Mafia Island
Mafia island (”Chole Shamba”) is part of the Tanzanian Spice Islands, together with Zanzibar and Pemba. As one of the 6 districts of the Pwani Region, however, Mafia Island is governed from the mainland, not from Zanzibar. Mafia Island has never been considered part of Zanzibar.
According to the 2002 Tanzania National Census, the population of the Mafia District was 40,801.
The people of Mafia Island are mainly fishermen; many also engage in small-scale food cultivation.
The island is a good retreat for adventure scuba divers, game fishermen, and those merely seeking relaxation.
Geography
The Mafia island cluster consists of one large island (394 km²) and numerous smaller ones. Some of these are inhabited, such as Chole Island (2 km²), with a population of 800. Chole Bay, Mafia’s protected deep-water anchorage and original harbour, is studded with islands, sandbanks and beaches. The main town is Kilindoni. The stretch of water between the deltas of the Rufiji River and the island is called Mafia Channel. (more…)