Zanzibar (island)

Island region of Tanzania, 40 km/25 mi from the mainland, separated by the Zanzibar Channel; area 1,658 sq km/640 sq mi (80 km/50 mi long); population (2002 est) 622,500. Fishing is an important industry and cloves, tobacco, and copra are produced. The main town is Zanzibar.

History
The island was settled by Arab traders in the 7th century. It was occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century, became a sultanate in the 17th century, and was under British protection 1890–1963. Until well into the 19th century the island was a major centre for the slave trade. Together with the island of Pemba, some nearby islets, and a strip of mainland territory, it became a republic in 1963. It merged with Tanganyika as Tanzania in 1964.