Zanzibar is located in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa, roughly thirty five kilometres from mainland Tanzania and separated from it by the Zanzibar Channel. Visitors reach it by a short flight or a ferry crossing of around two hours from Dar es Salaam. Zanzibar is a semi autonomous archipelago within the United Republic of Tanzania, sitting just south of the equator on the historic Swahili Coast.
The confusion is understandable. People use the name for the archipelago, for the main island, for the city and for the beach they saw in a photograph, and all four are technically correct.
Zanzibar’s Location in the Indian Ocean off East Africa
The archipelago lies in the western Indian Ocean, a little over six degrees south of the equator, along the stretch of coastline historically known as the Swahili Coast. The main island sits at approximately six degrees eight minutes south and thirty nine degrees twenty minutes east.
Mainland Tanzania lies directly to the west, close enough that the coastline is visible from parts of Zanzibar on a clear day. Kenya sits to the north, and the open Indian Ocean stretches east towards the Seychelles, the Maldives and eventually India.
That position is the whole story of the place. Zanzibar sat at the point where the monsoon winds carried dhows down from Arabia, Persia and India and then carried them home again, which made it a natural meeting point for trade long before any European ship arrived.
The Islands of the Zanzibar Archipelago Tours Reach
Zanzibar is not one island. The archipelago is a chain of islands and islets running roughly north to south off the Tanzanian coast.
Unguja. The largest and most populated island, and the one almost everyone means when they say Zanzibar. It holds Stone Town, the airport and all the main beach areas. Roughly 1,666 square kilometres.
Pemba. The second island, about 988 square kilometres, lying roughly fifty to sixty kilometres north of Unguja. Greener, hillier, far less visited, and known for clove production and serious reef sites.
Mafia. Further south, administered separately from Zanzibar but usually grouped with the archipelago geographically. Known for its marine park and seasonal whale sharks.
Latham Island, a tiny coral outcrop southeast of Unguja, is administered by Zanzibar and is an important seabird breeding site. Nobody lives there.
How Far Zanzibar Sits From Mainland Tanzania for a Combined Trip
The Zanzibar Channel separates Unguja from the mainland, and at its narrowest the gap is around thirty five kilometres. Measured between Zanzibar City and Dar es Salaam, the straight line distance is closer to seventy five kilometres.
In practical terms that means a flight of twenty to thirty minutes, or a fast ferry crossing of roughly one and a half to two hours with several sailings a day. Pemba lies a further fifty to sixty kilometres north of Unguja, across the deeper Pemba Channel, and is reached by a short flight or a longer ferry.
That proximity is why so many visitors combine a mainland safari with an island stay. The northern safari circuit around the Serengeti and Ngorongoro is a longer hop, with light aircraft flying direct to Zanzibar from the parks, and Arusha or Kilimanjaro roughly an hour away by air.
Zanzibar’s Size, Terrain and Coordinates
Unguja runs about eighty five kilometres from north to south and thirty kilometres across at its widest, covering roughly 1,666 square kilometres. For comparison, that is a little smaller than Cape Verde’s Santiago and slightly larger than Greater London.
The terrain is low. There are no mountains, no rivers of any size and no dramatic relief; the highest ground on the island rises to under two hundred metres, in a low ridge running through the centre. Most of the island is coral rag, a hard fossilised reef limestone with thin soil over it, which is why the interior supports scrub and coconut rather than dense agriculture.
The exception is the western belt, where deeper soils support the clove and spice farms. Groundwater forest survives at Jozani in the southeast, and mangrove fringes much of the eastern and southern coastline.
The population of Unguja was recorded at around 896,700 in the 2012 census and has grown since.
Where Stone Town and the Beaches Sit on a Zanzibar Island Tour
Orienting yourself on the island is straightforward once you know the four corners.
Stone Town sits on the western promontory, facing the mainland across the channel, which is why it gets the sunsets and why the port is there. It is the historic core of the larger Zanzibar City, and the airport lies a short distance south of it.
The north coast, at Nungwi and Kendwa, wraps the top of the island and escapes the extreme tides, which is why swimming is possible there at any hour. The northeast coast holds Matemwe, Kiwengwa and Pongwe, facing Mnemba Atoll offshore. The east and southeast coasts carry Paje, Jambiani, Bwejuu and the Michamvi peninsula, all on a shallow shelf where the sea withdraws a long way at low tide.
The south holds Kizimkazi, the dolphin villages, and the far south coast is largely undeveloped. Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park sits inland in the southeast, on the road between the town and the east coast.
An island eighty five kilometres long with a two hour maximum drive from end to end. Everything is closer than it looks, until you meet the roads.
Distances and Transfer Times Around the Island on a Zanzibar Trip
Distances on Zanzibar are short and travel times are not, because the roads are narrow, villages sit directly on them and the traffic includes everything from lorries to bicycles.
From the airport or Stone Town, allow roughly an hour and a half north to Nungwi and Kendwa, an hour to an hour and a quarter northeast to Matemwe, about an hour east to Paje and Jambiani, and an hour and a half south to Kizimkazi. Jozani sits thirty to forty five minutes out on the east coast road.
Crossing between coasts takes longer than the map suggests, since most routes run back through the middle of the island rather than around the edge. Nungwi to Paje is a good two hours. That is worth knowing before planning a trip that hops between three beaches in a week.
Zanzibar’s Place on the Indian Ocean Trade Routes and Its Heritage Tours
Location made this island what it is, and the heritage tours in Stone Town are really a tour of that geography.
The monsoon system did the work. The northeast kaskazi carried sailing dhows down from Oman, Persia and western India between roughly December and March, and the southeast kusi carried them home from around June. Zanzibar sat at the practical southern limit of that annual round trip, which made it the natural place to break the voyage, trade and wait for the wind to turn.
Persian settlers from Shiraz built the mosque at Kizimkazi Dimbani in 1107. Portuguese ships arrived in the early 1500s and held the coast for two centuries. Omani Arabs expelled them in 1698, and in 1832 Sultan Seyyid Said moved the Omani capital from Muscat to Zanzibar outright, which is when the clove economy and the slave trade turned the island into the commercial centre of East Africa.
Every layer of that is visible in the architecture of Stone Town, which is why it holds a UNESCO listing.
Zanzibar’s Political Status Within Tanzania
Zanzibar is part of the United Republic of Tanzania but not simply a region of it. The islands united with mainland Tanganyika in 1964, shortly after the Zanzibar Revolution, and the combined name Tanzania comes from blending the two.
Under that union Zanzibar retains semi autonomous status, with its own president, House of Representatives, legal arrangements in certain areas and its own immigration checks. That last point catches people out: travelling from mainland Tanzania to Zanzibar involves an immigration desk even on a domestic flight, and the mandatory Zanzibar travel insurance is checked there.
Practically, this also means Zanzibar sets some of its own tourism rules, fees and levies separately from the mainland.
Getting to Zanzibar and the Airports That Serve the Trip
Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, just south of Zanzibar City, is the main gateway. It handles domestic flights from Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Kilimanjaro and the northern safari circuit, regional services from Nairobi and elsewhere in East Africa, and direct international flights from Europe and the Gulf, particularly in high season.
The sea route runs fast ferries from Dar es Salaam into the port on the northern edge of Stone Town, several times daily, taking roughly one and a half to two hours. Pemba has its own airport at Chake Chake and ferry connections from both Unguja and Tanga.
The time zone is East Africa Time, three hours ahead of coordinated universal time, with no daylight saving. Swahili is the local language and English is widely spoken in tourism. The currency is the Tanzanian shilling, though US dollars are accepted for most tourist services, with notes printed in the year 2000 or later.
Frequently Asked Questions About Where Zanzibar Is
What country is Zanzibar in?
Tanzania. Zanzibar is a semi autonomous archipelago within the United Republic of Tanzania, which was formed in 1964 when the islands united with mainland Tanganyika. It has its own president and House of Representatives and runs its own immigration checks, so arriving from the mainland involves passport control even on a domestic flight.
How far is Zanzibar from mainland Africa?
Around thirty five kilometres at the narrowest point of the Zanzibar Channel. Measured city to city, Zanzibar City sits roughly seventy five kilometres from Dar es Salaam. Flights take twenty to thirty minutes and cost around $40 to $125 one way, while fast ferries take one and a half to two hours with tickets from roughly $35 to over $100 depending on class.
How big is Zanzibar island?
Unguja, the main island, covers about 1,666 square kilometres, running roughly eighty five kilometres north to south and thirty kilometres east to west at its widest. It is low lying, with its highest ground under two hundred metres. Pemba, the second island, covers about 988 square kilometres.
Is Zanzibar an island or a group of islands?
Both, depending on how the word is used. The Zanzibar Archipelago is a chain of islands, of which Unguja is the largest and is itself commonly called Zanzibar. Pemba is the second largest, with Tumbatu and Uzi also inhabited, and a scatter of smaller islands such as Changuu, Chumbe and Mnemba visited on boat trips.
How long does it take to drive across Zanzibar?
Longer than the distances suggest. From Stone Town or the airport allow about an hour and a half to Nungwi in the north, an hour to Paje in the east and an hour and a half to Kizimkazi in the south. Crossing between the north and east coasts takes around two hours, since most routes run back through the middle of the island rather than around the coast.
What language do they speak in Zanzibar?
Swahili is the everyday language, and Zanzibar is widely regarded as the home of its most standard form. English is the second official language of Tanzania and is spoken throughout the tourism industry. Arabic influence runs through the local Swahili, reflecting centuries of trade and Omani rule.
Knowing where things sit on the island matters more than it sounds, because the difference between an hour on the road and two and a half hours is the difference between a good day and a wasted one. Holidays To Zanzibar plans routes around the geography rather than around the map, and will tell you honestly whether the beach you have picked suits the rest of your itinerary.
For help working out where to base yourself and how to link it with the mainland, get in touch with Holidays To Zanzibar and a real person will answer.