What is
Zanzibar
?
Zanzibar
is an archipelago made up of
Zanzibar
and
Pemba
Islands
, and several islets. It is located in the
Indian Ocean
, about 25 miles from the Tanzanian coast, and 6° south of the equator.
Zanzibar
Island
(known locally as Unguja, but as
Zanzibar
internationally) is 60 miles long and 20 miles wide, occupying a total area of
approximately 650 square miles. It is characterised by beautiful sandy beaches with fringing coral reefs, and the magic of historic Stone
Town - said to be the only functioning ancient town in
East Africa
.
Weather & Climate
Zanzibar
experiences ideal holiday weather for most of the year. The heat of summer
is seasonally often cooled by windy conditions, resulting in pleasant sea
breezes, particularly on the North and East coasts. Being near to the equator,
the islands are warm all year round, but officially, summer and winter peak in
December and June respectively. This is illustrated statistical weather
information shown below.
Zanzibar
is blessed with an average of 7-8 hours of sunshine daily.
Short rains can occur in November but are characterised by short showers
which do not last long. The long rains normally occur in April and
May although this is often referred to as the 'Green Season', and it typically
doesn't rain every day during that time.
Wildlife
There are no large wild animals in
Zanzibar
, and forest areas such as Jozani are inhabited by monkeys, bush-pigs and small
antelopes. Civets - and rumour has it, the elusive
Zanzibar
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 rural areas.
The coral reefs that surround the East Coast are rich in marine diversity, and
make
Zanzibar
an ideal location for snorkeling and scuba diving.
People, Religion and Language
Zanzibar's local people are an incredible mixture of ethnic backgrounds, indicative of
her colourful history. Islam
is the dominant religion, and practiced by most Zanzibaris, although there are
also followers of Christianity and Hinduism. Population is estimated at 800,000,
with the largest concentration being
Zanzibar
City
which has approximately 100,000 inhabitants. Zanzibaris speak Swahili
(known locally as Kiswahili), a language which is spoken extensively in
East Africa
. Many believe that the purest form is spoken in
Zanzibar
as it is the birth place of the language.
Culture
and Festivals
Zanzibar's most famous event is the Zanzibar
International Film Festival, also known as the Festival of the Dhow
Countries. Every July, this event showcases the best of the
Swahili
Coast
arts scene, including
Zanzibar
's favourite music, Taarab.
Government
Zanzibar
is an island state within the United Republic of Tanzania, and has its own
semi-autonomous government made up of a Revolutionary Council and House of
Representatives. The present government is led by the island's President, Amani
Karume. The government body responsible for tourism promotion is the Zanzibar
Commission for Tourism.
Economy
Fishing
and agriculture are the main economic activities of the local people.
Zanzibar
was once the world's largest producer of cloves, and her economy was based on
large incomes thus derived. Although cloves are still a major export along with
coconut products and spices, tourism has been ear-marked as the primary foreign
exchange earner, with more visitors coming to
Zanzibar
each year. At this stage, the numbers are still low (less than 100,000
annually) and the potential for tourism is relatively untapped.
