Mafia Archipelago in the context of "Pwani Region"

Mafia Island or Chole Shamba (Kisiwa cha Mafia, in Swahili) is an island of The Mafia Archipelago located in Mafia District in the southern Pwani Region of Tanzania across the Mafia Channel. The island is the third largest in Tanzanian ocean territory, but is not administratively included within the semi-autonomous region of Zanzibar, which has been politically separate since 1890. Mafia Island forms the largest part of Mafia District, one of the six administrative districts in the Pwani Region. As the Mafia Archipelago's main island, it is sometimes called Chole Shamba, meaning Chole farmlands in Swahili. This is in opposition to the historic settlement of Chole Mjini (Chole town) on Chole Island inside Mafia Bay. The island's population is over 65,000. The economy is based on fishing, subsistence agriculture and the market in Kilindoni. The island attracts some tourists, mainly scuba divers, birdwatchers, game fishermen, and people seeking relaxation.

Mafia District Council (Swahili: Wilaya ya Mafia) is one of eight administrative districts in the Pwani Region of Tanzania. It administers the main Mafia Island as well as the Mafia Archipelago. The district covers an area of 642.6 km (248.1 sq mi), and is surrounded by the Sea of Zanj. Rufiji District lies on the other side of the Mafia Channel to the west. The district is comparable in size to the land area of Saint Lucia.

The town of Kilindoni serves as its administrative capital. The district is home to the largest concentration of Whale Sharks in Africa, the Mafia Island Marine Park, the historic Chole Island Ruins, the Kisimani Mafia, the Kua Ruins, and the Mlola Forest Reserve. According to the 2012 Tanzania National Census, the population of the Mafia District was 46,438.