Situated in the Indian Ocean, 36 km off the coastline of mainland, lies Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous part of the United Republic of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja, the main island, informally referred to as Zanzibar, and Pemba. Zanzibar's brilliant white beaches la
pped by the warm turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean provide the perfect place to relax, soak up the sun and take a break from some busy sightseeing, a paradise, interspersed with picturesque fishing villages, where the people live a simple way of life, unchanged over the years. There are more than 25 fantastic beaches in Zanzibar, and some are so peaceful and remote that the only noise breaking the silence is likely to be the ocean.
Zanzibar also boasts several small offshore islands which are ideal for a day-trip. Prison island is the most popular with tourists because it is only a short trip from Stone Town. Originally, it was used by Arabs to detain recalcitrant slaves, and then a jail was built by the British, but it was never actually used.
There is a wide variety of birdlife, and a large number of butterflies in rural areas.
Zanzibar's local people are an incredible mixture of ethnic backgrounds, indicative of her colourful history.
Fishing and agriculture are the main economic activities of the local people. Zanzibar, commonly known as the "Spice Island", was once the world's largest producer of cloves, and her economy was based on large incomes thus derived. Although cloves are still a major export along with coconut products and spices, tourism has been ear-marked as the primary foreign exchange earner, with more visitors coming to Zanzibar each year.
