Sultanate of Zanzibar: Map & History
The Sultanate of Zanzibar, also known as the Zanzibar Sultanate, was an East African Muslim state controlled by the Sultan of Zanzibar, in existence between 1856 and 1964.
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The Sultanate of Zanzibar, also known as the Zanzibar Sultanate, was an East African Muslim state controlled by the Sultan of Zanzibar, in existence between 1856 and 1964. The Sultanate's territories varied over time, and after a period of decline, the state had sovereignty over only the Zanzibar Archipelago and a 16-kilometre-wide (10 mi) strip along the Kenyan coast, with the interior of Kenya constituting the British Kenya Colony and the coastal strip administered as a de facto part of that colony.
Modern Countries Once Part of Sultanate of Zanzibar
At its mapped extent, Sultanate of Zanzibar covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Sultanate of Zanzibar's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Sultanate of Zanzibar in Depth
History
According to the 16th-century explorer Leo Africanus, Zanzibar (Zanguebar) was the term used by Arabs and Persians to refer to the eastern African coast running from Kenya to Mozambique, dominated by five semi-independent Muslim kingdoms: Mombasa, Malindi, Kilwa, Mozambique, and Sofala. Africanus further noted that they all had standing agreements of loyalty with the major central African states, including the Kingdom of Mutapa.
In 1698, Zanzibar became part of the overseas holdings of Oman after Saif bin Sultan, the Imam of Oman, defeated the Portuguese in Mombasa, in what is now Kenya. In 1832 or 1840, Omani ruler Said bin Sultan moved his court from Muscat to Stone Town on the island of Unguja (that is, Zanzibar Island).
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Sultanate of Zanzibar (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Sultanate of Zanzibar: Key Facts
| Capital | Zanzibar City |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Arabic, English |
| Form of government | absolute monarchy, constitutional monarchy |
| Currencies | Zanzibari rupee, East African shilling |
| Founded | 19 October 1856 |
| Dissolved | 12 January 1964 |
Succeeded by
- Zanzibar Protectorate
- Zanzibar Islands
Facts from Wikidata Q157904 (CC0).
Sultanate of Zanzibar Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 4,245 km² in 1964 CE.
Sultanate of Zanzibar: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Sultanate of Zanzibar exist?
The Sultanate of Zanzibar is dated to 1963 CE – 1966 CE, in the Industrial era.
What was the capital of the Sultanate of Zanzibar?
The capital of the Sultanate of Zanzibar was Stone Town.
How large was the Sultanate of Zanzibar at its peak?
At its peak in 1964 the Sultanate of Zanzibar covered about 4,245 km².
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