El Wak, also Elwak, is a town in
Kenya
Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
, on the international border with
Somalia
Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...
. The name El Wak translates into "the well of God". There are about 50 wells spread across the town, each approximately 60 feet deep with interconnected underground passages.
Location
The town is located in
Mandera County
Mandera County is a county in northeastern Kenya, bordering Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the east, and Wajir County to the south. It is predominantly home to the Somali community, with a population of about 983,000 (2024)nullified, makin ...
, in extreme north eastern Kenya, approximately northeast of
Wajir
Wajir () is the capital of Wajir County in Kenya. It is situated in the former North Eastern Province.
History
A cluster of cairns near Wajir are generally ascribed by the local inhabitants to the Maadiinle, a semi-legendary people of high ...
, the nearest large town. El Wak, Kenya is approximately , southwest of the town of
Mandera
Mandera (a) is the capital of Mandera County in the former North Eastern Province of Kenya. It is situated at around , near the borders with Somalia and Ethiopia.
Districts
Mandera was the capital of the former Mandera District.
As a whole ...
, where the county headquarters are located. The coordinates of the town are: 2°48'10.0"N, 40°55'39.0"E (Latitude:2.802771; Longitude:40.927510).
Overview
The town, which lies approximately halfway between Wajir and Mandera, is the southern end of the proposed
Elwak–Mandera Road. Directly across the border from El Wak is the neighbourhood in Somalia called ''Bur Ache'', in the greater
El Wak, Somalia area.
The town has a new airstrip
Elwak Airport, opened in February 2016.
See also
*
List of roads in Kenya
References
External links
Website of Kenya National Highways Authority The Road to El Wak, Mandera
{{coord, 02, 48, 10, N, 40, 55, 39, E, region:KE_type:city, display=title
Populated places in Mandera County
Kenya–Somalia border crossings
Divided cities