Zanzibar’s history was significantly influenced by its geographical location. Situated along the Indian Ocean routes and blessed with prevailing winds, the island became easily accessible to traders and colonists from South Asia, Arabia, and the African Mainland. The earliest immigrants were Africans, with Persians following suit. However, it was the Arabs who exerted the most profound impact due to the island’s strategic position as a hub for Arab-led slave trade expeditions in Africa and extensive maritime commerce.

During the 16th century, the Portuguese took control of the seaports along the eastern African coast but were eventually ousted by Omani Arabs in the 17th century. As the demand for plantation slaves in North and South America surged in the late 18th and 19th centuries, Zanzibar emerged as the epicenter of the African slave trade. Additionally, the island played a vital role in the ivory trade, with slaves being employed as porters to transport the valuable commodity. In 1890, the British declared a protectorate over Zanzibar, which endured for 70 years. Then, in April 1964, the presidents of Zanzibar and Tanganyika signed an act of union, leading to the creation of Tanzania later that year.