03Cities, Parks & Islands

Archipelago inside the country

Zanzibar: Stone Town, Unguja and the beach

Zanzibar here is not a separate state; it is an archipelago inside the United Republic of Tanzania, and its best-known island is Unguja—what many travellers mean by “Zanzibar.” Zanzibar covers about 2,462 km², with a 2022 census population of 1,889,773. On Unguja’s west coast sits Stone Town, the old core of Zanzibar City, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000 with a 96 ha core and an 84.79 ha buffer. The waterfront shows the Old Fort, the House of Wonders and Forodhani Gardens as Swahili urban architecture and heritage. Northern Unguja holds Nungwi’s pale sand and turquoise water; east and southeast beaches such as Paje and Jambiani expose wide tidal flats. Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) serves Unguja. Two to four days cover Stone Town and a beach day; stay longer if you want a slow north–east loop. Keep Zanzibar inside Tanzania in your mental map: it is a places chapter within the country, completed by Pemba to the north if you want a quieter island rhythm.

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Zanzibar area

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Population

2000

Stone Town inscription