Important Facts For Prelims
Lamu Region in Kenya
- 06 Jan 2020
- 2 min read
Why in News
Somalia’s Al-Shabaab group has attacked a military base used by the United States of America (USA), and Kenyan forces in Kenya’s coastal Lamu region.
Lamu Region
- Lamu Island is located on the eastern coast of Kenya.
- Lamu is one of the oldest and the best-preserved living settlements among the Swahili towns (in Arabic Swahili means "of the coast") on the East African coast.
- The old town is thus a unique and rare historical living heritage with more than 700 years of continuous settlement.
- It is built on coral stone and mangrove timber and is characterized by structural forms such as inner courtyards, verandas, and elaborately carved wooden doors.
- It was one of the most important trade centres in East Africa before other towns such as Zanzibar and Mombasa took over.
- Lamu represents the Swahili culture, resulting from the interaction between the Bantu, Arabs, Persians, Indians, and Europeans.
- Lamu has hosted major Muslim religious festivals since the 19th century and has become a significant centre for the study of Islamic and Swahili cultures.
- It is recognised as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
