Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania. It is composed of the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, 25–50 kilometres off the coast of the 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 is Stone Town, which is a World Heritage Site.
Main industries are spices, raffia, and tourism. In particular, the islands produce cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and black pepper. For this reason, the Zanzibar Archipelago, together with Tanzania’s Mafia Island, are sometimes referred to locally as the “Spice Islands.
Zanzibar is the home of the endemic Zanzibar red colobus monkey, the Zanzibar Servaline Genet, and the extinct or rare Zanzibar Leopard.
Zanzibar may have been home to humans for at least 20,000 years. Vasco da Gama‘s visit in 1498 marked the beginning of European influence, and in 1503 Zanzibar became part of the Portuguese Empire. The islands were ruled by the Sultan of Oman from 1698 and was the centre of the Arab slave trade. In 1822 the British consul in Muscat put pressure on Sultan Said to end the slave trade. In 1890 the Zanzibar became a British protectorate that lasted until Zanzibar was merged with Tanzania when it became independent in 1963.