Foreign relations of Zanzibar Foreign relations of Zanzibar The foreign relations of Zanzibar refers to the relationships with other nations by the independent Zanzibari government which existed from 1856 to 1964, when the Zanzibar Revolution overthrew the ruling Sultan and unified the country with Tanganyika, forming Tanzania. In 1890, Zanzibar gave up formal control over their foreign relations to the British Empire. In 1906, the United States of America formalized a treaty in which they relinquished any claims to Zanzibar in favor of the British Empire. Following the unification and creation of Tanzania, Zanzibar's foreign relations were handled by the joint government in Dar
History of Zanzibar received its independence from the United Kingdom as a constitutional monarchy under the Sultan. This state of affairs was short-lived, as the Sultan and the democratically elected government were overthrown on 12 January 1964 in the Zanzibar Revolution led by John Okello, a Ugandan citizen who organized and led the revolution with his followers on the island. Sheikh Abeid Amani Karume was named president of the newly created People's Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba. Several thousand ethnic Arab (5,000-12,000 Zanzibaris of Arabic descent) and Indian civilians were murdered and thousands more detained or expelled, their property either confiscated or destroyed.