Quick facts
Zanzibar overview
Zanzibar (orange) and the other large cities of Tanzania
Zanzibar lies in Zanzibar Urban/West in Tanzania at 6.16°S, 39.2°E, about 14 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Dar_es_Salaam (UTC+3); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Dodoma (765,179) and larger than Arusha (617,631). The largest city in Tanzania is Dar es Salaam with 5,383,728 people; the capital, Dodoma, has 765,179.
The national capital, Dodoma, is about 382 km away; the nearest large city is Dar es Salaam, 74 km from Zanzibar.
Tanzania as a whole has a live population of 73,154,031 (+2.8% a year) and ranks #21 of 238 countries — see the Tanzania population page for the full statistics and the Tanzania atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Zanzibar
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Dar es Salaam Dar es Salaam Region | 74 km | 5,383,728 |
| Kibaha Pwani | 74 km | 265,360 |
| Tanga Tanga | 122 km | 393,429 |
| Handeni Tanga | 154 km | 108,968 |
| Morogoro Morogoro | 185 km | 471,409 |
Largest cities in Tanzania
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Zanzibar?
Zanzibar has about 709,809 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Zanzibar the capital of Tanzania?
No. The capital of Tanzania is Dodoma (765,179 people), about 382 km away. Zanzibar is the 4th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Zanzibar compared with the rest of Tanzania?
Its 709,809 residents are 1% of the 73,154,031 people living in Tanzania today. Dar es Salaam is larger with 5,383,728 people.
Where is Zanzibar?
In Zanzibar Urban/West, Tanzania, at latitude -6.16 and longitude 39.2, 14 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Dar es Salaam (74 km), Kibaha (74 km), Tanga (122 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Zanzibar Population 2026 — Tanzania. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/tanzania/zanzibar/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/tanzania/zanzibar/">Zanzibar Population 2026 — Tanzania</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.