Interactions between Tanzania and Asia

Interactions between Tanzania and Asia

The interactions between Tanzania and Asia started a long time ago. These interactions were in a very advanced stage by the 9th and 10th centuries. The people from Asia came either from the Middle East or the Far East. Those who came from the Middle East were mainly from Syria, Iran, Oman and Yemen, and those from the Far East were mainly from China, Indonesia and India. They came to Tanzania through the Indian Ocean. These visitors used dhows to navigate in the Indian Ocean. They were assisted by the Monsoon winds that pushed their dhows to and from Asia.

Types of monsoon winds

1. The first type was the Northeast Monsoon winds (NEMW), which blew from Asia to East Africa from November to April.
2. The second type was the Southeast Monsoon winds (SEMW), which blew from the East African coast to Asia from May to October. The winds helped traders to travel from Tanzania to Asia.

Factors which facilitated interactions between Tanzania and Asia

There were four main factors that facilitated interactions between Tanzania and Asia.

1. The first factor, as mentioned above, was the Monsoon winds. These winds enabled traders to travel through the Indian Ocean using dhows. The traders developed the knowledge of the dynamics of the winds and knew how to use it productively.
2. The second factor was the Indian Ocean itself. The ocean provided the sea routes that connected Tanzania to Asia, and vice versa, and made it possible for people from both sides to interact and build relationships.
3. The third factor was the nature of the location of the East African coast, which enhanced the coast's accessibility to the outside world. Some coastal areas such as Pemba, Unguja, Kilwa, Mafia and Tanga had excellent natural harbours where traders could dock their dhows.
4. The last factor was the availability of trading commodities like slaves, ivory, gold and others that influenced the establishment of commercial contacts between Tanzanian and Asian societies.