Unguja
Tanzanian island of the Zanzibar Archipelago
title: "Unguja" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["zanzibar-archipelago", "islands-of-zanzibar"] description: "Tanzanian island of the Zanzibar Archipelago" topic_path: "general/zanzibar-archipelago" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unguja" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Tanzanian island of the Zanzibar Archipelago ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox islands"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Unguja |
| image_name | Topographic map of Zanzibar-en.svg |
| image_caption | Unguja |
| map | Tanzania |
| map_caption | Location in Tanzania |
| nickname | Zanzibar Island |
| {{Coord | 6 |
| archipelago | Zanzibar Archipelago |
| area_km2 | 1666 |
| length_km | 85 |
| width_km | 30 |
| highest_mount | Unnamed point in the Koani chain |
| elevation_m | 195 |
| population | 896,721 |
| population_as_of | 2012 |
| country | Tanzania |
| country_admin_divisions_title | Region |
| country_admin_divisions | Zanzibar |
| :: |
| name = Unguja | image_name = Topographic map of Zanzibar-en.svg | image_caption = Unguja | motto = | map = Tanzania | map_caption = Location in Tanzania | nickname = Zanzibar Island | location = | additional_info = | coordinates = | archipelago = Zanzibar Archipelago | total_islands = | major_islands = | area_km2 = 1666 | length_km = 85 | width_km = 30 | highest_mount = Unnamed point in the Koani chain | elevation_m = 195 | population = 896,721 | population_as_of = 2012 | density_km2 = | ethnic_groups = | country = Tanzania | country_admin_divisions_title = Region | country_admin_divisions = Zanzibar | country_admin_divisions_title_1 = | country_admin_divisions_1 = | country_admin_divisions_title_2 = | country_admin_divisions_2 = | country_capital_city = | country_largest_city = | country_largest_city_population = | country_leader_title = | country_leader_name =
Unguja (also referred to as "Zanzibar Island" or simply "Zanzibar") is the largest and most populated island of the Zanzibar archipelago, in Tanzania.
History
Main article: History of Zanzibar
Geography
Unguja is a hilly island, about 85 km long (north-south) and 30 km wide (east-west) at its widest, with an overall area of about 1,666 km2. It is located in the northern half of the Zanzibar Archipelago, in the Indian Ocean, about 59 km south of the second largest island of the archipelago, Pemba. Unguja and mainland Tanzania are separated by the Zanzibar Channel.
Unguja is surrounded by a number of smaller islands and islets, with only two of them, Tumbatu and Uzi, being inhabited. Other minor islands around Unguja include Bawe, Chapwani, Changuu, Chumbe, Kizingo, Kwale, Latham, Mautani, Miwi, Mnemba, Mwana wa Mwana, Nianembe, Popo, Pungume, and Ukanga.
|width = auto |metric first=Yes |single line=Yes |location=Unguja, Tanzania, West Indian Ocean |Jan record high C= |Feb record high C= |Mar record high C= |Apr record high C= |May record high C= |Jun record high C= |Jul record high C= |Aug record high C= |Sep record high C= |Oct record high C= |Nov record high C= |Dec record high C= |year record high C= |Jan high C= |Feb high C= |Mar high C= |Apr high C= |May high C= |Jun high C= |Jul high C= |Aug high C= |Sep high C= |Oct high C= |Nov high C= |Dec high C= |year high C= |Jan low C= |Feb low C= |Mar low C= |Apr low C= |May low C= |Jun low C= |Jul low C= |Aug low C= |Sep low C= |Oct low C= |Nov low C= |Dec low C= |year low C= |Jan record low C= |Feb record low C= |Mar record low C= |Apr record low C= |May record low C= |Jun record low C= |Jul record low C= |Aug record low C= |Sep record low C= |Oct record low C= |Nov record low C= |Dec record low C= |year record low C= |rain colour= |Jan rain mm= |Feb rain mm= |Mar rain mm= |Apr rain mm= |May rain mm= |Jun rain mm= |Jul rain mm= |Aug rain mm= |Sep rain mm= |Oct rain mm= |Nov rain mm= |Dec rain mm= |year rain mm= |unit rain days=1.0 mm |Jan rain days= |Feb rain days= |Mar rain days= |Apr rain days= |May rain days= |Jun rain days= |Jul rain days= |Aug rain days= |Sep rain days= |Oct rain days= |Nov rain days= |Dec rain days= |year rain days= |Jan humidity= |Feb humidity= |Mar humidity= |Apr humidity= |May humidity= |Jun humidity= |Jul humidity= |Aug humidity= |Sep humidity= |Oct humidity= |Nov humidity= |Dec humidity= |year humidity= |Jan sun= |Feb sun= |Mar sun= |Apr sun= |May sun= |Jun sun= |Jul sun= |Aug sun= |Sep sun= |Oct sun= |Nov sun= |Dec sun= |year sun= |Jand sun= |Febd sun= |Mard sun= |Aprd sun= |Mayd sun= |Jund sun= |Juld sun= |Augd sun= |Sepd sun= |Octd sun= |Novd sun= |Decd sun= |yeard sun= |source 1= |url= |title= |publisher= |access-date= |source 2= |url= |title= |work= |publisher= |language= |access-date= |date=Wednesday, 5th August 2020, 14th Zilhajj 1441
Politics
Unguja and the surrounding islands are divided into three regions:
- Zanzibar Central/ South (capital: Koani),
- Zanzibar North (capital: Mkokotoni) and
- Zanzibar Urban/ West (capital: Zanzibar City). Unguja belongs to Zanzibar, which is defined by the Tanzanian Constitution as "a part" of Tanzania with a high degree of autonomy. The local Zanzibari government is based in Stone Town, on the west coast of Unguja.
Population
As of the 2012 census, the total population of Unguja was 896,721, mostly concentrated in the Zanzibar urban region. The main settlement on the island is Zanzibar City, which serves as a capital for Zanzibar and which includes the renowned historical city of Stone Town as well as other populated areas such as Michenzani. Other major settlements on Unguja include Mbweni, Mangapwani, Chwaka, and Nungwi.
People of Unguja mostly speak kiunguja ("the language of Unguja"), which is the dialect of the Swahili language that was used as the main model for the definition of standard Swahili.
Economy
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/WomenWorking_SeaweedZanzibar_6.jpg" caption="Soap made of seaweed"] ::
Unguja is the island of the Zanzibar Archipelago that has the most developed tourism industry. This accounts for a substantial part of Unguja's economy. Agriculture (including the production of spices such as cloves) and fishing are other relevant activities. All along the east coast, most villages also rely on seaweed farming.
Ecology
Notable mammal species on the island include the Zanzibar servaline genet, African palm civet, and Zanzibar red colobus. In June 2018, a leopard was caught on camera here, despite previously being considered extinct in Zanzibar for the past 25 years.
References
References
- Zanzibar. (2007). "Zanzibar strategy for growth and reduction of poverty (ZSGRP)". Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar.
- (2013). "Population Distribution by Administrative Units, United Republic of Tanzania".
- [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/319730/Kiunguja Kiunguja]
- Li, Joanna. (2018-06-07). "Zanzibar Leopard Captured on Camera, Despite Being Declared Extinct". [[Inside Edition]].
- Seaburn, Paul. (2018-06-12). "Extinct 'Evil' Zanzibar Leopard Seen Alive in Tanzania". Mysterious Universe.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::