Matemwe is a village located in Kaskazini A District of Unguja North Region on the north-eastern coast of Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago, between Mwangaseni and Kigomani. [1] Its economy is mostly based on seaweed farming and fishing. The village is the seat of an education project aimed at providing computer literacy to the population of the area, [2] as well as the Dada (in swahili: "sister") cooperative that is intended to create job opportunities for Zanzibari women involving them in the processing and preparation of handmade cosmetics and food products such as jam, mustard and sweets that are sold in Stone Town.
There is a charity school in Matemwe, Tamani Foundation, [3] which provides the local students with great education. The facilities includes a nursery school, the only one in Matemwe, and an adult education, where English, Math and Computer skills are being taught.
The main purpose of coming to Matemwe is the beach, which is the longest beach in Zanzibar. The beach is affected by the tide, so check tide schedules before visiting the beach. If you are staying there, however, that is not a problem as the tide is high two times every 24 hours. The beach is very quiet and you will not be harassed by many papasis (beach boys).
Internationally, Matemwe is especially known for its relatively unspoiled white sand beaches with few and expensive touristic structures, which makes for an exclusive vacation destination. The village is fronted by a lagoon and coral reef, as well as the small atoll of Mnemba, which is a particularly appreciated place for snorkeling [4] and scuba diving. [5] Fish species that can be easily spotted in the area include giant trevallies, trumpetfishes, anthiases, groupers and snappers. [6]
Zanzibar is an insular semi-autonomous region which united with Tanganyika in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania. 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: Unguja and Pemba Island. The capital is Zanzibar City, located on the island of Unguja. Its historic centre, Stone Town, is a World Heritage Site.
Pemba Island is a Tanzanian island forming part of the Zanzibar Archipelago, lying within the Swahili Coast in the Indian Ocean.
Stonetown of Zanzibar, also known as Mji Mkongwe, is the old part of Zanzibar City, the main city of Zanzibar, in Tanzania. The newer portion of the city is known as Ng'ambo, Swahili for 'the other side'. Stone Town is located on the western coast of Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago. Former capital of the Zanzibar Sultanate, and flourishing centre of the spice trade as well as the Indian Ocean slave trade in the 19th century, it retained its importance as the main city of Zanzibar during the period of the British protectorate. When Tanganyika and Zanzibar joined each other to form the United Republic of Tanzania, Zanzibar kept a semi-autonomous status, with Stone Town as its local government seat.
Unguja South Region, Zanzibar South Region or South Zanzibar Region is one of the 31 regions of Tanzania. The region covers an area of 854 km2 (330 sq mi). The region is comparable in size to the combined land area of the nation state of Kiribati. and the administrative region is located entirely on the island of Zanzibar. Unguja South Region is bordered on three sides to the south by Indian Ocean, northeast by Unguja North Region and northwest by Mjini Magharibi Region. The regional capital is the town of Koani. Besides being known for its Spinner dolphin populations, the region is also home to the oldest mosque in East Africa, the Kizimkazi Mosque and also historic Makunduchi town. The region has the fourth highest HDI in the country, making one of the most developed regions in the country. According to the 2022 census, the region has a total population of 195,873.
Unguja is the largest and most populated island of the Zanzibar archipelago, in Tanzania.
Tumbatu is historic Swahili settlement located on Tumbatu Island, Kaskazini A District of Unguja North Region in Tanzania. This site is a significant archaeological site that contains a large number of collapsed coral stone structures including private houses and several mosques, the largest of which is located on the shore facing the village of Mkokotoni on Unguja. Pearce initially looked into the ruins in 1915 and wrote about the mosques, palace, and other stone homes.
Uzi Island is an island in the south of Zanzibar, connected by causeway to the main island of Unguja. It is located immediately to the south of the main island's Unguja Ukuu ruins. The island is undeveloped and contains few occupants who temporarily dwell there for fishing. Uzi island is six kilometres in length, making it the second largest of the smaller islands which surround Unguja.
Bububu is a town on the Tanzanian island of Unguja, the main island of Zanzibar. It is located on the central west coast, 10 kilometres north of the Zanzibari capital of Stone Town.
Jozani is a village located in Kusini District of Unguja South Region of the Tanzanian island of Unguja. It is located in the southeast of the island, 3.1 miles south of Chwaka Bay, close to the edge of the Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park. It is primarily a farming community of about 800 people. located 21.7 miles south-east of Zanzibar Town off the road leading to Paje, Zanzibar. It is easily reached by public buses 309 and 310, by chartered taxi or as an organized tour from Zanzibar Town. These tours are often in combination with dolphin observation in Kizimkazi, one of Zanzibar's oldest settlements with a tiny 12th century mosque open to public. The main road on the island, connecting the west and east coasts of Zanzibar, also connects to Jozani. Besides public bus routes 9, 10 and 13, you can also get here from Zanzibar Town by dala-dala number 309, 310, 324, and 326. Jozani is a small and rural village, situated in the innermost part of the Pete Inlet Bay, immediately south of the Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park. It is one of six rural villages surrounding the park. Residents here depend to a large degree on the Jozani Forest as a source of firewood, hunting, building resources, farming, fishing, and more. The village also operates ecotourism in the Jozani Forest and has constructed a 0.6 mile boardwalk through the mangroves at the southern road entrance into the national park. Many villagers work as authorized guides for tours in the southern tip of Jozani Forest.
Pingwe is a village on the Tanzanian island of Unguja, which is part of Zanzibar. It is one of two villages located in the east of the island at the northern tip of Michamvi Peninsula. It lies immediately to the east of the village of Kae. In 2018, Pingwe Beach was named one of the world's best beaches in the "Special Ambience" category, according to Beach-Inspector.com. The beach's restaurant, called The Rock and situated on a massive rock only connected to the beach at low tide, has been called "painfully postcard-perfect."
State University of Zanzibar (SUZA) is a public university located in Mbweni ward of Mjini District in Mjini Mgaharibi Region of Unguja Island in Zanzibar, Tanzania. The university was established by an act of House of Representatives of Zanzibar in 1999 and became operational in 2002.
Paje is a village on the Tanzanian island of Unguja, part of Zanzibar. It is located on the southeast coast between the villages of Bwejuu and Jambiani.
Fidel Castro Secondary School is a secondary school located in Wawi village in the district of Chake-Chake on Pemba Island in Tanzania. It was built in 1963 under Sultanate of Zanzibar and by that time was known as Sayyid Khalifa Secondary School to Honour The 9th sultan of Zanzibar Sir Seyyid Khalifa bin Haroub Al-busaidy. It was later changed to Fidel Castro Secondary School after Zanzibar Revolution that threw the sultan and led to People's Republic of Zanzibar.
Uroa, sometimes spelled Urowa, is a small, rural coastal village on central eastern parts of Unguja in Tanzania. It is situated in the Chwaka Constituency in the Unguja South Region. It is located in the Uroa Bay, approximately halfway between the villages of Kiwengwa and Chwaka; 21.7 miles (34.9 km) north of Zanzibar Town. It is located 5.6 miles (9.0 km) north of Chwaka and 7.1 miles (11.4 km) south of Kiwengwa. Uroans mostly live on fishing and seaweed farming; tourism is also developing in the area, although to a lesser extent than on the south-eastern coast around Jambiani. It is a small and centerless village with resorts on the southern and northern side of its bay. It is home to only six stores and is recognized as a traditional, slow-paced, and spread-out village. Uroa Village stretches in a narrow, long line from south to north along the coastline, appropriately named Uroa Beach. The elevation of the town is only 3.2 feet on average. Its economy has traditionally relied on fishing and seaweed collecting, but has since 2008 experienced a growth in tourist accommodation. In addition, recent years have also seen an increase in governmental jobs such as health workers, administrators and teachers. New sources of income have contributed to an increased median income for Uroans, however, the income is fairly unequally distributed. For instance, the monthly income for seaweed farmers represent only U.S. $7 per farmer, while Uroans working in the tourist industry makes U.S. $65 on average per month.
Chaani is a Tanzanian village, located in the northern part of Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago. It belongs to the Zanzibar North Region.
Nungwi, or Ras Nungwi, is a large village located in the far northern end of the island of Zanzibar. With a population of 30,762, Nungwi is the second largest settlement on the island. It is situated in the Nungwi Ward in the Kaskazini A District of the Unguja North Region. It is about 35 miles (56 km) north of Zanzibar Town on the Nungwi Peninsula, about an hour drive from Stone Town. To the south Nungwi shares a border with the neighboring Matemwe- and Tazari villages. Nungwi was traditionally a fishing village and dhow-building center, but is now a popular tourist destination, and for instance recognized in CNN’s list of "100 best beaches of the world" in 2014. West Nungwi has changed a lot since the 1990s and is now a popular tourist destination with numerous resorts, restaurants, bars, stores, etc. East Nungwi is quieter and generally more laid-back.
Kizimbani is a settlement of the Zanzibar Urban/West Region in Unguja, the main island of Zanzibar, Tanzania. It is located in the interior of the island, north-east of Zanzibar City. The remnants of old Persian public baths are found in this town.
The wildlife of Zanzibar consists of terrestrial and marine flora and fauna in the archipelago of Zanzibar, an autonomous region of Tanzania. Its floral vegetation is categorized among the coastal forests of eastern Africa as the Southern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic and the Northern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic. Its faunal species are mostly small animals, birds, and butterflies.
The Menai Bay Conservation Area (MBCA) is located in Menai Bay, Zanzibar Tanzania. At 470 square kilometres (180 sq mi), it is Zanzibar's largest marine protected area. It was officially established as a conservation area in August 1997 in the traditional fishing area, known as Unguja Island, covering the tropical marine environment comprising extensive coral reefs, tropical fish, sea grasses, and mangrove forests. In addition to controlling illegal fishing, MBCA's alternative initiatives have included bee keeping, mangrove replanting, tree nurseries and tourism. The management of the MBCA falls upon the Fisheries Department and the bay's local villages. It is rated by the IUCN as Category VI Managed Resource Protected Area.
Mnemba Island is a single small island located about 3 km off the northeast coast of Unguja, the largest island of the Zanzibar Archipelago, Tanzania, opposite Muyuni Beach. It is roughly triangular in shape, about 500 metres (1,640 ft) in diameter and about 1.5 kilometres (0.9 mi) in circumference. It is surrounded by an oval reef seven by four kilometres in extent. These reefs have been declared a marine conservation area. Mnemba Island and its reef are sometimes called Mnemba Atoll which is incorrect because an atoll is an island that encircles a lagoon, which is not the case for Mnemba Island.
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