Unguja
Encyclopedia
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
, in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
.
Geography
Unguja is a hilly island, about 85 km long (north-south) and 30 km wide (east-west) at its widest, with an overall area of about 2600 km². It is located in the southern half of the Zanzibar ArchipelagoZanzibar Archipelago
The Zanzibar Archipelago consists of several islands lying off the coast of East Africa in the Indian Ocean. There are two main islands, plus a host of smaller islets that surround them.-Main islands:...
, in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
, about 59 km south of the second largest island of the archipelago, Pemba. Unguja and mainland Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
are separated by the Zanzibar Channel
Zanzibar Channel
The Zanzibar Channel is the strait separating Unguja from mainland Tanzania. The channel is 120 km long and 30-40 km wide, with depth varying from a few dozen metres to a few hundred meters to the north and to the south...
.
Unguja is surrounded by a number of smaller islands and islets, with only two of them, Tumbatu
Tumbatu
Tumbatu Island is the third-largest island making up Zanzibar, part of Tanzania in east Africa. The island is located off the northwest coast of Zanzibar's main island, Unguja....
and Uzi
Uzi Island
Uzi Island is an island in the south of Zanzibar, connected by causeway to the main island of Unguja. It is located immediately to the south of the main island's Unguja Ukuu ruins. The island contains the small town of Uzi, and is six kilometres in length, making it the second largest of the...
, being inhabited. Other minor islands around Unguja include Bawe
Bawe Island
Bawe Island is a small island in the Zanzibar Archipelago, in Tanzania. It is located about 10 km offshore Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar on the island of Unguja...
, Chapwani, Changuu
Changuu
Changuu Island is a small island north-west of Stone Town, Unguja, Zanzibar. The island is around long and wide at its broadest point. The island saw use as a prison for rebellious slaves in 1860s and also functioned as a coral mine...
, Chumbe, Kizingo, Kwale, Latham, Mautani, Miwi
MiWi
MiWi and MiWi P2P are proprietary wireless protocols designed by Microchip Technology that uses small, low-power digital radios based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard for wireless personal area networks...
, Mnemba, Mwana wa Mwana, Nianembe, Popo, Pungume, and Ukanga.
Politics
Unguja and the surrounding islands are divided in three regionsRegions of Tanzania
Tanzania is divided into 26 regions.-See also:* list of Tanzanian regions by area ranks the regions by their total area, land area, and water area.* Districts of Tanzania* ISO 3166-2:TZ-External links:*...
: Zanzibar Central/South
Zanzibar Central/South Region
Zanzibar Central/South is one of the 26 regions of Tanzania. Located on the island of Zanzibar, Koani serves as the region's capital....
(capital: Koani
Koani
Koani is a city located on the Tanzanian island of Unguja . The city serves as capital of the Zanzibar Central/South region....
), Zanzibar North
Zanzibar North Region
Zanzibar North is one of the 26 regions of Tanzania. Located on the island of Zanzibar, Mkokotoni serves as the region's capital....
(capital: Mkokotoni
Mkokotoni
Mkokotoni is a city located on the Tanzanian island of Unguja . The city serves as capital of the Zanzibar North region....
), Zanzibar Urban/West
Zanzibar Urban/West Region
Zanzibar Urban/West is one of the 26 regions of Tanzania. Located on the island of Unguja, Zanzibar Town serves as the region's capital. According to the 2002 Tanzania National Census, the population of the Zanzibar Urban/West Region was 391,002.-Districts:...
(capital: Zanzibar City
Zanzibar City
Zanzibar City is the capital and largest city of Zanzibar, in Tanzania. It is located on the west coast of Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago, roughly opposite to Dar es Salaam across the Zanzibar Channel...
). Unguja belongs to Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
, which is defined by the Tanzanian Constitution
Constitution of Tanzania
The Constitution of Tanzania, formally Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania and also known as Permanent Constitution or Fourth Constitution of Tanzania, was ratified in 1977...
as "a part" of Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
with a high degree of autonomy. The local Zanzibari government is based in Stone Town
Stone Town
Stone Town also known as Mji Mkongwe is the old part of Zanzibar City, the main city of Zanzibar, in Tanzania, as opposed to Ng'ambo . It is located on the western coast of Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago...
, on the west coast of Unguja.
Population
At the 2002 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, the population of Unguja was 622,459 , mostly concentrated in the Zanzibar urban region. The main settlement on the island is Zanzibar City, which serves as a capital for Zanzibar and which includes the renowned historical city of Stone Town
Stone Town
Stone Town also known as Mji Mkongwe is the old part of Zanzibar City, the main city of Zanzibar, in Tanzania, as opposed to Ng'ambo . It is located on the western coast of Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago...
as well as other populated areas such as Michenzani
Michenzani
Michenzani is a large neighbourhood of Ng'ambo, the more modern part of Zanzibar City. It is located just across Creek Road, that separates the historical part of the city, Stone Town and Ng'ambo...
. Other major settlements on Unguja include Mbweni
Mbweni, Zanzibar
Mbweni is a town on the Tanzanian island of Unguja, the main island of Zanzibar. It is located on the central west coast, seven kilometres south of the Zanzibari capital of Stone Town....
, Mangapwani
Mangapwani
Mangapwani is a town on the Tanzanian island of Unguja, the main island of Zanzibar. It is located on the northwest coast, 25 kilometres north of the Zanzibari capital of Stone Town....
, Chwaka
Chwaka
Chwaka is a town on the Tanzanian island of Unguja, part of Zanzibar. It is located on the east coast of the island, due east of the capital Zanzibar City, on the coast of Chwaka Bay close to the edge of Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park.-References:...
, and Nungwi
Nungwi
Nungwi is a fishermen's village and a tourist attraction located at the northernmost tip of Unguja , East Africa. In the past it was mostly known as a dhow boatyard. Until the 1990s, the local population was opposed to tourism, so Nungwi's beach is one of the last in the area to host hotels and...
.
People of Unguja mostly speak kiunguja ("the language of Unguja"), which is the dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
of the Swahili language
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
that was used as the main model for the definition of standard Swahili.
Economy
Unguja is the island of the Zanzibar Archipelago that has the most developed tourism industry. This accounts for a substantial part of Unguja's economy. Agriculture (including the production of spiceSpice
A spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, bark, or vegetative substance used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as a food additive for flavor, color, or as a preservative that kills harmful bacteria or prevents their growth. It may be used to flavour a dish or to hide other flavours...
s such as cloves) and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
are other relevant activities. All along the east coast, most villages also rely on seaweed farming
Seaweed farming
Seaweed farming is the practice of cultivating and harvesting seaweed. In its most simple form, it consists of the management of naturally found batches...
.
External links
- Population Growth 1988-2002
- Population Density 2002
- Zanzibar Island / Unguja & Hotels A travel guide website containing pictures and information about Unguja as well as a selection of Zanzibar Hotels.