Zanzibar is. an island in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa; part of the United Republic of Tanzania. Example of: island. a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water. It is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, 25–50 km (16–31 mi) off the coast of the African mainland, and consists of many small islands and two large ones. Zanzibar is not a country but is considered a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania. Politically it is part of Tanzania.

Zanzibar Island is well known as The Spice Island due to the farming and processing of aromatic spices like cloves, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemongrass and black pepper. Visit spice plantations to learn about the process and history of these crops and their medicinal and culinary uses. In April 1964, the republic merged with mainland Tanganyika. This United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar was soon renamed, blending the two names, as the United Republic of Tanzania, within which Zanzibar remains an autonomous region.

It's a partly self-governing state in Tanzania; it's not an independent country. The archipelago was once the separate state of Zanzibar, which united with Tanganyika to form the United Republic of Tanzania. Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous within the union, with its own government

Zanzibar remains a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania. The autonomous status of Zanzibar is viewed as comparable to Hong Kong as suggested by some scholars, and being recognized as the "African Hong Kong". The Zanzibar House of Representatives was established in 1980

The two biggest islands of the Zanzibar Archipelago are Unguja and Pemba, which you can see in the map above.

The general impression of Zanzibar when approached from the mainland is of a long, low island with small ridges along its central north–south axis. Coconut palms and other vegetation cover the land surface. It is 53 miles (85 km) at its greatest length and 24 miles (39 km) broad.

Unguja is a hilly island, about 85 kilometres (53 miles) long (north-south) and 30 kilometres (19 miles) wide (east-west) at its widest, with an overall area of about 1,666 square kilometres (643 square miles) and Pemba Island, part of the Zanzibar Archipelago off Tanzania's coast, is famous for its pristine coral reefs, making it a top destination for diving and snorkeling. Known as the “Green Island,” it produces a variety of spices, including cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Importantly, the water in Zanzibar is swimmable all year around. The sea temperature in January and February (the high of summer) is around 29 (83.4F). and in August and September (which is winter), the sea temperature is around 25.5c (78F) The sea water around Zanzibar is perfect for swimming all year round. It never gets too cold, even for fussy swimmers!