Zanzibar, Tanzania

Old Fort, Stone Town, Zanzibar
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Old_Fort_of_Zanzibar.jpg
Author: Muhammad Mahdi Karim


Zanzibar is a city on the island of Unguja, in Tanzania. Zanzibar is the capital of the eponymous semi-autonomous Zanzibar Archipelago. It has a population of around 210,000 people (2012 estimate).

Zanzibar comprises two main parts namely Stone Town and N'gambo. These two parts are separated by Creek Road, which got its name because there was once a creek running through. Stone Town is the older part of Zanzibar. Also called Mji Mkongwe ("Old Town" in Swahili), Stone Town was where the old capital of Zanzibar Sultanate was once located. During the 19th century it was a center for the spice and slave trade. In 2000 Stone Town was inscribed as a World Heritage Site.

Ng'ambo, literally meaning "the other side" in Swahili, is the new town of Zanzibar. It developed out of a slave community. By the 1920s its population was already twice that of Stone Town, and by 1964, when it gained independence from Britain, its population has reached 80,000 people.

House of Wonders, Stone Town, Zanzibar
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stone_Town,_Zanzibar-5.jpg
Author: David Berkowitz


Anglican Cathedral, Stone Town, Zanzibar
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stone_Town,_Zanzibar-2.jpg
Author: David Berkowitz

Visiting Zanzibar

Take a ferry boat or catamaran from Dar es Salaam. Expect to pay a fare of around US$35 to US$40. If you are prone to motion sickness, take some anti-seasick pills before boarding. The journey is about 90 minutes.

Places of Interest in Zanzibar

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