Zanzibar ( Swahili Funguvisiwa ya Zanzibar , Eng. Zanzibar Archipelago ) is an archipelago of 75 islands in the Indian Ocean , stretching along the eastern coast of Africa opposite modern Tanzania . Part of the archipelago is part of the autonomy of Zanzibar .
Zanzibar | |
---|---|
Swahili Funguvisiwa ya Zanzibar , Eng. Zanzibar Archipelago | |
Specifications | |
Number of islands | 75 |
Largest island | Unguja |
total area | 2654 km² |
Highest point | 135 m |
Population | 1 303 569 people (2012) |
Population density | 491.17 person / km² |
Location | |
Water area | Indian Ocean |
A country |
|
Region | Zanzibar |
Geography
The archipelago is based on 3 large islands - Unguja (often called Zanzibar Island ), Pemba and Mafia - the other islands are much smaller, located around them. The city of Zanzibar , the largest city (population of 257 thousand inhabitants in 2003 ) of the archipelago, is located on the island of Unguja . The climate is warm and very humid.
History
Before the Miocene, the archipelago was part of the African continent. The first definite news of him appeared in the 10th century, when the Persians from Shiraz appeared here. The locals still call themselves “Shirazi”, although the Persian settlers were fairly quickly assimilated. This they brought to Zanzibar Islam . Currently, Muslims make up 88% of the population, the rest are followers of African pagan cults and Christians.
In the Middle Ages , trade in slaves unfolded in Zanzibar, which were caught in the African jungle. Over time, the slave trade was concentrated in the hands of merchants from Oman , who formed the core of the local aristocracy. In the XVI century, Zanzibar is part of the colonial possessions of Portugal , along with Mombasa and Hormuz . In the middle of the 17th century, the Omani Arabs recovered from the blow struck by the appearance of European colonialists and began to force them out of the western part of the Indian Ocean. True, in Zanzibar the power of the Sultan remained nominal for a long time.
Sultanate of Zanzibar
By 1853, the most powerful of the Omani sultans, Said ibn Sultan , established control over significant parts of the African coast and transferred his capital from Muscat to Zanzibar. The island was experiencing a new upsurge associated with increased demand for ivory and slaves — goods that were shipped to local markets from Africa. Under Sultan, extensive construction was carried out on Zanzibar; Architectural monuments of the island are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List .
In 1861 the Zanzibar Sultanate separated from Oman, and in 1890 it became a British protectorate .
In early 1964, the British government transferred Zanzibar to the Arab sultan, and a week later Zanzibar was proclaimed an independent state-People's Republic of Zanzibar. After the departure of the British, an uprising began on the island: the black population did not want to be ruled by the Arabs and overthrew it. The revolution was accompanied by violence, robbery and murder of Arabs and Indians. The death toll is estimated from several hundred to 20 thousand people.
Zanzibar within Tanzania
In 1964, the authorities of Zanzibar and Tanganyika signed an agreement on the creation of a single state - Tanzania (the name is a combination of the words "Tanganyika" and "Zanzibar").
The islands of Zanzibar are semi autonomous within Tanzania with the administrative center in the city of Zanzibar . Since 2005, Zanzibar has its own flag , parliament , and also has its own president . On November 3, 2010, Ali Mohamed Shane came to power.
Gallery
View from the sea
Zanzibar Embankment with the Sultan's Palace
Arabian fort in Zanzibar
On the pier
Famous natives
- Freddie Mercury , vocalist of the rock band Queen .
See also
- Possessions of Muscat and Oman
- Ferry crash in Zanzibar