Peoples And Culture

The population of Zanzibar stands at 1.3 million people according to the 2012 Census at an annual growth rate of 2.8%. OCGS (2018) projects the population to have reached 1,534,000 in 2017. Its Swahili culture is a hybrid of African, Arabian, Indian and Persian practices. The official languages are Kiswahili and English. Arabic is spoken in selected quarters. The people of Zanzibar are predominantly Muslim. During the holy month of Ramadhan visitors are expected to refrain from eating, drinking or smoking in public during day-light hours.