Zanzibar is a series of many islands, the main ones being Unguja and Pemba and lies off the coast of Tanzania in the Indian Ocean. In addition to the two main islands, there are many other islands and islets in the Zanzibar archipelago which stretches from the top of Pemba to the south point of Unguja. Zanzibar is famous for once being the commercial centre of East Africa and the last place to abolish the slave trade. Today it combines ancient Islamic ruins, noble Arabic houses with miles of white sandy palm fringed beaches and coves.

The ocean offers warm clear blue waters, idyllic islands excellent reefs for snorkelling and diving, fantastic deep sea fishing, water sports and of course delicious fresh fish. And if you thought that wasn't enough, visiting the Spice plantations of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, cardamom and others, or haggling for carvings in the Central Market is great fun too.

Unguja is in the Indian Ocean about 40kms east of Bagamoyo on the Tanzanian mainland. It is more populated of the two main islands and is home to Stone Town (also known as Zanzibar Town or City), an historic, bustling city of narrow alleyways and stone coral buildings. Most of the population lives in the more fertile regions of the north and west. The beaches and the reefs on the eastern coasts make them ideal for fishing villages, tourist guesthouses and resorts.

Pemba, located about 50kms north of Unguja, is far less populated. Known also by its Arabic name, Al Khundra meaning Green Island, Pemba is covered in steep hills full of palms, clove and rubber trees, rice paddies and the Ngezi Forest in the north. There are many pure, beautiful beaches in and around the numerous inlets and coves.

People
The people of Zanzibar are predominantly Muslim, about 95% of the population being followers of Islam. The remaining percentage is a mix of Christians, Hindus and followers of various other religions. Swahili is the official and national language of Tanzania but English is also spoken in Zanzibar, and a percentage of the population also has a working knowledge of Arabic. The literacy rate in Zanzibar is very high.

Climate
Zanzibar is a few degrees south of the equator and enjoys a tropical climate that is largely dominated by the Indian Ocean monsoons. The winter months, November and December, experience short rains and the long rains arrive in March and last until late May or June.

January through March is generally hot and dry with little rainfall. April through June is wet because of the long rains which start to taper off in May. July through October are ideal months for visiting Zanzibar because the average temperature is 25 C, the air is dry and breezy and there is little rainfall.

Culture
Zanzibar as a cultural collage: Rice from Malaysia, Cloves from Indonesia, Bullfighting from Portugal, Islam from Arabia, Cassava and Cashews from Brazil, Tomatoes and Corn from the Americas, Turmeric from India, and some types of Bananas and Coconuts possibly from Pacific islands or Southeast Asia. The large, loud black birds seen in and around Zanzibar are Indian Crows imported by Sir Gerald Portal, who was hoping that the birds would help the sanitation effort by eating 'waste'.

Swahili had been written only in Arabic script, using Arabic letters to spell Swahili words phonetically, until the arrival of the first English-Swahili dictionary that spelled Swahili words in the Roman alphabet. Bishop Edward Steere – the same man who oversaw the building of the Anglican Cathedral over the site of the old slave market, wrote the dictionary.