Nairobi is East Africa's most important commercial, manufacturing, financial, and tourist center. Since independence, Nairobi has practiced import substitution—that is, the production of goods that formerly had to be imported. Important industries include food processing; motor vehicle assembly; and the production of beer, cigarettes, auto parts, textiles, and clothing. The railways also employ a significant percentage of Nairobi residents. National and multinational banking and insurance companies have headquarters in Nairobi. The city also receives significant revenues from tourism.
Nairobi is a regional hub for air, road, and rail travel. The city is linked to the Kenyan coast, the Lake Victoria and Mount Kenya regions, and neighboring Uganda by rail and all-weather roads. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, located southeast of Nairobi, is the nation's largest airport, while Wilson Airport to the south serves charter and private flights within the region. Population growth severely taxed Nairobi's public transportation system in the 1990s, and the proliferation of small private taxis, known as matatus, has caused traffic congestion, especially in the city center. Many of the city's streets and highways are regularly in poor condition and subject to floods in times of heavy rainfall.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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