# Timeline of Zanzibar City

The following is a timeline of the history of Zanzibar City, Unguja island, Zanzibar, Tanzania. The city is composed of Ng'ambo and Stone Town. Until recently it was known as Zanzibar Town.

## Prior to 19th century

* 1700 – Old Fort of Zanzibar is built by Omanis (approximate date).
* 1710 – Queen Fatima in power.
* 1746 – "Arab garrison" installed in fort.
* 1753 – Fort "unsuccessfully attacked by Mazrui Arabs from Mombasa."
* 1784 – Zanzibar becomes part of Oman.

## 19th century

* 1822 – Moresby Treaty.
* 1828 – The sultan orders a particular portion of the land to be cultivated in to cloe plantations. This result in an expansion of slave import.
* 1830 – Mtoni Palace built near town.
* 1832 – Capital of the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman relocated to Zanzibar from Muscat, Oman by Said bin Sultan.
* 1836 – United States consulate established.
* 1841 – British consulate established.
* 1844 – French consulate established.
* 1845 – Hamerton Treaty.
* 1850 - Kidichi Baths built near town.
* 1856 – Majid bin Said of Zanzibar in power.
* 1870
** Barghash ibn Said in power.
** Population: 70,000 (approximate).
* 1872 - Cyclone.
* 1873 – Frere Treaty. British "forced the closure of the slave market."
* 1879 – Anglican Christ Church built.
* 1880 – Marhubi Palace built near town.
* 1883 – House of Wonders built.
* 1888 – Hamamni Persian Baths built.
* 1890 – British in power per Heligoland–Zanzibar Treaty.
** The purchase and selling of slaves is prohibited; slavery itself is preserved.
* 1896 – 27 August: Anglo-Zanzibar War.
* 1897 – Slavery in Zanzibar abolished except in the case of concubines (abolished in 1909).
* 1898 – Catholic St. Joseph's Cathedral built.

## 20th century

* 1904 – Darajani Market building constructed.
* 1905
** Bububu railway constructed.
** Plague.
* 1909 – Slavery in Zanzibar fully abolished with the abolition of slave concubinage.
* 1910
** Law courts built.
** Population: 35,262.
* 1914 – 20 September: German SMS Königsberg sinks British HMS Pegasus in harbour.
* 1925 – Peace Memorial Museum established.
* 1928 - Rent strike in Ng'ambo.
* 1935 - Jubilee Gardens laid out.
* 1948
** General strike.
** Population: 45,284.
* 1957 – Afro-Shirazi Party headquartered in town.
* 1961 – June: Unrest.
* 1964
** 12 January: Zanzibar Revolution; city becomes capital of People's Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba.
** April: Sultanate of Zanzibar becomes part of the new United Republic of Tanzania.
** City becomes capital of semiautonomous region of Zanzibar.
** Mtoro Rehani becomes mayor.
* 1966 - Kikwajuni GDR housing built.
* 1972 - 7 April: Abeid Karume assassinated.
* 1973 - Television Zanzibar inaugurated.
* 1977 - Trains of Michenzani (housing) built (approximate date).
* 1985
** Economic liberalization begins.
** Population: 133,000 (estimate).
* 1994
** Palace Museum established.
** Stone Town Conservation Plan approved.
** Old Dispensary building restored.
* 1997
** Zanzibar International Film Festival founded.
** Keele Square rehabilitated.
* 1999
** Area of city: 1,600 hectares.
** Population: 195,000 (estimate).
* 2000 – Stone Town designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

## 21st century

* 2004 – Sauti za Busara (music festival) begins.
* 2005 – Population: 220,000 (estimate).
* 2008 – 21 May – 19 June: 2008 Zanzibar power blackout.
* 2009–2010 – 10 December–March: Second Zanzibar power blackout
* 2009 – Forodhani Gardens rehabilitated.
* 2012 – Anti-government protests.
* 2013 – August: Two 18-year-old, British volunteer teachers, Katie Gee and Kirstie Trup, were injured by an acid attack by men on a motorcycle near Stone Town.
* 2014 – June: Mosque bombed.