Zanzibar City or Mjini District, often simply referred to as Zanzibar (Wilaya ya Zanzibar Mjini or Jiji la Zanzibar in Swahili) is one of two administrative districts of Mjini Magharibi Region in Tanzania.[1] The district covers an area of 15.4 km2 (5.9 sq mi).[2] The district is comparable in size to the land area of Nauru.[3] The district has a water border to the west by the Indian Ocean. The district is bordered to the east by Magharibi District. The district seat is in Stonetown. The city is the largest on the island of Zanzibar. It is located on the west coast of Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago, north of the much larger city of Dar es Salaam across the Zanzibar Channel. The city also serves as the capital of the Zanzibar Urban/West Region. In 2022 its population was 219,007.[4]

Zanzibar City
Jiji la Zanzibar (Swahili)
Aerial view of Zanzibar City
Aerial view of Zanzibar City
Nickname: 
Home of Stonetown
Location in Mjini Magharibi Region
Location in Mjini Magharibi Region
Coordinates: 6°09′54″S 39°11′56″E / 6.165°S 39.199°E / -6.165; 39.199
Country Tanzania
RegionMjini Magharibi Region
CapitalStonetown
Government
 • TypeMunicipal
 • MayorKhatib Abdulrahman Khatib
Area
 • Total
15.4 km2 (5.9 sq mi)
 • Rank2nd in Mjini Magharibi
Population
 (2022)
 • Total
219,007
 • Rank2nd in Mjini Maharibi
 • Density14,000/km2 (37,000/sq mi)
DemonymWamjini
Ethnic groups
 • SettlerSwahili & Arabs
 • NativeHadimu
ClimateAw

Zanzibar City comprises two main parts, Stone Town and Ng'ambo (literally: "The Other Side"); the two areas were historically divided by a creek since filled in, with the street on the Stone Town side of the creek originally called Creek Road but later renamed to Benjamin Mkapa Road.[5][6] Stone Town is the historical core of the city, the former capital of the Zanzibar Sultanate; because of its unique architecture and culture, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.[7][8] Ng'ambo is a much larger, modern area that developed around Stone Town after the Zanzibar Revolution, with office buildings and large apartment blocks such as those of the Michenzani neighbourhood.[5] Zanzibar City is served by a number of international and domestic airlines via Abeid Amani Karume International Airport.

History

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Slave market in Zanzibar city in 1860
British Agency Building, 1872
Zanzibar museum, 1890.
Zanzibar in 1920
Zanzibar freedom stamp 1964

In 1592, the first English ship arrived in port. In 1824, Said bin Sultan, Sultan of Muscat and Oman established the capital of his kingdom in the city.[9] The city was a high place of slavery, one of the main ports of East Africa for the slave trade. The famous slave trader Tippu Tip lived there. In 1846, the island had 360,000 enslaved for 450,000 inhabitants. In 1866, the British explorer David Livingstone (1813–1873) stayed in Zanzibar to prepare his last expedition to Tanzania. In 1892, Zanzibar was declared a free port.

Climate

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Zanzibar City has a tropical climate, very similar to whole Unguja island, and slightly hotter than what is found in Pemba. This climate is classified as a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen climate classification Am). The average temperature in Zanzibar City is 26.9 °C (80.4 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,512 mm (59.5 in). The monthly average temperatures are usually between 25.1 and 28.8 °C (77.2 and 83.8 °F). There are two rain seasons, with most rainfall coming between March and May and smaller rain season coming between November and December. Drier months are January - February, and a longer drier season between June and October.

Climate data for Zanzibar City (1991–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 32.6
(90.7)
33.2
(91.8)
32.5
(90.5)
30.6
(87.1)
29.7
(85.5)
29.3
(84.7)
29.0
(84.2)
29.4
(84.9)
30.4
(86.7)
31.2
(88.2)
31.0
(87.8)
31.8
(89.2)
30.9
(87.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 28.5
(83.3)
28.5
(83.3)
28.4
(83.1)
27.4
(81.3)
26.6
(79.9)
25.9
(78.6)
25.3
(77.5)
25.2
(77.4)
25.7
(78.3)
26.5
(79.7)
27.1
(80.8)
28.0
(82.4)
26.9
(80.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 24.5
(76.1)
24.3
(75.7)
24.5
(76.1)
24.5
(76.1)
23.8
(74.8)
22.9
(73.2)
22.1
(71.8)
21.1
(70.0)
21.0
(69.8)
22.0
(71.6)
23.1
(73.6)
24.0
(75.2)
23.1
(73.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 73.6
(2.90)
50.8
(2.00)
176.9
(6.96)
408.5
(16.08)
297.8
(11.72)
51.9
(2.04)
30.8
(1.21)
37.7
(1.48)
36.8
(1.45)
115.7
(4.56)
201.3
(7.93)
167.7
(6.60)
1,649.5
(64.94)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 5.6 3.6 11.0 17.5 13.8 5.3 4.3 6.0 5.1 6.9 13.7 12.2 105.0
Source 1: NOAA[10]
Source 2: Tokyo Climate Center (mean temperatures 1991–2020)[11]
 
A map of Zanzibar City by Oscar Baumann, 1892.

Places of worship

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The places of worship in the city are predominantly Muslim mosques.[12] There are also Christian churches and temples: Roman Catholic Diocese of Zanzibar (Catholic Church), Anglican Church of Tanzania (Anglican Communion), Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (Lutheran World Federation), Baptist Convention of Tanzania (Baptist World Alliance), Assemblies of God.

Constituencies

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Old Dispensary, Stone Town

For parliamentary elections, Tanzania is divided into constituencies. As of the 2010 elections the area for Zanzibar City District had ten of the nineteen constituencies in the region:[13]

  • Amani Constituency
  • Chumbuni Constituency
  • Jangombe Constituency
  • Kikwajuni Constituency
  • Kwahani Constituency
  • Kwamtipura Constituency
  • Magomeni Constituency
  • Mji Mkongwe Constituency
  • Mpendae Constituency
  • Rahaleo Constituency

Wards

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Old Fort in Zanzibar City
Children playing in Zanzibar city

The Zanzibar Urban District is administratively divided into 45 wards:[14]

Nr. Ward (Shehia) Population
2012[14]
Parliamentary
Constituency
1 Shangani 3,886 Mji Kongwe
2 Mkunazini 3,308 Mji Kongwe
3 Kiponda 1,654 Mji Kongwe
4 Malindi 3,204 Mji Kongwe
5 Mchangani 2,211 Mji Kongwe
6 Vikokotoni 1,872 Mji Kongwe
7 Mwembetanga 2,610 Mji Kongwe
8 Kisiwandui 1,590 Kikwajuni
9 Kikwajuni Juu 2,408 Kikwajuni
10 Kikwajuni Bondeni 2,257 Kikwajuni
11 Kisima Majongoo 2,615 Kikwajuni
12 Miembeni 6,095 Kikwajuni
13 Kilimani 2,911 Kikwajuni
14 Migombani 7,164 Mpendae
15 Mpendae 13,252 Mpendae
16 Meya 5,777 Mpendae
17 Jang'ombe 6,122 Jang'ombe
18 Urusi 7,532 Jang'ombe
19 Matarumbeta 2,711 Jang'ombe
20 Kwaalinato 5,438 Jang'ombe
21 Mwembeshauri 1,933 Rahaleo
22 Rahaleo 1,950 Rahaleo
23 Mlandege 2,070 Rahaleo
24 Muembe Ladu 2,954 Rahaleo
25 Gulioni 2,488 Rahaleo
26 Makadara 5,048 Rahaleo
27 Kwaalamsha 3,479 Kwahani
28 Mikunguni 2,984 Kwahani
29 Kwahani 4,815 Kwahani
30 Kidongo Chekundu 2,290 Kwahani
31 Muungano 5,304 Kwahani
32 Sogea 4,801 Magomeni
33 Magomeni 6,165 Magomeni
34 Nyerere 9,657 Magomeni
35 Kwa Wazee 6,454 Magomeni
36 Sebleni 5,102 Amaani
37 Amaani 6,156 Amaani
38 Kilimahewa Bondeni 5,116 Amaani
39 Kilimahewa Juu 4,714 Amaani
40 Kwamtipura 11,572 Kwamtipura
41 Mkele 7,140 Kwamtipura
42 Shaurimoyo 8,335 Kwamtipura
43 Chumbuni 10,925 Chumbuni
44 Karakana 8,610 Chumbuni
45 Muembe Makumbi 8,354 Chumbuni
Total Zanzibar Urban 223,033

As of 2012, Mjini District was administratively divided into 20 wards.[15]

Wards

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Demographics

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Zanzibari Man, 1905.
The children of the Sultan of Zanzibar were protected by two palace guards in 1884
Swahili woman in Zanzibar early 20th century.
Swahili man in Zanzibar early 20th century.
Historical population
YearPop.±%
187070,000—    
191035,262−49.6%
194847,284+34.1%
195849,502+4.7%
196868,490+38.4%
YearPop.±%
1978110,669+61.6%
1988167,318+51.2%
2002205,870+23.0%
2012223,033+8.3%
2022219,007−1.8%

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Mjini District".
  2. ^ "Kusini District Profile" (PDF). Government of Zanzibar. 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  3. ^ 21 km2 (8.1 sq mi) for Nauru at "Area size comparison". Nation master. 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Mjini Municipal (Municipality, Tanzania) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  5. ^ a b "An introduction to Zanzibar Town on the island of Zanzibar in Tanzania". zanzibar-travel-guide.com. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved November 25, 2010.
  6. ^ Kevin Shilligton, Encyclopaedia of African History vol. 3, p. 1710
  7. ^ "THE "STONE TOWN" OF ZANZIBAR". zanzibar-web.com. Archived from the original on July 24, 2008. Retrieved June 18, 2008.
  8. ^ "Stone Town of Zanzibar". UNESCO. UNESCO. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  9. ^ Britannica, Zanzibar Archived July 14, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Encyclopædia Britannica, USA. Retrieved January 5, 2020
  10. ^ "Zanzibar Climate Normals 1991–2020". World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 17 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
  11. ^ "Normals Data: Zanzibar/Kisauni - Tanzania Latitude: 6.22°N Longitude: 39.22°E Height: 15 (m)". Japan Meteorological Agency. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  12. ^ Britannica, Tanzania Archived January 18, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Encyclopædia Britannica, USA. Retrieved January 5, 2020
  13. ^ "Organisations located in Zanzibar City - Tanzania". African Development Information. Archived from the original on 2012-09-04.
  14. ^ a b National Bureau of Statistics Tanzania (web).
  15. ^ "Mjini District".

Bibliography

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