ZANZIBAR SPECIMEN NEWSPAPER WRAPPER POSTAL STATIONERY MINT UNUSED |
Zanzibar (/ˈzænzɪbɑːr/; Swahili: Zanzibar; Arabic: زنجبار, romanized: zanjibār) is aninsular semi-autonomous province which unitedwith Tanganyika in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania. It is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean,25–50 km (16–31 mi) off the coast of the African mainland, and consists of many small islandsand two large ones: Unguja (themain island, referred to informally as Zanzibar) and Pemba Island.The capital is Zanzibar City, located on the island of Unguja. Itshistoric centre, StoneTown, is a World Heritage Site.
Zanzibar's main industries are spices, raffia and tourism.[6] Inparticular, the islands produce cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and black pepper.For this reason, the Zanzibar Archipelago, together with Tanzania's Mafia Island,are sometimes referred to locally as the "Spice Islands". Tourism in Zanzibar is a more recentactivity, driven by government promotion that caused an increase from 19,000tourists in 1985,[7] to 376,000 in 2016.[8] The islands are accessible via5 ports and the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport,which can serve up to 1.5 million passengers per year.[9]
Zanzibar's marine ecosystem isan important part of the economy for fishing and algaculture andcontains important marine ecosystems that act as fish nurseries for IndianOcean fish populations. Moreover, the land ecosystem is the home of the endemic Zanzibar red colobus, the Zanzibar servaline genet, and the extinct orrare Zanzibar leopard.[10][11] Pressurefrom the tourist industry and fishing as well as larger threats such as sea level rise causedby climate change are creating increasing environmental concerns throughout theregion.[12]
The word Zanzibar came from Arabic zanjibār (زنجبار [zandʒibaːr]), whichis in turn from Persian zangbâr (زنگبار [zæŋbɒːɾ]), acompound of Zang (زنگ [zæŋ],"black") + bâr (بار [bɒːɾ],"coast"),[13][14][15] cf.the Sea of Zanj.The name is one of several toponyms sharingsimilar etymologies, ultimately meaning "land ofthe blacks" or similar meanings, in reference to the dark skin ofthe inhabitants.
Main article: History of Zanzibar
The presence of microliths suggeststhat Zanzibar has been home to humans for at least 20,000 years,[16] which was the beginning of the Later Stone Age.
A Greco-Roman text between the 1st and 3rd centuries, the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, mentionedthe island of Menuthias (Ancient Greek: Μενουθιάς), which isprobably Unguja.[17] Zanzibar,like the nearby coast, was settled by Bantu speakersat the outset of the first millennium. Archaeological finds at Fukuchani, onthe northwest coast of Zanzibar, indicate a settled agricultural and fishingcommunity from the 6th century at the latest. The considerable amount of daub foundindicates timber buildings, and shell beads, bead grinders, and iron slag havebeen found at the site. There is evidence of limited engagement inlong-distance trade: a small amount of imported pottery has been found, lessthan 1% of total pottery finds, mostly from the Gulf and dated to the 5th to8th century. The similarity to contemporary sites such as Mkokotoni and Dar esSalaam indicates a unified group of communities that developed into the firstcenter of coastal maritime culture. The coastal towns appear to have beenengaged in Indian Ocean and inland African trade at this early period.[18] Trade rapidly increased inimportance and quantity beginning in the mid-8th century and by the close ofthe 10th century Zanzibar was one of the central Swahili trading towns.[19]: 46
Excavations at nearby Pemba Island, but especially at Shanga inthe Lamu Archipelago, provide the clearest picture of architecturaldevelopment. Houses were originally built with timber (circa 1050) and later inmud with coral walls (circa 1150). The houses were continually rebuilt withmore permanent materials. By the 13th century, houses were built with stone,and bonded with mud, and the 14th century saw the use of lime to bond stone.Only the wealthier patricians would have had stone and lime built houses, thestrength of the materials allowing for flat roofs, while the majority of thepopulation lived in single-story thatched houses similar to those from the 11thand 12th centuries. According to John Middleton and Mark Horton, thearchitectural style of these stone houses have no Arab or Persian elements, andshould be viewed as an entirely indigenous development of local vernaculararchitecture. While much of Zanzibar Town's architecture was rebuilt duringOmani rule, nearby sites elucidate the general development of Swahili, andZanzibari, architecture before the 15th century.[19]: 119
From the 9th century, Swahili merchants on Zanzibar operated asbrokers for long-distance traders from both the hinterland and Indian Oceanworld. Persian, Indian, and Arab traders frequented Zanzibar to acquire EastAfrican goods like gold, ivory, and ambergris and then shipped them overseas toAsia. Similarly, caravan traders from the African Great Lakes and Zambezian Region cameto the coast to trade for imported goods, especially Indian cloth. Before thePortuguese arrival, the southern towns of Unguja Ukuu and Kizimkazi andthe northern town of Tumbatu werethe dominant centers of exchange. Zanzibar was just one of the many autonomouscity-states that dotted the East African littoral. These towns grew in wealthas the Swahili people served as intermediariesand facilitators to merchants and traders.[20] This interaction betweenCentral African and Indian Ocean cultures contributed in part to the evolutionof the Swahili culture, which developed anArabic-script literary tradition. Although a Bantu language, the Swahili language asa consequence today includes some borrowed elements, particularly loanwords from Arabic, though this was mostly a 19th-centuryphenomenon with the growth of Omani hegemony. Many foreign traders from Africaand Asia married into wealthy patrician families on Zanzibar. ParticularlyAsian men, who "wintered" on the coast for up to six months becauseof the prevailing monsoon wind patterns, married East African women. Since mostAsian traders were Muslim, their children inherited their paternal ethnicidentity, though East African matrilineal traditions remained key.[21][22]
Vasco da Gama's visit in 1498 marked the beginning ofEuropean influence. In 1503 or 1504, Zanzibar became part of the Portuguese Empire whenCaptain Ruy Lourenço Ravasco Marques landed and demanded and received tributefrom the sultan, in exchange for peace.[23]: page: 99 Zanzibarremained a possession of Portugal for almost two centuries. It initially becamepart of the Portuguese province of Arabia and Ethiopia and was administered bya governor general. Around 1571, Zanzibar became part of the western divisionof the Portuguese empire and was administered from Mozambique.[24]: page: 15 It appears,however, that the Portuguese did not closely administer Zanzibar. The firstEnglish ship to visit Unguja, the Edward Bonaventure in 1591,found that there was no Portuguese fort or garrison. The extent of theiroccupation was a trade depot where produce was purchased and collected forshipment to Mozambique. "In other respects, the affairs of the island weremanaged by the local 'king', the predecessor of the Mwinyi Mkuu of Dunga."[17]: page: 81 This hands-offapproach ended when Portugal established a fort on Pemba Island around 1635 inresponse to the Sultan of Mombasa'sslaughter of Portuguese residents several years earlier. Portugal had longconsidered Pemba to be a troublesome launching point for rebellions in Mombasaagainst Portuguese rule.[17]: page: 85
The precise origins of the sultans of Unguja are uncertain.However, their capital at Unguja Ukuu isbelieved to have been an extensive town. Possibly constructed by locals, it wascomposed mainly of perishable materials.[17]: page: 89
Main article: Sultanate of Zanzibar
The Portuguese arrived in East Africa in 1498, where they foundseveral independent towns on the coast, with Muslim Arabic-speaking elites.While the Portuguese travelers describe them as "black", they made aclear distinction between the Muslim and non-Muslim populations.[26] Their relations with theseleaders were mostly hostile, but during the sixteenth century, they firmlyestablished their power and ruled with the aid of tributary sultans. ThePortuguese presence was relatively limited, leaving administration in the handsof preexisting local leaders and power structures. This system lasted until1631, when the Sultan of Mombasa massacred the Portuguese inhabitants. For theremainder of their rule, the Portuguese appointed European governors. Thestrangling of trade and diminished local power led the Swahili elites inMombasa and Zanzibar to invite Omani aristocrats to assist them in driving theEuropeans out.[24]: page: 9
In 1698, Zanzibar came under the influence of the Sultanate of Oman.[27] There was a brief revolt against Omani rule in 1784.Local elites invited Omani merchant princes to settle in Zanzibar in the firsthalf of the nineteenth century, preferring them to the Portuguese. Many localstoday continue to emphasize that indigenous Zanzibaris had invited Seyyid Said,the first Busaidi sultan, to their island,[28] claiminga patron–client relationship with powerful families was a strategy used by manySwahili coast towns since at least the fifteenth century.[28]
In 1832[23]: page: 162 or 1840[29]: page: 2, 045 (thedate varies among sources), Said bin Sultan, Sultan of Muscat and Oman movedhis capital from Muscat,Oman to Stone Town. After Said's death in June 1856, two of hissons, Thuwaini bin Said and Majid bin Said, struggled over the succession. Said's will divided his dominionsinto two separate principalities,with Thuwaini to become the Sultan of Oman and Majid to become the first Sultan of Zanzibar; the brothers quarreledabout the will, which was eventually upheld by Charles Canning, 1st Earl Canning, GreatBritain's Viceroy and Governor-General of India.[23]: pages: 163–4 [24]: pages: 22–3
Until around 1890, the sultans of Zanzibar controlled asubstantial portion of the Swahili coast known as Zanj, which included Mombasa and Dar es Salaam.Beginning in 1886, Great Britain and Germany plotted to obtain parts of theZanzibar sultanate for their own empires.[29]: page: 188 In October1886, a British-German border commission established the Zanj as a10 nmi-wide (19 km) strip along most of the African Great Lakes region's coast, anarea stretching from CapeDelgado (now in Mozambique)to Kipini (nowin Kenya),including Mombasa and Dar es Salaam. Over the next few years, however, almostall of these mainland possessions were lost to European imperial powers.
The sultans developed an economy of trade and cash crops inthe Zanzibar Archipelago with a ruling Arab elite. Ivory was a major trade good. The archipelago,sometimes referred to by locals as the Spice Islands, was famous worldwide forits cloves and other spices, and plantations were developed to grow them. Thearchipelago's commerce gradually fell into the hands of traders from the Indian subcontinent, whom Said bin Sultanencouraged to settle on the islands.
During his 14-year reign as sultan, Majid bin Said consolidatedhis power around the east African slave trade. Malindi in ZanzibarCity was the Swahili Coast's main port for the slave trade with the MiddleEast. In the mid-19th century, as many as 50,000 slaves passed annually throughthe port.[citationneeded][30]
Many were captives of Tippu Tib,a notorious Arab/Swahili slave trader and ivory merchant. Tib led hugeexpeditions, some 4,000 strong, into the African interior, where chiefs soldhim their villagers for next to nothing. These Tib used to caravan ivory backto Zanzibar, then sold them in the slave market for large profits. In time, Tibbecame one of the wealthiest men in Zanzibar, the owner of multiple plantationsand 10,000 slaves.[31]
One of Majid's brothers, Barghash bin Said, succeeded him and wasforced to abolish the slave trade in the Zanzibar Archipelago by the British.He largely developed Unguja's infrastructure.[32] Another brother of Majid, Khalifa bin Said, was the third sultan ofZanzibar and furthered the relationship with the British, which led to thearchipelago's progress toward abolishing slavery.[23]: page: 172
Control of Zanzibar eventually came into the hands of the British Empire;part of the political impetus for this was the 19th century movement for the abolition of the slave trade. Zanzibar was thecenter of the east African slave trade. In 1822, CaptainMoresby, the British consul in Muscat pressed Sultan Said toend the slave trade by signing Moresby treaty.[33]
The Moresby Treaty was the first of a seriesof anti-slavery treaties with Britain. It prohibited slave transport south andeast of the Moresby Line, from Cape Delgado in Africa to Diu Head on the coastof India.[34] Saidlost the revenue he would have received as duty on all slaves sold, so to makeup for this shortfall he encouraged the development of the slave trade inZanzibar itself.[34] Saidcame under increasing pressure from the British to abolish slavery entirely. In1842, Britain told Said it wished to abolish the slave trade to Arabia, Oman,Persia, and the Red Sea.[35]
Ships from the Royal Navy wereemployed to enforce the anti-slavery treaties by capturing any dhows carrying slaves, but with only fourships patrolling a huge area of sea, the British navy found it hard to enforcethe treaties as ships from France, Spain, Portugal, and America continued tocarry slaves.[36] In 1856, Sultan Majid consolidated his power around the African Great Lakes slave trade. But in1873, Sir John Kirk informed his successor, Sultan Barghash, that a total blockade of Zanzibarwas imminent, and Barghash reluctantly signed the Anglo-Zanzibari treaty whichabolished the slave trade in the sultan's territories, closed all slave marketsand protected liberated slaves.[37]
The relationship between Britain and the German Empire,at that time the nearest relevant colonial power, was formalized by the 1890 Heligoland–Zanzibar Treaty, in which Germanyagreed to "recognize the British protectorate over ... the islands ofZanzibar and Pemba".[38]
In 1890 Zanzibar became a protectorate (nota colony) of Britain. This status meant it remained under the sovereignty ofthe Sultan of Zanzibar. Prime Minister Salisbury explained theBritish position:
The condition of a protecteddependency is more acceptable to the half civilised races, and more suitablefor them than direct dominion. It is cheaper, simpler, less wounding to theirself-esteem, gives them more career as public officials, and spares themunnecessary contact with white men.[39]
From 1890 to 1913, traditional viziers were in charge; they weresupervised by advisors appointed by the Colonial Office. However, in 1913 aswitch was made to a system of direct rule through residents (effectivelygovernors) from 1913. The death of the pro-British Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini on 25 August 1896 andthe succession of Sultan Khalid bin Barghash, whom the British did notapprove of, led to the Anglo-Zanzibar War. On the morning of 27August 1896, ships of the Royal Navy destroyedthe Beit al Hukum Palace. A cease-fire was declared 38 minutes later, andto this day the bombardment stands as the shortest war in history.[40]
Zanzibar became the birthplace of famed Britishsinger-songwriter of Queen, Freddie Mercury.
Main article: Zanzibar Revolution
On 10 December 1963,[41] theProtectorate that had existed over Zanzibar since 1890 was terminated by theUnited Kingdom. The United Kingdom did not grant Zanzibar independence as such,because the UK had never had sovereignty over Zanzibar. Rather, by the ZanzibarAct 1963 of the United Kingdom, the UK ended the Protectorate and madeprovision for full self-government in Zanzibar as an independent country withinthe Commonwealth. Upon the Protectorate being abolished, Zanzibar became a constitutional monarchy within theCommonwealth under the Sultan.[42]
However, just a month later, on 12 January 1964 Sultan Jamshid bin Abdullah was deposed during the Zanzibar Revolution.[43] The Sultan fled into exile,and the Sultanate was replaced by the People's Republic of Zanzibar, a socialistgovernment led by the Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP). Over 20,000people were killed – mostly Arabs and Indians – and many of them escaped thecountry as a consequence of the revolution.[44]
In April 1964, the republic merged with mainland Tanganyika. This United Republic ofTanganyika and Zanzibar was soon renamed, blending thetwo names, as the United Republic of Tanzania, within which Zanzibar remains anautonomous region.
The 2002 census is the most recent census for which results havebeen reported. The total population of Zanzibar was 984,625[45] –with an annual growth rate of 3.1 percent.[46] Thepopulation of Zanzibar City, which was the largest city, was 205,870.[46]
Around two-thirds of the people, 622,459, lived on Unguja (Zanzibar Island), with mostsettled in the densely populated west. Besides Zanzibar City, other towns onUnguja include Chaani, Mbweni, Mangapwani, Chwaka, and Nungwi. Outside of these towns, most peoplelive in small villages and are engaged in farming or fishing.[46]
The population of Pemba Island was362,166.[47] The largest town on the islandwas Chake-Chake,with a population of 19,283. The smaller towns are Wete and Mkoani.[46]
MafiaIsland, the other major island of the Zanzibar Archipelago butadministered by mainland Tanzania (Tanganyika), had a total population of40,801.[48] Ethnicorigins[edit]
The people of Zanzibar are of diverse ethnic origins.[51] The first permanent residentsof Zanzibar seem to have been the ancestors of the Bantu Hadimu and Tumbatu, who began arriving from the African Great Lakes mainland around AD1000. They belonged to various mainland ethnic groups and on Zanzibar,generally lived in small villages. They did not coalesce to form largerpolitical units.
During Zanzibar's brief period of independence in the early1960s, the major political cleavage was between the Shirazi (ZanzibarAfricans), who made up approximately 56% of the population, and the ZanzibarArabs—the bulk of whom arrived from Oman in the 1800s—made up approximately 17%.[52][53] Today,Zanzibar is inhabited mostly by ethnic Swahili.[46] Thereare also a number of Arabs,as well as some ethnic Persian, Somalis, and Indian people.[54]
Zanzibaris speak Swahili (Kiswahili),a Bantu language that is extensively spokenin the African Great Lakes region. Swahili isthe de facto national and official language ofTanzania. Many local residents also speak Arabic, English, Italian and French.[55] The dialect of Swahili spokenin Zanzibar is called kiunguja.Kiunguja, which has a high percentage of Arabic loanwords, enjoys the status ofStandard Swahili not in Tanzania only but also in other countries, whereSwahili is spoken.[56]
Three distinct varieties of Arabic are in use in Zanzibar:Standard Arabic, OmaniArabic and Hadrami Arabic.Both vernacular varieties are falling out of use, although the Omani one isspoken by a larger group of people (probably, several hundreds). In parallel tothis, Standard Arabic, traditionally associated withthe Quran and Islam, is very popular not only among ethnicArabs but also among Muslims of various descent who inhabit Zanzibar.Nevertheless, Standard Arabic is mastered by very few people. This can beattributed to the aggressive policy of Swahilisation.Despite the prestige and importance the Arabic language once enjoyed, today itis no longer the dominant spoken language.[56]
Zanzibar's population is almost entirely Muslim, with a smallChristian minority of around 22 000.[57] Otherreligious groups include Hindus, Jains and Sikhs.[58]
The Anglican Diocese of Zanzibar was foundedin 1892. The first Bishop of Zanzibar was Charles Smythies,who was translated from his former post as Bishop of Nyasaland.
Christ Church Cathedral had fallen into poor condition by thelate 20th century, but it was fully restored in 2016, at a cost of one million Euros, with a world heritage visitor centre.The restoration was supported by the Tanzanian and Zanzibari governments, andoverseen by the diocese in partnership with the World Monuments Fund.[59] The restoration of the spire,clock, and historic Willis organ are still outstanding.Historically the diocese included mainland locations in Tanganyika. In 1963 it was renamed as theDiocese of Zanzibar & Dar es Salaam. Two years later, in 1965, Dar esSalaam became a separate diocese. The original jurisdiction was renamed as theDiocese of Zanzibar & Tanga. In 2001 the mainland links were finally ended,and it is now known as the Diocese of Zanzibar. The diocese includesparishioners on the neighbouring island of Pemba.Ten bishops have served in the diocese from 1892 to the present day. The bishopis Michael Hafidh. It is part of the Province of Tanzania, under the Archbishopof All Tanzania, based at Dodoma.[60]
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Zanzibar,headquartered at the St. Joseph's Cathedral in Stone Town, wasestablished in 1980. An apostolic vicariate of Zanzibar had been established in1906, from a much larger East African jurisdiction. This was suppressed in1953, when the territory was put under control of the Kenyan church, but it wasrestored in 1964 after independence. The church created a diocese here shortlybefore Easter 1980.The bishop is Augustine Ndeliakyama Shao. Zanzibar is part of the RomanCatholic Province of Dar es Salaam, under the Archbishop of Dar es Salaam.[61]
Other Christian denominations include the Evangelical LutheranChurch of Tanzania which arrived in Zanzibar town in the 1960s,[62] and a wide range ofPentecostal-Charismatic Christian churches such as the Tanzania Assemblies ofGod, the Free Pentecostal Church of Tanzania, the Evangelical Assemblies ofGod, the Pentecostal Church of Tanzania, the Victory Church and the PentecostalEvangelistic Fellowship of Africa. Pentecostal-Charismatic churches have beenpresent and growing in Zanzibar since the 1980s in relation to economicliberalization and increased labor migration from mainland Tanzania inconnection to Zanzibar's expanding tourist sector. There are also Seventh Day Adventist and Baptist churches.[63]
Since 2005 there is also an inter-religious body called theJoint Committee of Religious Leaders for Peace (in Swahili Juhudi zaViongozi wa Dini kuimarisha Amani) with representatives from Musliminstitutions such as the Islamic law (Kadhi courts), religiousproperty (the Wakf and Trust commission), education (theMuslim academy) and the Mufti'soffice as well as representatives from the Roman Catholic, the Anglican and theLutheran church.[64]
Places ofworship
The places of worship inthe city are predominantly Muslim mosques.[65] There are also Christian churchesand temples: Roman Catholic Diocese of Zanzibar (Catholic Church), Anglican Church of Tanzania (Anglican Communion), Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (Lutheran World Federation), Baptist Convention of Tanzania (Baptist World Alliance), Assemblies of God.
As an autonomous part of Tanzania, Zanzibar has its own government,known as the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar. It ismade up of the Revolutionary Council and House of Representatives. The House ofRepresentatives has a similar composition to the National Assembly of Tanzania. Fifty membersare elected directly from constituencies to serve five-year terms; 10 membersare appointed by the President of Zanzibar; 15 special seats arefor women members of political parties that have representation in the House ofRepresentatives; six members serve ex officio,including all regional commissioners and the attorney general.[66] Five of these 81 members arethen elected to represent Zanzibar in the National Assembly.[67]
Unguja has three administrative regions: Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North and Zanzibar Urban/West. Pemba has two: Pemba North and Pemba South.[68]
Concerning the independence and sovereignty of Zanzibar,Tanzania Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda saidon 3 July 2008 that there was "nothing like the sovereignty of Zanzibar inthe Union Government unless the Constitution is changed in future".Zanzibar House of Representatives members from both the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi, and the opposition party, Civic United Front, disagreed and stood firmlyin recognizing Zanzibar as a fully autonomous state.[69]
See also: Zanzibar independence movement
Zanzibar has a government of national unity, with the presidentof Zanzibar being Hussein Ali Mwinyi, since 1 November 2020.There are many political parties in Zanzibar, but the most popular parties arethe Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and the Civic United Front (CUF). Since the early1990s, the politics of the archipelago have been marked by repeated clashesbetween these two parties.[citationneeded]
Contested elections in October 2000 led to a massacre on 27January 2001 when, according to Human Rights Watch, the army and police shotinto crowds of protestors, killing at least 35 and wounding more than 600.Those forces, accompanied by ruling party officials and militias, also went ona house-to-house rampage, indiscriminately arresting, beating, and sexuallyabusing residents. Approximately 2,000 temporarily fled to Kenya.[70]
Violence erupted again after another contested election on 31 October2005, with the CUF claiming that its rightful victory had been stolen from it.Nine people were killed.[71][72]
Following 2005, negotiations between the two parties aiming atthe long-term resolution of the tensions and a power-sharing accord took place,but they suffered repeated setbacks. The most notable of these took place inApril 2008, when the CUF walked away from the negotiating table following a CCMcall for a referendum to approve of what had been presented as a done deal onthe power-sharing agreement.[73]
In November 2009, the then-president of Zanzibar, Amani Abeid Karume, met with CUFsecretary-general Seif Sharif Hamad at the State House todiscuss how to save Zanzibar from future political turmoil and to end theanimosity between them.[74] Thismove was welcomed by many, including the United States.[75] It was the first time sincethe multi-party system was introduced inZanzibar that the CUF agreed to recognize Karume as the legitimate president ofZanzibar.[74]
A proposal to amend Zanzibar's constitution to allow rivalparties to form governments of national unity was adopted by 66.2 percent ofvoters on 31 July 2010.[76]
The autonomous status of Zanzibar is viewed as comparable to Hong Kong assuggested by some scholars, and with some recognizing the island as an"African Hong Kong".[77]
Nowadays, The Alliance for Change and Transparency-Wazalendois (ACT-Wazalendo)is considered the main opposition political party of semi-autonomous Zanzibar.The constitution of Zanzibar requires the party that comes in second in thepolls to join a coalition with the winning party. ACT-Wazalendo joined acoalition government with the islands' ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi inDecember 2020 after Zanzibar disputed elections.[78]
Main article: Zanzibar Archipelago
Zanzibar is one of the Indian Ocean islands. It is situated on the Swahili Coast,adjacent to Tanganyika (mainland Tanzania).
The northern tip of Unguja island is located at 5.72 degreessouth, 39.30 degrees east, with the southernmost point at 6.48 degrees south,39.51 degrees east.[79] Theisland is separated from the Tanzanian mainland by a channel, which at itsnarrowest point is 36.5 km (22.7 mi) across.[80] Theisland is about 85 km (53 mi) long and 39 km (24 mi) wide,[80] withan area of 1,464 km2 (565 sq mi).[81] Ungujais mainly low lying, with its highest point being 120 m (390 ft).[81] Ungujais characterised by beautiful sandy beaches with fringing coral reefs.[81] Thereefs are rich in marine biodiversity.[82]
The northern tip of Pemba island is located at 4.87 degrees south,39.68 degrees east, and the southernmost point is located at 5.47 degreessouth, 39.72 degrees east.[79] Theisland is separated from the Tanzanian mainland by a channel some 56 km(35 mi) wide.[80] Theisland is about 67 km (42 mi) long and 23 km (14 mi) wide,with an area of 985 km2 (380 sq mi).[80] Pembais also mainly low lying, with its highest point being 95 m (312 ft).[83]
See also: Climate of Tanzania
Zanzibar has a tropical monsoon climate (Am). The heat of summer (corresponding to theNorthern Hemisphere winter) is often cooled by strong sea breezes associatedwith the northeast monsoon (known as Kaskazi inKiswahili), particularly on the north and east coasts. Being near to theequator, the islands are warm year round. The rainfall regime is split into twomain seasons, a primary maximum in March, April, and May in association withthe southwest monsoon (known locally as Kusi inKiswahili), and a secondary maximum in November and December.[84] The months in between receiveless rain, with a minimum in July.
Wildlife[edit]
Main article: Wildlife of Zanzibar
The main island of Zanzibar, Unguja, has a fauna reflecting its connectionto the African mainland during the last Ice Age.[86][87]
Endemic mammals with continental relatives include the Zanzibar red colobus (Procolobuskirkii), one of Africa's rarest primates, with perhaps only 1,500 existing.Isolated on this island for at least 1,000 years, this colobus is recognized asa distinct species, with different coat patterns, calls, and food habits fromrelated colobus species on the mainland.[88] TheZanzibar red colobus lives in a wide variety of drier areas of coastal thicketsand coral rag scrub, as well as mangrove swamps andagricultural areas. About one third of them live in and around Jozani Forest. The easiest place to see thecolobus is farmland adjacent to the reserve. They are accustomed to people andthe low vegetation means they come close to the ground.
Rare native animals include the Zanzibar leopard,[10][11] whichis critically endangered, and the recently described Zanzibar servaline genet. There are no largewild animals in Unguja. Forested areas such as Jozani are inhabited by monkeys,bushpigs, small antelopes, African palm civets, and, as shown by a camera trap inJune 2018,[10][11] theelusive leopard. Various species of mongoose can also be found on the island.There is a wide variety of birdlife and a large number of butterflies in ruralareas.[citationneeded]
PembaIsland is separated from Unguja island and the Africancontinent by deep channels and has a correspondingly restricted fauna,reflecting its comparative isolation from the mainland.[86][87] Theisland is home to the Pemba flying fox.
Considerable disparities exist in the standard of living for inhabitants ofPemba and Unguja, as well as the disparity between urban and rural populations.The average annual income is US $2500. About half the population lives belowthe poverty line.
Despite a relatively high standard of primary health care andeducation, infant mortality in Zanzibar is 54 out of1,000 live births, which is 10.0 percent lower than the rate in mainlandTanzania. The child mortality rate in Zanzibar is 73out of 1,000 live births, which is 21.5 percent lower than the rate in mainlandTanzania.[89] The birth rate inTanzania in 2021 is high, 35.64 births per 1000 population, but the rate isfalling.[90]
It is estimated that 7% of children on Zanzibar have acute malnutrition.[91]
Life expectancy at birth is 57 years,[92] which is significantly lowerthan the 2010 world average of 67.2.
The general prevalence of HIV/AIDS inthe population of Zanzibar aged 15–64 is 0.5 percent, with the rate much higherin females (0.9 percent) than males (less than 0.1 percent).[93]
The northern part of the island presents elevated volumes oftrash in the streets, beaches and the ocean—mostly plastic bottles, otherplastics and cigarette butts. There is indiscriminate dumping in residentialareas. Medical equipment waste is a particular problem on the island.[94]
Further information: Climate change in Tanzania
Studies conducted show temperatures and wind speeds haveincreased strongly over the last 40 years. These climatic stressors, inaddition to the changes in rainfall patterns have had significant effects onthe seaweed farming, causing seaweed to rot or be destroyed in the process ofyielding.[95]
Ancient pottery impliestrade routes with Zanzibar as far back as the time of the ancient Assyrians. Traders from the Arabian Peninsula,the PersianGulf region of modern-day Iran (especially Shiraz), and west India probablyvisited Zanzibar as early as the 1st century. They used the monsoon winds to sail across the IndianOcean to land at the sheltered harbor located on the site of present-dayZanzibar City.[citationneeded]
The clove,originating from the Moluccan Islands (todayin Indonesia), was introduced in Zanzibar by the Omani sultans in the firsthalf of the 19th century.[96] Zanzibar, mainly Pemba Island,was once the world's leading clove producer,[97] butannual clove sales have plummeted by 80 percent since the 1970s. Zanzibar'sclove industry has been crippled by a fast-movingglobal market, international competition, and a hangover fromTanzania's failed experiment with socialism inthe 1960s and 1970s, when the government controlled cloveprices and exports. Zanzibar now ranks a distant third withIndonesia supplying 75 percent of the world's cloves compared to Zanzibar's 7percent.[97]
Zanzibar exports spices, seaweed and fine raffia. Beside the Zanzibar State TradingCooperation, Zanj Spice Limited, also known as 1001 Organic, is the biggestorganic spice exporter in Zanzibar.[98] Zanzibaralso has a large fishing and dugout canoeproduction. Tourism is a major foreign currency earner.[99]
The Government of Zanzibar legalized foreign exchange bureaux onthe islands before mainland Tanzania moved to do so. The effect was to increasethe availability of consumer commodities. The government has also established afree port area, which provides the following benefits: contribution to economicdiversification by providing a window for free trade as well as stimulating theestablishment of support services; administration of a regime that imports,exports, and warehouses general merchandise; adequate storage facilities andother infrastructure to cater for effective operation of trade; and creation ofan efficient management system for effective re-exportation of goods.[100]
The island's manufacturing sector is limited mainly to importsubstitution industries, such as cigarettes, shoes, and processed agriculturalproducts. In 1992, the government designated two export-producing zones andencouraged the development of offshore financial services. Zanzibar stillimports much of its staple requirements, petroleum products, and manufacturedarticles.[citationneeded]
There is also a possibility of oil availability in Zanzibar onthe island of Pemba, and efforts have been made by the Tanzanian government andZanzibar revolutionary government to exploit what could be one of the mostsignificant discoveries in recent memory. Oil would help boost the economy ofZanzibar,[citationneeded] but there have been disagreementsabout dividends between the Tanzanian mainland and Zanzibar, the latterclaiming the oil should be excluded in Union matters.[101]
In 2007, a Norwegian consultancyfirm went to Zanzibar to determine how the region could develop its oil potential.[102] The firm recommended thatZanzibar follow economist Hernando de Soto Polar's ideas about theformalization of property rights for persons living on ancestral land for whichthey probably do not have a legal deed.[103]
This section is an excerpt from Tourism in Zanzibar.[edit]
Tourism in Zanzibar includesthe tourism industry and its effects on theislands of Unguja (known internationally as Zanzibar) and Pemba inZanzibar a semi-autonomous region in the United Republic of Tanzania.[104] Tourismis the top income generator for the islands, outpacing even the lucrativeagricultural export industry and providing roughly 25% of income.[105][106] Themain airport on the island is Zanzibar International Airport, though manytourists fly into Dar es Salaam and take a ferry to the island.
The Government of Zanzibar plays a major rolein promoting the industry, with the official government tourist page statingthat its goal regarding tourism is to "become one of the top tourismdestinations of the IndianOcean, offering an up market, high quality product across the boardwithin the coming 17 years."[citationneeded] Zanzibar Commission for Tourismrecorded more than doubling the number of tourists from the 2015/2016 fiscalyear and the following year, from 162,242 to 376,000.[107]
The increase in tourism has led to significant environmental impacts andmixed impacts on local communities, which were expected to benefit fromeconomic development but in large part have not.[106][108] Communitieshave witnessed increasing environmental degradation, and that flow oftourists has reduced the access of local communities to the marine and coastalresources that are the center of tourist activity.[106]
The energy sector in Zanzibar consists of unreliable electricpower, petroleum and petroleum products; it is also supplemented by firewoodand its related products. Coal and gas are rarely used for either domestic orindustrial purposes.
Unguja (Zanzibar Island) gets most of its electric power frommainland Tanzania through a 39-kilometer, 100-megawatt submarine cable from RasKiromoni (near Dar es Salaam) to Ras Fumba on Unguja. The laying of the cablewas begun on 10 October 2012 by the Viscas Corporation of Japan and was fundedby a US$28.1 million grant from the United States through the Millennium Challenge Corporation.[109][110] The cable became operationalon 13 April 2013.[111] The previous 45-megawattcable, which was seldom-maintained, was completed by Norway in 1980.[112]
Since May 2010, Pemba Island has had a 75 km (47 mi),25-megawatt, subsea electrical link directly to mainland Tanzania. The cableproject was financed through a 45 million euro grant from Norway andcontributions of 8 million euros from the Zanzibar government and 4 millioneuros from the Tanzanian national government. The project ended years ofdependence on unreliable and erratic diesel generation subject to frequentpower cuts. Only about 20 percent of the cable's capacity was being used inJanuary 2011, so it is anticipated that the cable will meet the island's needsfor 20 to 25 years.[113][114]
Between 70 and 75 percent of the electricity generated is useddomestically while less than 20 percent is used industrially. Fuel wood,charcoal and kerosene are widely used as sources of energy for cooking andlighting for most rural and urban areas. The consumption capacity of petroleum,gas, oil, kerosene and industrial diesel oil is increasing annually, going froma total of 5,650 tons consumed in 1997 to more than 7,500 tons in 1999.[citationneeded]
From 21 May to 19 June 2008, Unguja suffered a major failure of its electricity system, whichleft the island without electrical service and mostly dependent on dieselgenerators. The failure originated in mainland Tanzania.[115] Another blackout happenedfrom 10 December 2009 to 23 March 2010, caused by a problem with the submarinecable that formerly supplied electricity from mainland Tanzania.[116] This led to a serious shockto Unguja's fragile economy, which is heavily dependent on foreign tourism.
Zanzibar has 1,600 kilometres (990 mi) of roads, of which85 percent are tarmaced or semi-tarmaced. The remainder are earth roads, whichare rehabilitated annually to make them passable throughout the year.[citationneeded] Zanzibar, to ensure the roads arepassable at all times and are maintained had established a Road Fund Board,situated at maisala which collects funds and disburses to Ministry ofCommunication, whom is the Road Agency at this time through the Department ofRoad Maintenance, known as UUB.
The Road Fund Board, oversees a Performance Agreement enteredbetween the Ministry of Communication and Infrastructure, while all theprocurements and maintenances are assumed by the later.[citationneeded]
There is no government-owned public transportation in Zanzibar.The privately owned Daladala,as it is officially known in Zanzibar, is the only kind of publictransportation. The term Daladala originated from the Kiswahili wordDALA(Dollar) or five shillings during the 1970s and 1980s when public transportcost five shillings to travel to the nearest town. Therefore, travelling totown will cost a Dollar("Dala") and returning will again cost aDollar, hence the term Daladala originated.[117]
StoneTown is the main hub for Daladalas onZanzibar and nearly all journeys will either start or end here. There are twomain Dala Dala stations in Stone Town: Darajani market and Mwanakwerekwemarket. The Darajani market terminus serves the North and North East of theisland and the Mwanakwerekwe market terminus serves the South and South East.As with most of East African transport, the buses do not run on set schedules –instead departing when full. As there is no fixed schedule, it is not possibleto book tickets in advance (with the exception of The Zanzibus). There are plans of implementinga government-operated bus service on the island, which will bring the groundtransportations more in line with the relatively developed water and airtransport infrastructure, but there is currently no timeline available for thisproject. With Zanzibar visitor numbers set to top 1,000,000 annually, therewill be increasing pressure on the current transportation network – the bus networkwill reduce the number of vehicles on the road and help reduce environmentalimpact of tourism on Zanzibar.
The main port at Malindi, which handles 90 percent of Zanzibar'strade, was built in 1925. The port was rehabilitated between 1989 and 1992 withfinancial assistance from the European Union.The Italian contractor, SaliniImpregilo S.p.A., was supposed to build wharves that lasted 60years; however, the wharves lasted only 11 years before crumbling anddegenerating because the company deviated from the specifications.[118] Aftera long legal battle, the company was required in 2005 by the International Court of Arbitration to payZanzibar US$11.6 million in damages.[119] Theport was again rehabilitated between 2004 and 2009 with a 31 million euro grantfrom the European Union. The contract was awarded to M/S E. Phil and Sons ofDenmark. The then-director of the contractor suggested that the rehabilitationwould last a minimum of 50 years. But the port is again facing problems, includingsinking.[118]
Ferry accidents
The MV Faith, which began its final journey at theport of Dar es Salaam, sank in May 2009 shortly before docking at the port ofMalindi. Six of the 25 people aboard lost their lives.[120]
The sinking of the MV Spice Islander I on 10September 2011, after departing from Unguja island for Pemba Island,was the worst disaster in Tanzanian history. In a report to the Zanzibar House of Representatives on 14October 2011, Zanzibar's Second Vice President, Ambassador Seif Ali Iddi,said that 2,764 people were missing, 203 bodies had been recovered, and 619passengers were rescued. It was the worst maritime disaster in Tanzanianhistory.[121] A presidential commission,however, reported three months later that 1,370 people were missing, 203 bodieshad been recovered, and 941 passengers survived. Severe overloading caused theferry to sink.[122]
The MV Skagit,which also began its final journey at the port of Dar es Salaam, capsized inrough seas near Chumbe island on 18 July 2012. The ferry had 447 passengers,with 81 dead, 212 missing and presumed drowned, and 154 rescued. The ferry leftport despite warnings from the Tanzania Meteorological Agency for ships not toattempt the crossing from Dar es Salaam to Unguja island because of the rough seas.A presidential commission reported in October 2012 that overloading was thecause of the disaster.[123][124]
Zanzibar's main airport, Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, hasbeen able to handle large passenger planes since 2011, which has resulted in anincrease in passenger and cargo inflows and outflows. Since another increase incapacity by the end of 2013, it can serve up to 1.5 million passengers per year.[9] The island can be reached byflights operated by AirFrance, AuricAir,[125] Coastal Aviation,[126] Lufthansa, Ethiopian Airlines,[127] Kenya Airways,[128] FlyDubai, Mango (airline), Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines andothers.
Zanzibar's most famous event is the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF),also known as the Festival of the Dhow Countries. Every July, this eventshowcases the best of the Swahili Coast arts scene, including Zanzibar'sfavorite music, taarab.[129]
Important architectural features in Stone Town are theLivingstone house, The Old dispensary of Zanzibar, the GulianiBridge, Ngome kongwe (The Old fort of Zanzibar) and the House of Wonders.[130] The town of Kidichi features the Hamamni Persian Baths, built by immigrantsfrom Shiraz,Iran during the reign of Barghash bin Said.
Zanzibar also is the only place in Eastern African countries tohave the long settlement houses formally known as Michenzani flats.The flats were built with aid from East Germany duringthe 1970s to solve housing problems in Zanzibar.[131]
In 1973, Zanzibar introduced the first colour television servicein sub-Saharan Africa.[132] Because of longstandingopposition to television by President Julius Nyerere,the first television service on mainland Tanzania was not introduced until 1994.[133] The broadcaster in Zanzibarcalled Television Zanzibar (TVZ)had recently changed name to Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).[134] following an enactment of anact to make it a public corporation, monitored under the Ministry of Finance bythe treasurer registrar. Among the famous reporters of TVZ during the 1980s and1990s were the late Alwiya Alawi 1961–1996 (the elder sister of Inat Alawi,famous Taarab singer during the 1980s), Neema Mussa, Sharifa Maulid, FatmaMzee, Zaynab Ali, Ramadhan Ali, and Khamis.[citationneeded]
Zanzibar has one AM radio station[135] and 21 FM radio stations.[136]
In terms of landline communications,Zanzibar is served by the Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited andZantel Tanzania.
Almost all mobile and Internet companies serving mainlandTanzania are also available in Zanzibar.
In 2000 there were 207 government schools and 118 privatelyowned schools in Zanzibar.[137] Zanzibarhas three fully accredited Universities: Zanzibar University, the State University of Zanzibar (SUZA) andSumait University (previously University College of Education, Chukwani).[138]
SUZA was established in 1999, and is located in Stone Town, inthe buildings of the former Institute of Kiswahili and Foreign Language(TAKILUKI).[139] It is the only publicinstitution for higher learning in Zanzibar, the other two institutions beingprivate. In 2004, the three institutions had a total enrollment of 948students, of whom 207 were female.[140]
The primary and secondary education system in Zanzibar isslightly different from that of the Tanzanian mainland. On the mainland,education is only compulsory for the seven years of primary education, while inZanzibar an additional three years of secondary education are compulsory andfree.[137] Studentsin Zanzibar score significantly less on standardized tests for reading andmathematics than students on the mainland.[137][141]
In the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, national service aftersecondary education was necessary, but it is now voluntary and few studentsvolunteer. Most choose to seek employment or attend teacher's colleges.
Football is the most popular sport inZanzibar, overseen by the Zanzibar Football Association.[142] Zanzibar is an associatemember of the Confederation of African Football (CAF),but not of FIFA.This means that the Zanzibar national football team is noteligible to enter national CAF competitions, such as the African Nations Cup, but Zanzibar's footballclubs get representation at the CAF Confederation Cup and the CAF Champions League.
The national team participates in non-FIFA Football tournamentssuch as the FIFI Wild Cup, and the ELF Cup. Because Zanzibar is not a member of FIFA, their team is not eligible for the FIFA World Cup.
The Zanzibar Football Association also has a Premier League for the top clubs, whichwas created in 1981. The teams also participate in the FA knockout competition, Zanzibari Cup andthe Mapinduzi Cup, a knockout competition organized in earlyJanuary between 6–13 January to mark the revolution day (12 January).[143]
Cricket washistorically popular in Zanzibar. In the 1950s and 1960s, the island hostedtouring teams from England, India, Pakistan, South Africa and Uganda,[144] but the sport declinedfollowing the 1964 revolution. Zanzibar contributed some players to the East Africa cricket team in the late 20thcentury. Efforts to revive the game in the 21st century have been led by Indianfirms, with plans announced in 2022 for an international-grade cricket groundin Fumba withthe support of the Zanzibar government.[145]
Since 1992, there has also been judo in Zanzibar. The founder, TsuyoshiShimaoka, established a team that participates in national and internationalcompetitions. In 1999, Zanzibar Judo Association (Z.J.A.) was registered andbecame an active member of the Tanzania Olympic Committee[citationneeded] and International Judo Federation.
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