Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya, with a population of over one million people. A regional cultural and economic hub, Mombasa has a prominent port and an international airport, and is an important regional tourism centre. Situated on the east coast of Kenya, in Coast Province, Mombasa's bordering the Indian Ocean made it a historical trading centre, and it was successively controlled by many countries due to its strategic location. Administratively, Mombasa is the capital of Mombasa District. The current mayor is Ahmed Abubakar Mohdhar.
The city with a population of 939,370, as per the 2009 census, is located on Mombasa Island and sprawls to the surrounding mainlands.The island is separated from the mainland by two creeks: Tudor Creek and Kilindini Harbour. It is connected to the mainland to the north by the Nyali Bridge, to the south by the Likoni Ferry and to the west by the Makupa Causeway, alongside which runs the Kenya-Uganda Railway. The port serves both Kenya and countries of the interior, linking them to the Ocean. The city is served by Moi International Airport located in the northwest mainland suburb of Chaani, northwest of Changamwe area.
The city is mainly occupied by the Mijikenda and Swahili people. Other communities found are the Arabs, Akamba, Luo and Kikuyu. The major religions practiced are Christianity and Islam. Over the centuries, there have been many immigrants and traders who settled in Mombasa, particularly from Iran, the Middle East, Somalia and the Indian sub-continent, who came mainly as traders and skilled craftsmen
