Tharaka-Nithi County is one of the 47 counties of Kenya located in Kenya located in the eastern Mount Kenya region. The county has an area of 2609 km and as of the 2019 census a population of 393,177. It is home to the Meru people.
Tharaka-Nithi County is home to the Chuka, Muthambi, Mwimbi and Tharaka subgroups of the Ameru community. The people of Tharaka-Nithi County are predominantly Christian, with Catholics, Presbyterians, and Methodists being the predominant religious communities.
Mount Kenya (Meru: Kĩrĩmaara, Kikuyu: Kĩrĩmanyaga, or "Kīrī-nyaga", Kamba: Ki nyaa, Embu: Kĩ nyaga) is the second-highest peak in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian (5,199 metres (17,057 feet)), Nelion (5,188 m (17,021 ft)) and Point Lenana (4,985 m (16,355 ft)). Mount Kenya is located in the former Eastern and Central provinces of Kenya; its peak is now the intersection of Meru, Embu, Kirinyaga, Nyeri and Tharaka Nithi counties, about 16.5 kilometres (10.3 miles) south of the equator, around 150 km (90 mi) north-northeast of the capital Nairobi. Mount Kenya is the source of the name of the Republic of Kenya.
Mount Kenya is a volcano created approximately 3 million years after the opening of the East African Rift. Before glaciation, it was 7,000 m (23,000 ft) high. It was covered by an ice cap for thousands of years. This has resulted in very eroded slopes and numerous valleys radiating from the peak. There are currently 11 small glaciers, which are shrinking rapidly, and may disappear by 2050. The forested slopes are an important source of water for much of Kenya.
Embu County is a county in the Eastern Mt Kenya region in Kenya. As of 2024 its estimated population is 608,599 making it the 37th most populous county in Kenya. The county borders Kirinyaga to the west, Kitui to the east, Tharaka Nithi to the north and Machakos to the south.The county occupies an area of 2,821 km. The county is home to the Aembu and Mbeere ethnic communities. Its capital and largest town is Embu, Other urban centers include Runyenjes, Kiritiri and Siakago.
Embu County is one of the most economically stable counties in Kenya. Embu has the highest literacy rate in Kenya (94%), 5th highest human development index , 7th Largest gdp per Capita and the 4th lowest poverty rates in Kenya. Embu county is divided in 20 electoral wards and 4 constituencies that is Runyenjes, Manyatta , Mbeere North and Mbeere South Constituency .