There was a thriving trade between East African coast and Arabia, Egypt, India and other countries in the far East between 1000-1500 AD. This trade was sometimes called external trade of the East African coast.  The trade existed between the East African coast and other outside countries, across the Indian Ocean.

Countries, which participated in this trade, included India, the island of Malaysia, Indonesia, Burma, Thailand, Egypt, china, Persia, Sri-Lanka, Arab and East Africa, Beads from India while some came from Europe. Cowries from Maldives Island, Cloth from India and Silk from China, Porcelain bowls and plates, Iron implement from Arabia and India. Stone pots from Burma and Thailand, Weapons and Glass from Arabia. From Persia, Syria and Arabia, came beakers, glass bowls, swords, daggers, pots and iron saucepans. Cowrie shells were received from Burma and Thailand; East Africa also received some jars and pots of excellent quality.

East Africa on the other hand exported the following goods: Gold that was mined and brought to the coast by the Makaranga people of Zimbabwe via Sofala. There was also ivory which came from the interior of East Africa and was exported mainly through the town of Sofala.

Slaves originated from the interior and were required by the outside countries for domestic purposes. As slaves were being brought to the coast, they carried ivory too.

Copper was brought to the coast from far inland (modern Zambia), Iron-brought inland to Sofala and Malindi and skins-brought to the coast at many points. Gum copal-found on the coast opposite Zanzibar. Other minor products from East Africa included leopard skins, rhinoceros horns, tortoise shells and kolanuts.

Trade and transportation

This was the way in which trade items were conveyed from one place to another. Commodities were carried across the Indian Ocean by Dhows. These were ships with triangular sails. Visitors to East Africa were helped by seasonal winds called the Monsoons. Monsoon winds could blow the Dhows North Eastwards. Africans brought goods from the interior by human portarage. East African coastal states acted as middlemen between Africans of the interior and overseas traders.

Organisation of the trade:

East Africa was an important part of the Moslem dominated Indian Ocean trading system. Originally the major means of trade was barter system and later cowrie shells and coins were introduced.

The major exports of East Africa were ivory slaves and gold. Other exports from East Africa were leopard skins, honey, timber, tortoise shells among others.

Ivory and gold were got from the interior exported from many East African coastal towns and ports.

Africans brought the goods from the interior by human portarage. Since there were no vehicles at that time, the slaves were supposed to carry ivory while other people were hired to make sure that goods were delivered to the coast.

Countries and products in the Indian Ocean trade

The East African coastal states acted as middlemen between Africans of the interior and overseas traders from the Asia. Commodities were carried across the Indian Ocean by Dhows. Visitors from Asia were helped by seasonal monsoon winds.

Imports were brought between November and April when Monsoon winds blew south-westwards to East Africa. Asiatic visitors went back between May and October when the winds blew North Eastwards.

The trade was controlled by the rulers of the coastal states. Each coastal state controlled an area in the interior. Goods from the interior were bartered from tribe to tribe until they reached the markets at the coast.

Coastal traders travelled along the coast from one settlement to another carrying goods from across the Indian Ocean and exchanged them with goods from the interior. The whole trade was basically organised on barter system and the use of cowrie shells as money. Later however, towns like Kilwa, Mombasa, Malindi and Zanzibar started minting their own coins.

Effects of the Indian Ocean trade

First of all the Indian Ocean trade brought many goods from Asia across the Indian Ocean.  Goods from East Africa were also carried across the Ocean to outside markets.

Secondly, the growth of the trade encouraged many outsiders to settle along the East African coast. These people acquired land in these areas hence creating their new homes where they lived forever.

Thirdly, it should be noted that as trade increased, many outsiders settled on the coast.  As a result, African rulers were forced to surrender their political control. The new rulers who wanted to control trade were therefore Arabs but not Africans. That marked the beginning of loss of independence and sovereignty in East Africa.

Fourthly, the Indian Ocean trade led to the growth and development of trading centres. Centres like Mombasa, Pate, Malindi, Kilwa and Zanzibar developed into commercial modern towns of East Africa.

Fifthly, the East African coast was opened to the outside world. Many people from Europe, Asia and West Africa started coming to the East Africa

There was the development of the Swahili people, culture and language. Swahili was a mixture of Arabic and Bantu words that developed as a result of interaction between the outsiders and the natives of the East African coast.

There was the introduction of Islam at the East African coast. Islam started from Saudi Arabia and was spread by the Moslem traders. They tried so much to have the coastal people converted to Islam, which became a triumphant mission.

On a negative side, the development of Indian Ocean trade encouraged raiding of slaves leading to the depopulation of the interior of East Africa.

Since the Indian Ocean trade was very lucrative, the people who participated in the trade became very prosperous. Some families are still the richest up to the present day.

The development of the trade created competition and later led to rivalry among the coastal towns. The coastal people fought each other and undermined themselves and this explains they were easily defeated by the Portuguese conquerors.

Arabs and Persian traders settled at the East African coastal towns and Islands as a result of the Indian Ocean trade. These people were of a superior income category as compared to the natives who were in most cases enslaved.

The new settlers built mosques to worship in and stone monuments to commemorate their dead. This was a new kind of civilization at the coast. Swahili architecture in places like Lamu and the ruins of Gedi continue to reflect this responsiveness to the cultures of other societies.

The settlers from Asia became rulers of some of the coastal towns for example, the Shiraz established a ruling dynasty in Kilwa around 1200 AD.

Arabic values such as language, ways of dressing, burial festivities were introduced as a result of the Indian Ocean trade.

New food crops were brought from Asia such as rice and wheat. They were introduced in East Africa and up to the present day, they serve as the basic commercial foodstuffs of most people.

Cottage industries flourished at the coast such as shipbuilding, craft industry and cloth weaving.

Coastal towns often fought each other to control trade. However the period between 1000 to 1500 AD was peaceful.The prosperous life at the East African coast prompted the Portuguese conquest of the East African coast during the 16^th Century.

Decline of the trade between AD 1500 -1700

The worst blow that made the coast to decline was the coming of the Portuguese settlers. They disrupted trade which was a source of political and economic power on the coast.

Secondly, the Portuguese were only interested in gold trade at Sofala but neglected other trade items like ivory, skins, slaves, copper and other commodities which had earlier developed the coast.

Thirdly, the Portuguese monopolised trade and the coastal people were deprived of chance to participate in it hence they became poverty stricken. The aim of the Portuguese was to deprive the people of the East African coast of any source of income so that they could become very poor and be ruled easily.

Fourthly, at the coast the Portuguese looted and plundered the wealth of the coastal people like Kilwa and Mombasa. It took a very long time for such wealth to be replaced.

Due to the Portuguese administration at the coast, there were frequent wars and rebellions that often disrupted trade, trade, and political and social order.

Another factor is that there was heavy taxation that was also done in harsh way that traders found it difficult to work and develop the area.

It also happened that some Arabs were chased away from their normal duties that were taken up by the Portuguese who had skills promoting the same activities.

There were inter tribal wars at the coast first of all the hatred among the coastal towns that were competing for dominance. This discouraged the working spirit and unity hence leading to the decline of the East African coast in that period.

The situation was worsened by the arrival the cannibalist Wazimba which was a group eating human beings. Some people feared to settle in areas occupied by the Wazimba because of fear of being eaten.

There was some insecurity at the coast at time that led to the decline of the East African coast. Portuguese expeditions and brutality led to the death of many coastal peoples and made life generally difficult at the coast.

Lastly, because of depopulation the East African coast experienced drastic political and economic decline between 1500 -1700 AD. There was gradual depopulation as many Arabs left for fear of their life and property.