Swahili coast
For over a thousand years Zanzibar was a hub of the Indian Ocean trade, where African, Arab, Persian and Indian peoples met and blended into the Swahili culture.
Sultans and spices
Under the Sultans of Oman, Stone Town became a wealthy centre of the clove, ivory and — darkly — slave trades. Its coral-stone palaces and carved doors date from this era.
Union with Tanzania
After a revolution in 1964, Zanzibar joined Tanganyika to form Tanzania, while keeping its own distinct identity, government and unmistakable island atmosphere.