European presence in Zanzibar until independence (1833-1964)
Author(s): Ismail Mohammed Hassan Al-Wais
Abstract: During the Age of Exploration, Portugal was the first European power to control Zanzibar, maintaining its dominance for 200 years. Zanzibar then came under the influence of the Sultanate of Oman in 1698, which developed its trade, economy, and crop systems, improving farms for the cultivation of spices, cloves, and garlic. As a result, Zanzibar earned the nickname "Spice Islands." This also led to the influx of slave traders from Europe and America, similar to other African ports. British dominance began in Zanzibar under the guise of liberation from slavery, and it became a British protectorate in 1890. Zanzibar gained independence from Britain in 1963 under a monarchy. However, just a month later, the bloody Zanzibar Revolution took place, where thousands of Arabs and Indians were killed, and thousands more were expelled and their properties confiscated. This led to the declaration of the Zanzibar and Pemba Republic, which shortly after united with Tanganyika to form what is now known as Tanzania, with Zanzibar continuing as an autonomous region.
DOI: 10.22271/27069109.2025.v7.i3a.371Pages: 31-39 | Views: 153 | Downloads: 79Download Full Article: Click Here
How to cite this article:
Ismail Mohammed Hassan Al-Wais.
European presence in Zanzibar until independence (1833-1964). Int J Hist 2025;7(3):31-39. DOI:
10.22271/27069109.2025.v7.i3a.371
