Zanzibar is an Algerian archipelago of 50 islands located 36 km off the east coast of Tanzania. The main island has an area of about 2461 square kilometers and has a population of about 1.3 million people. It has a temperate and almost uniform climate throughout the year, with minimum and maximum temperatures of 22 and 33 degrees Celsius.
Like the rest of Tanzania, they speak Swahili and are considered to be the most authentic dialect of the island’s people. The official languages of Zanzibar are Swahili, Arabic and English, although some locals are also fluent in French and Italian. So by knowing English on an adventurous trip to Zanzibar, you can connect with people and locals.
About 99% of the island’s indigenous Muslims are Sunni and very religious. The main income of the people of this island depends on the tourism industry.
It may be interesting to know that Zang is actually a Persian word meaning dark and bar means beach and shore. In fact, the combination of these two words forms Zanzibar, meaning the beach or land of blacks. This name comes to this land from the adventure tour of the ancient Iranians who discovered and registered it. Hundreds of Persian words can be found in their language. Also, the tribe that has the Shirazi suffix in their last name lives on this island, which is a proof of this historical background.
It is said that around the eighth century AH during the rule of Al-Buwayh, the ruler of Shiraz province named Ali ibn Sultan Hussein migrated to Zanzibar with seven ships and seven hundred companions and settled on this island forever. The result of this migration is a tribe called the Shirazis, who for a long time enjoyed great prestige and respect on the island and played an important role in trade.
From the eighth century to the fifteenth century, the island was a center of slave, gold and wood trade. It was colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, and works such as the old fort are among the remnants of that period. In the middle of the 16th century, the Arabs of the Sultanate of Oman occupied Zanzibar, until in the middle of the 19th century, Britain occupied Zanzibar under the pretext of rescuing the island from the Arabs.
Britain occupied Zanzibar until 1963, when Tanzania and Zanzibar merged to form Tanzania. Perhaps the most important benefit of the British presence in Zanzibar was the banning of the slave trade, which, of course, was not for humanitarian purposes but rather for the economic blow to Spain and Portugal, where slaves were increasingly exploited in colonialism in South America.
Signs of the presence of the first humans in Zanzibar date back to 200,000 years ago. Arabs, Indians and Iranians have embarked on an adventurous journey and traded with this country for a long time. The history of Iran’s trade with Zanzibar dates back to the Achaemenid period. These trades also influenced the culture and language of the people of Zanzibar. In the 19th century, the Sultan of Oman ruled the island. During this period, the slave trade was booming and 50,000 slaves were traded annually from the port. In the late 19th century, Zanzibar fell to the British and the slave trade was abolished. Finally, in 1963, Zanzibar became independent.
In the past, Zanzibar was famous for its spice and slave trade, and the island’s main source of income came from these two areas. Many tourists have described the slave markets during their adventurous trip and adventure tour to Zanzibar. Fortunately, slavery has disappeared today and the country’s income is provided through trade and tourist attractions. Spices are still a commercial and profitable commodity.
One of the most important tourist attractions of Zanzibar that should be visited in a leisure tour is the stone city. In the past, this city was the capital and destination of many tourists on their adventurous journey and was very important. The architecture and cultural context of the city is a combination of different cultures such as Arabs, Iranians, Indians and Europeans who have lived on the island. In 2000, the stone city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and became more and more popular with tourists.
The house, also known as Beit al-Ajib, is one of Zanzibar’s most well-known tourist attractions. This building was built in 1883. It used to be the Sultan’s house and was the first building in Zanzibar to have electricity, and it was the first building to be equipped with an elevator in East Africa. This house is now a museum.
The Sultan’s Palace, also known as the Bethlehem Beach, is another palace where the royal family lived and was built in the late 19th century. The palace has now become a museum and tourist destination for sightseeing tours and depicts the daily life of the royal family.
