Swahili city-states
Swahili city-states | |
|---|---|
City States | |
Map of East Africa City States | |
| Formed | 8th century |
| Government | |
| • Head | Sultan |
| Government type | Autonomous City States |
| Language | Swahili |
| Location | East Africa Coast |
| Cities | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Ethnicity | Swahili, Shirazi |
The Swahili city-states were independent, self-governing urban centres that were located on the Swahili coast of East Africa between the 8th and 16th centuries. These were primarily coastal hubs, including Kilwa, Mombasa and Zanzibar, which prospered due to their advantageous locations along Indian Ocean trade networks, enabling interactions between Africa and Asia.