thika. The town is currently the headquarters of Thika West district following the split of the larger Thika district (created in 1994) into five districts: Thika East and Thika West, Ruiru, Gatundu and Gatanga. It is the seat of the South Central regional commissioner (deputy Provincial Commissioner) for Central Province appointed by president Mwai Kibaki in 2009 who is in charge of the larger Kiambu, Thika and Murang'a districts. However, under Kenya's new constitution, which recognizes only the 47 districts in existence before 1992 as semi-autonomous counties, Thika falls under Kiambu County. Although Kiambu Town is expected to be the new county headquarters, it should remain the main commercial centre as well as the seat of the Thika Subcounty of the Kiambu County. The town is famous as the prime pineapple-growing region in Kenya, the Chania and Thika falls near the confluence of the respective rivers and as a gateway to the "Fourteen Falls" near Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park, which is used as a popular picnic and corporate recreation site. Thika is known as a centre for light industry, especially in food and horticulture processing. However, the decline of the textile industry has hit local firms such as Kenya Textile Mills (KTM), which was a cotton-to-fabric manufacturer that competed against Egyptian and Chinese manufacturers. Nevertheless, recent growth has been accentuated by the growth of the service sector, especially in education and finance. ''The Flame Trees of Thika (Memories of an African Childhood)'' is a book by Elspeth Huxley, later adapted for television by Euston Films for Thames Television. It describes the life of English settlers in the "White Highlands" in Edwardian times. ==History== There are two explanations for the origin of the name Thika. One has it coming from the Kikuyu word ''Guthika'', meaning "to bury". During a great drought, the Maasai people ventured outside of their normal territories looking for water for their huge herds of cattle. Two rivers pass through Kikuyu land, the Thika and the Chania, providing sustenance for the agricultural Kikuyu. With both tribes desperate for survival, they fought a bloody battle that left few survivors. A mound near Blue Posts Hotel supposedly marks where the slain warriors were buried. Thika was also used a memorial burial site for soldiers who fought in World War II. The other theory claims it was derived from the Maasai word ''Sika'' meaning "rubbing something off an edge". In addition, the area was inhabited by the Akamba tribe and hence was a border region between three communities. Towards the end of the 19th century, outsiders began to settle in this outpost as a convenient resting spot between Nairobi and the upcountry highlands for British settlers. Europeans and Asians settled in Thika, the former setting up farms and the latter shops. A monument in the shape of a pillar was erected by the British in the early 1900s in the central business district of Thika, commemorating the founding of Thika as a town. The town was given its status by the government gazette in 1924. Thereafter it was elevated to a municipality when Kenya gained independence in 1963, and the first mayor was chosen in 1968. The town has historical sites like the Mugumo Gardens, which is named for the giant fig tree where the ancient legendary seer Mugo wa Kibiro prophesied. Believers claim that all of his prophesies have come to pass. According to legend, the fall of the tree would symbolise the fall of British rule in Kenya. The British government reinforced the tree to prevent it from falling but it split into two parts and fell in two stages in 1963. This land is said to have belonged to the first president, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Thika」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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