Zanzibar

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major states, peoples, and trade routes of eastern Africa, c. 1850

imperial partitions of eastern Africa, 1881−1925

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Geography & Travel

Zanzibar

island, Tanzania

Also known as: Unguja

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Category: Geography & Travel

Swahili:: Unguja

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Zanzibar, island in the Indian Ocean, lying 22 miles (35 km) off the coast of east-central Africa. In 1964 Zanzibar, together with Pemba Island and some other smaller islands, joined with Tanganyika on the mainland to form the United Republic of Tanzania. Area 600 square miles (1,554 square km). Pop. (2007 est.) 713,000. Both Zanzibar and Pemba are believed to have once formed part of the African continent, the separation of Pemba having occurred during the Miocene Epoch (about 23 to 5.3 million years ago) while Zanzibar dates from the Pliocene Epoch (about 5.3 to 2.6 million years ago) or ...(100 of 1380 words)

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