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Zanzibar City

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Zanzibar City is a busy place in Tanzania.

Plan der Stadt Sansibar - Map of Zanzibar - Oscar Baumann
Plan der Stadt Sansibar - Map of Zanzibar - Oscar Baumann

It is the largest city on the island of Unguja. The city sits on the west coast of the island. To the west, the city meets the Indian Ocean. It is located north of the large city of Dar es Salaam. The city is across the Zanzibar Channel from that place. It also serves as the capital for the Zanzibar Urban/West Region.

The city has two main parts that feel very different. The first part is Stone Town, which is the historical core.

Old Dispensary, Stone Town in 2021
Old Dispensary, Stone Town in 2021

It was once the capital of the Zanzibar Sultanate. Because of its special culture and buildings, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. The second part is called Ng'ambo, which means "The Other Side." This area is much larger and more modern than Stone Town. It has many office buildings and large apartment blocks like those in Michenzani.

Long ago, many different people visited this port. An English ship arrived in the port in 1592. In 1824, Said bin Sultan made the city his capital. The city was also a place for the slave trade. A famous trader named Tippu Tip lived there. In 1846, there were 360,000 enslaved people out of 450,000 inhabitants. The explorer David Livingstone stayed here in 1866. Later, in 1892, the city became a free port.

The weather in Zanzibar City is tropical. It is very similar to the rest of Unguja island. It is a little hotter than the island of Pemba. There are two different rainy seasons here. Most of the rain falls between March and May. A smaller rainy season happens from November to December. The months of January and February are quite dry. The longest dry season lasts from June to October.

Many people live and worship in the city today. In 2022, the population was 219,007 people. Most places of worship are Muslim mosques. There are also Christian churches and temples for different groups. People can travel to the city by plane. They use the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport. The city is divided into many smaller areas called wards and constituencies.

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🖼️ Images & Media (2)
File:Plan der Stadt Sansibar - Map of Zanzibar - Oscar Baumann.jpg
Plan der Stadt Sansibar - Map of Zanzibar...
File:Old Dispensary, Stone Town in 2021.jpg
Old Dispensary, Stone Town in 2021.jpg
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