Embu County

Embu County (until 2010 Embu District ) is a county in the province of Eastern in Kenya. The capital of the county is Embu. In County 2009 516.212 people lived on 2555.9 km ². The County is divided into five divisions: Central, Kyeni, Manyatta, Nembure and Runyenjes. The climate is semi- arid.

Topography and Geology

The County is located on Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Ranges, therefore, the soil consists of Nitisol, Andosol, Vertisol, Cambisol and Ferrosol.

Economy

Approximately 60 % of the population in Embu County living from agriculture, 56 % of people live below the poverty line here. Mainly corn, mangoes, beans and broad beans, pawpaw, coffee beans, avocado, bananas, cotton, sunflower, mung and cowpea are grown.

Health service

The County has five state hospitals, three health centers and more than 80 privately run clinics. At a doctor in 2005 were approximately 10,500 patients. It will be mainly dealt malaria, respiratory infections, skin diseases and worm infestation. The HIV prevalence rate is about 26 %. The infant mortality rate in 2005 was 5.6%, 0.6 % of children die before their 5th birthday.