Overview

Doing Business in Zanzibar 2010 measures business regulations and their enforcement in the Zanzibar region of Tanzania. The report focuses on 9 topics that affect the life of a small or medium-size domestic enterprise in Zanzibar Town: starting a business, dealing with construction permits, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts, and closing a business. The ease of doing business in Zanzibar can now be compared to the ease doing business in Dar es Salaam, the city with the highest economic activity and the largest population in Tanzania, and other economies measured annually by Doing Business.

Main Findings

• Compared to the 183 economies measured by Doing Business, Zanzibar would rank 155th on the ease of doing business. This compares to 131 for Dar es Salaam. Behind this relatively low aggregate ranking, however, there is considerable variation on a topic-by-topic basis (see figure below).
• On the ease of enforcing contracts, Zanzibar would rank an impressive 37th out of 183 economies and 2nd among small island economies.
• Dealing with construction permits in Zanzibar Town is easier than in Dar es Salaam and slightly better than the global average. The performances on other indicators provide several opportunities for reform.