Unguja | |
Map: | Tanzania |
Nickname: | Zanzibar Island |
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 |
Unguja (also referred to as "Zanzibar Island" or simply "Zanzibar", in Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Μενουθιάς|Menuthias – as mentioned in The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea) is the largest and most populated island of the Zanzibar archipelago, in Tanzania.
See main article: History of Zanzibar.
Unguja is a hilly island, about 85km (53miles) long (north-south) and 30km (20miles) wide (east-west) at its widest, with an overall area of about 1666km2.[1] It is located in the northern half of the Zanzibar Archipelago, in the Indian Ocean, about 59km (37miles) 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.
Unguja and the surrounding islands are divided into three regions:
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.
As of the 2012 census, the total population of Unguja was 896,721, mostly concentrated in the Zanzibar urban region.[2] 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.[3]
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.
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.[4] [5]