Question

What was the primary economic activity of the Swahili Coast during the medieval period?

Mining

Trade

Fishing

Agriculture

Answer 1

The primary economic activity of the Swahili Coast during the medieval period was **trade**. The region was strategically located along the trade routes of the Indian Ocean, facilitating extensive commercial exchange between Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The Swahili city-states prospered through the trade of gold, ivory, timber, and spices, as well as by participating in the trade of goods like textiles and pottery.