Capital City
Iten
County Code
EMK
Location
Introduction
Elgeyo-Marakwet is a county in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, renowned for its breathtaking and dramatic landscapes. Its capital is Iten, a small town perched on the edge of the formidable Keiyo Escarpment, which offers stunning views of the Kerio Valley below. The county’s topography is a defining feature, characterized by the highlands of the Cherangani Hills on one side and the deep, arid Kerio Valley on the other, creating a region of stark and beautiful contrasts.
The county is famously known as the “Home of Champions” because its high-altitude environment has produced a remarkable number of world-class long-distance runners. Aspiring athletes from all over the world flock to Iten to train in its ideal conditions. The local economy is primarily based on agriculture, with tea, maize, and potatoes grown in the highlands, while livestock farming is common in the valley.
