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The Early History Of East African Coast
The East African coast stretches from Mogadishu in the North to Cape Delgado in the South. The earliest people to settle at the coast where initially hunters and food gatherers
.The Bantu were the first group of people to migrate to the East African coast.
They came from central Africa around 500AD.
They settled in towns like Mombasa, Kilwa, Sofala and Malindi.
The second group of people who settled at the coast were the cushites.
They migrated from North Eastern Ethiopia and occupied the northern part of the coast.
The Arabs and Persians were the third group of people to migrate to the coast around 1000 A.D.
They were mainly traders who crossed the Indian Ocean.
However other groups like Egyptians, Greeks, Chinese, Indonesians, and Indians also found themselves coming to the coast.
Their arrival was due to the booming Indian Ocean trade. For more notes read more notes about commerce, entrepreneur Notes, biology
The Zenj Empire (The Land Of Azania)
.The Zenj Empire was a stretch of land along the East African coast from Mogadishu up to Cape Delgado.
Its the Arabs who named that area the Zenj Empire meaning The land of the black people.
The Arabs thought that it was one Empire but this was not true
The coast was made up of 37 independent states.
These states included; Kilwa, Sofala, Malindi, Mombasa, Pate, Scotra, Kilifi, Zanzibar, Lamu, Oja, Pemba, Gedi, Mafia, Mogadishu, e.t.c.
Politically each state had its own ruler or leader.
Each state was equipped with a small army.
Socially the people settled in small communities and built small wattle houses.
Economically they carried out Agriculture, Fishing, Hunting, Iron working and Trade. Learn more about how to make money