Zanzibar Channel

The Zanzibar Channel separates Unguja, the main island of Zanzibar, from the East African mainland. Its waters link the island's harbours with coastal rivers and settlements, while reefs and tidal shallows border the passage. Swahili sailors and merchants travelled through the channel as part of a wider Indian Ocean trading world. Ships could find shelter at Zanzibar before continuing along the coast or across the sea.