{"id":60,"date":"2024-04-04T10:42:35","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T10:42:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/tanzania\/?p=60"},"modified":"2026-08-01T00:13:32","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T00:13:32","slug":"mjini-magharibi-region","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/tanzania\/mjini-magharibi-region\/","title":{"rendered":"Mjini Magharibi Region"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mjini Magharibi Region (Swahili: Mkoa wa Mjini Magharibi), also written Zanzibar Urban West, covers the western side of Unguja island. At 230 km2 it is the smallest of Tanzania’s 31 regions by area, and by far the most crowded. The 2022 census recorded a population of 893,169, close to 3,900 people per km2. The regional capital is Zanzibar City, whose old quarter, Stone Town, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<\/p>\n

Districts of Mjini Magharibi Region<\/h2>\n

The region is administered through three municipal councils. Magharibi District was split into Magharibi A and Magharibi B. Those two run the suburbs and villages outside the old city, while Mjini Municipal covers Zanzibar City itself. Populations below are from the 2022 census.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
District<\/th>\nCouncil type<\/th>\nPopulation (2022 census)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Magharibi A<\/td>\nMunicipal council<\/td>\n329,645<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Magharibi B<\/td>\nMunicipal council<\/td>\n344,517<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mjini<\/td>\nMunicipal council<\/td>\n219,007<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n893,169<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Towns and Villages in Mjini Magharibi Region<\/h2>\n

Almost every settlement here is a shehia, ward or village inside the Zanzibar City built-up area, or in the belt of farming villages behind it. The two Magharibi councils share one heading because their village names are recorded together.<\/p>\n

Magharibi A and Magharibi B districts<\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Bondeni<\/li>\n
  • Bububu<\/li>\n
  • Buyu<\/li>\n
  • Buyu Kidudu<\/li>\n
  • Buyu Pwani<\/li>\n
  • Bweleo<\/li>\n
  • Changwahera<\/li>\n
  • Chemani<\/li>\n
  • Chuini<\/li>\n
  • Chukwani<\/li>\n
  • Chumbuni Kubwa<\/li>\n
  • Chunga<\/li>\n
  • Dambani<\/li>\n
  • Dole<\/li>\n
  • Dunkuki<\/li>\n
  • Fumba<\/li>\n
  • Fumba Uwandani<\/li>\n
  • Fuoni Chem Chem<\/li>\n
  • Fuoni Kilimani<\/li>\n
  • Fuoni Kipungani<\/li>\n
  • Fuoni Miembe Miwili<\/li>\n
  • Jumbi<\/li>\n
  • Kanyweni<\/li>\n
  • Kianga<\/li>\n
  • Kibondeni<\/li>\n
  • Kibweni<\/li>\n
  • Kichaka Punda<\/li>\n
  • Kidichi<\/li>\n
  • Kidogo Basi<\/li>\n
  • Kiembi Samaki<\/li>\n
  • Kiganga<\/li>\n
  • Kijuuni<\/li>\n
  • Kikaangoni<\/li>\n
  • Kino Cha Mdo<\/li>\n
  • Kino Cha Moshi<\/li>\n
  • Kinuni<\/li>\n
  • Kipange<\/li>\n
  • Kipungani Fuoni<\/li>\n
  • Kisakasaka Bondeni<\/li>\n
  • Kisakasaka Pwani<\/li>\n
  • Kisauni<\/li>\n
  • Kisimani Mkwajuni<\/li>\n
  • Kitongani<\/li>\n
  • Kitutia<\/li>\n
  • Kiungani<\/li>\n
  • Kizimbani<\/li>\n
  • Kombeni<\/li>\n
  • Kombeni Chuuni<\/li>\n
  • Kombeni Malindi<\/li>\n
  • Kombeni Uwandani<\/li>\n
  • Kombeni Ziwani<\/li>\n
  • Kunduchini<\/li>\n
  • Kwarara<\/li>\n
  • Langoni<\/li>\n
  • Manyanga<\/li>\n
  • Maungani<\/li>\n
  • Maungani Kidutani<\/li>\n
  • Mbweni<\/li>\n
  • Mchamba Wima<\/li>\n
  • Miembe Miwili<\/li>\n
  • Migombani<\/li>\n
  • Minazi Mikinda<\/li>\n
  • Mipoponi<\/li>\n
  • Mitondoni<\/li>\n
  • Mkunguni<\/li>\n
  • Mkunguni Pwani<\/li>\n
  • Mombasa<\/li>\n
  • Mtoni<\/li>\n
  • Mtoni Kigomeni<\/li>\n
  • Mtopepo<\/li>\n
  • Mtufaani<\/li>\n
  • Mwana Kwerekwe<\/li>\n
  • Mwanyanya<\/li>\n
  • Mwera<\/li>\n
  • Mwera Kidarini<\/li>\n
  • Mwera Kikokani<\/li>\n
  • Nguzo Mbili<\/li>\n
  • Nyamanzi Kazole<\/li>\n
  • Pangani<\/li>\n
  • Regeza Mwendo<\/li>\n
  • Shakani<\/li>\n
  • Tomondo<\/li>\n
  • Ufune<\/li>\n
  • Welezo<\/li>\n
  • Ziwani<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Mjini District (Zanzibar City)<\/h3>\n
      \n
    • Amaani<\/li>\n
    • Chumbuni Dogo<\/li>\n
    • Hindu<\/li>\n
    • Marahubi Mlangoni<\/li>\n
    • Mazizini<\/li>\n
    • Migombani<\/li>\n
    • Ngambo<\/li>\n
    • Saateni<\/li>\n
    • Stone Town<\/li>\n
    • Vuga<\/li>\n
    • Zanzibar<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Other localities<\/h3>\n
        \n
      • Chaleni<\/li>\n
      • Mwembe Maepe<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Geography<\/h2>\n

        Mjini Magharibi Region faces the Zanzibar Channel and the Indian Ocean to the west. Kaskazini Unguja (Zanzibar North) lies north, and Kusini Unguja (Zanzibar South) east and south. The land is low and flat, a sandy coastal strip over coral rag. Shallow ridges rise inland at Kidichi and Kizimbani, where the old spice plantations sit.<\/p>\n

        The coast is deeply indented. Fumba peninsula points south-west into Menai Bay. A line of small islands lies offshore: Changuu, also called Prison Island, Bawe, and Chumbe, run as a coral park and forest reserve. Mangrove creeks reach inland behind Fumba, Bweleo and Kisakasaka.<\/p>\n

        Economy and Local Life<\/h2>\n

        This is Zanzibar’s commercial and administrative centre. Government offices, banks, the port and the wholesale trade sit in Mjini District, and most formal jobs on Unguja are here. Tourism runs on Stone Town. Its merchant houses, carved doors, Old Fort and House of Wonders date from the nineteenth-century Omani sultanate, which made Zanzibar a clove and trading capital.<\/p>\n

        Away from the city, villages farm and fish. Spice smallholdings around Kizimbani, Kidichi and Chuini grow cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper, and take visitor tours. Women’s groups at Bweleo, Fumba and Kisakasaka farm seaweed on the shallow flats, and make soap and oils from it. Fishing boats land at Malindi, Mtoni and Fumba. Darajani market in Stone Town and Mwanakwerekwe market are the two big daily markets. Mwanakwerekwe is where most of Unguja’s produce changes hands.<\/p>\n

        Getting There<\/h2>\n

        Abeid Amani Karume International Airport lies about seven kilometres south-east of Stone Town, inside Magharibi District. It handles flights from Dar es Salaam, the mainland regions and international routes. Passenger ferries run from the Malindi terminal to Dar es Salaam in roughly two hours, and north to Pemba Island. The same port handles the island’s cargo.<\/p>\n

        Roads fan out from the city. The northern road runs through Bububu and Mtoni towards Mkokotoni. The eastern road passes Fuoni and Mwanakwerekwe on the way to Chwaka and the east coast. A southern road serves Chukwani, Dole and Fumba. Daladala minibuses run every route from Darajani and Mwanakwerekwe.<\/p>\n

        FAQ<\/h2>\n

        How many districts are in Mjini Magharibi Region?<\/h3>\n

        Three: Magharibi A, Magharibi B and Mjini, each run by a municipal council. Magharibi A and B were created by splitting the former Magharibi District.<\/p>\n

        What is the population of Mjini Magharibi Region?<\/h3>\n

        The 2022 census recorded a population of 893,169, up from 593,678 in 2012. It is the most densely populated region in Tanzania.<\/p>\n

        What is the capital of Mjini Magharibi Region?<\/h3>\n

        Zanzibar City, which is also the capital of Zanzibar. Its historic centre, Stone Town, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<\/p>\n

        What towns and villages are in Mjini Magharibi Region?<\/h3>\n

        Besides Zanzibar City and Stone Town, well-known places include Bububu, Mwanakwerekwe, Fuoni, Mtoni, Fumba, Chukwani, Kizimbani, Kidichi, Mazizini and Welezo. The list above covers around 100 settlements.<\/p>\n

        Is Mjini Magharibi the same as Zanzibar Urban West?<\/h3>\n

        Yes. Zanzibar Urban West and West Zanzibar are English names for the same region. Mjini Magharibi is the Swahili name used in official records.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Mjini Magharibi Region (Swahili: Mkoa wa Mjini Magharibi), also written Zanzibar Urban West, covers the western side of Unguja island. At 230 km2 it is the smallest of Tanzania’s 31 regions by area, and by far the most crowded. The 2022 census recorded a population of 893,169, close to 3,900 people per km2. The regional […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"Mjini Magharibi: Zanzibar Urban West Towns & Villages","_seopress_titles_desc":"Mjini Magharibi (Zanzibar Urban West): 3 districts, 893,169 people at the 2022 census, capital Zanzibar City. Full list of towns, villages and shehias.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-60","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-tanzania","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/tanzania\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/tanzania\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/tanzania\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/tanzania\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/tanzania\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/tanzania\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":91,"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/tanzania\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60\/revisions\/91"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/tanzania\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/tanzania\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/tanzania\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}