Zanzibar

At a very remote unknown period the eastern coast of Africa was colonized by Asiatic nations, notably Persians and Arabs, who intermingled with the native blacks and produced the race known as the Swahilis (Arabic, Sahel, coast). The best known political, commercial, and religious centre of this colonization, was, besides Lamu, Malindi, Mombasa, and Kilwa, the island and town of Zanzibar, situated a little south of lat. 5? S. The neighbouring coast from Somaliland to Cape Delgado was often called Zanquebar. The two names are identical, being derived from Zendj, a word of Persian origin, meaning "blacks", and bara, "country". The old Arabic writers spoke of Zendjibar, the "country of the blacks", as they called the land across the ocean Hindubar, the country of the Hindus.