ZANZIBAR, zan'zi-bitr• or znn'zi-hfir. A sultanate and British protectorate of East Africa. It consists of the two islands of Zanzi bar and Pemba (the latter 30 miles northeast of the former). The island of Zanzibar is traversed by the parallel of S. (Map: Africa, J 5). Their combined area is 1020 square miles: their population in 1902 was estimated at 200.000. (See PEMBA.) The island of Zanzibar, situ ated about 25 miles east of the coast, is of oblong form and 52 miles long, with an area of 613 square miles and an estimated population of 150.000. The east coast is steep, forbidding, and difficult of access. The region to the west is gen erally flat and arid, poorly covered with trees, presenting a Karst formation, and characterized by coral stone. West of this portion is the rich, cultivated part of the island, with rows of hills diversified in sections by swamps. It is well watered with flowing streams. The fertile and alluvial soil is composed of coral lime. The west coast is easy of approach. It is supplied with bays with deep water near the shores, which are fringed by islands. The climate is generally fa vorable, fevers threatening only in the interior. The mean annual temperature is 79.7° F. The flora is equatorial, but not well known. Among the fauna are the civet cat, python, chameleon, and iguana. The fisheries are productive. Agri culture and trade are the leading pursuits. Sugar cane and manioc are raised. Sorghum and red pepper figure prominently. In the clove in dustry the protectorate leads the world. The cocoa palm flourishes and contributes largely to the exports. Donkeys are raised. Good roads have been constructed. The town of Zanzibar
was declared a free port in 1S92. and its com merce has steadily risen. It is mostly with Great Britain. In 1902 the port. was visited by vessels with a tonnage of nearly 350.000. The exports are largely cloves, rubber, ivory, and copra: the imports, nee. piece goods, and coal. The British administer justice and all other branches of authority, only a shadow of power being left to the Sultan. The army numbers about 1000 men, under British leadership. Zanzibar is the capital. Mohammedanism is the leading re ligious faith. Christian missionary work is ac tively progressing. There are only about 200 Europeans on the island of Zanzibar. There is a small and active population from India. Over half of the inhahitants are former slaves from the adjacent Coast. wino till the fields and do the domest ic service. The ancient race is the Moham medan Wahadimu, who have been forced back into the forbidding coral districts. The sul tanate was formerly extensive. comprising other islands and portions of the adjacent mainland. The area was gradually reduced until in 1890 the present limits were settled upon. in that year the Brit ish protectorate was declared utpL•r treaties between Great Britain, France, and (termany. is a lb-itish Prime Minister, under whom the Sultan stands practically as a Crown pensitmen Slavery was done away with by compensation in 1897. Consult: Newman, The Transition from Plarern In Freedom in Zewribar (led mbe (London, 1S98) ; Fitzgerald, Travels on the Coasitands of British East Africa (ih., 1898).