Zanzibar
Zanzibar[a] is an insular semi-autonomous region which united with 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 islands and two large ones: Unguja (the main island, referred to informally as Zanzibar) and Pemba Island. The capital is Zanzibar City, located on the island of Unguja. Its historic centre, Stone Town, is a World Heritage Site.
This article is about the modern Tanzanian region. For the 19th and 20th century sultanate, see Sultanate of Zanzibar. For the Yemeni port city, see Zinjibar. For other uses, see Zanzibar (disambiguation).
Zanzibar
- Islam (99%)
- Christianity (0.5%)
- Others/Indigenous/Irreligious (0.5%)
Zanzibari
2,462 km2 (951 sq mi)
1,889,773
768.2/km2 (1,989.6/sq mi)
2020 estimate
$3.75 billion[4]
$2,500
0.720[5]
high
left
Zanzibar's main industries are spices, raffia, and tourism.[6] The main spices produced are clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, and black pepper. The Zanzibar Archipelago, together with Tanzania's Mafia Island, are sometimes referred to locally as the "Spice Islands". Tourism in Zanzibar is a more recent activity, driven by government promotion that caused an increase from 19,000 tourists in 1985,[7] to 376,000 in 2016.[8] The islands are accessible via 5 ports and the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, which can serve up to 1.5 million passengers per year.[9]
Zanzibar's marine ecosystem is an important part of the economy for fishing and algaculture and contains important marine ecosystems that act as fish nurseries for Indian Ocean fish populations. Moreover, the land ecosystem is the home of the endemic Zanzibar red colobus, the Zanzibar servaline genet, and the extinct or rare Zanzibar leopard.[10][11] Pressure from the tourist industry and fishing as well as larger threats such as sea level rise caused by climate change are creating increasing environmental concerns throughout the region.[12]
Etymology[edit]
The word Zanzibar came from Arabic zanjibār (زنجبار [zandʒibaːr]), which is in turn from Persian zangbâr (زنگبار [zæŋbɒːɾ]), a compound of Zang (زنگ [zæŋ], "black") + bâr (بار [bɒːɾ], "coast"),[13][14][15] cf. the Sea of Zanj. The name is one of several toponyms sharing similar etymologies, ultimately meaning "land of the blacks" or similar meanings, in reference to the dark skin of the inhabitants.
Standard of living and health[edit]
Considerable disparities exist in the standard of living for inhabitants of Pemba and Unguja, as well as the disparity between urban and rural populations. The average annual income is US $2500. About half the population lives below the poverty line.
Despite a relatively high standard of primary health care and education, infant mortality in Zanzibar is 54 out of 1,000 live births, which is 10.0 percent lower than the rate in mainland Tanzania. The child mortality rate in Zanzibar is 73 out of 1,000 live births, which is 21.5 percent lower than the rate in mainland Tanzania.[90] The birth rate in Tanzania in 2021 is high, 35.64 births per 1000 population, but the rate is falling.[91]
It is estimated that 7% of children on Zanzibar have acute malnutrition.[92]
Life expectancy at birth is 57 years,[93] which is significantly lower than the 2010 world average of 67.2.
The general prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the population of Zanzibar aged 15–64 is 0.5 percent, with the rate much higher in females (0.9 percent) than males (less than 0.1 percent).[94]
Stone Town
Stone Town with Sultan's Palace
House of Wonders undergoing refurbishment
Zanzibar East Coast beach
A Zanzibar beach
Cannons overlooking the water at Forodhani Gardens park, in Stone Town
A five-star resort on the northern part of Zanzibar
An Arabic and Indian style door in Zanzibar
