Is Zanzibar a country? It's a partly self-governing state in Tanzania; it's not an independent country. The archipelago was once the separate state of Zanzibar, which united with Tanganyika to form the United Republic of Tanzania. Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous within the union, with its own government.

Technically, yes, though the relationship is nuanced. Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous region within the United Republic of Tanzania. It is not an independent sovereign nation. In 1964, the Republic of Tanganyika and the People's Republic of Zanzibar united to form modern-day Tanzania. Because of this semi-autonomy, Zanzibar maintains its own president, parliament, and local government to manage internal affairs like education, health, and tourism. However, the Union Government in the capital, Dodoma, handles matters of national importance such as defense, foreign policy, and currency. For travelers in 2026, this means your Tanzanian visa is valid for both the mainland and the islands. However, when traveling between the mainland and Zanzibar (via ferry or flight), you will still pass through a "domestic" immigration check where your passport is stamped, even though you have not technically left the country. This serves to monitor the movement of people into the archipelago and uphold its unique regional laws.