• East Africa is dotted with interesting islands.africa image by Luka76 from Fotolia.com
  
  The largest and most recognizable island off the coast of East Africa is Madagascar, but there are several other well-known and beautiful islands nearby. While most islands function primarily as tourist attractions, some also have fruitful and productive populations that work in agriculture, fishing and financial service industries. The islands of East Africa are a mix of former colonies, European territories and independent nations.
  
  

Madagascar

• The 21 million people of Madagascar speak English, French or Malagasy. Madagascar is the largest island in Africa and is a former French colony, although it was its own kingdom before that. The majority of Madagascar's economy is based on agriculture, industry and services, but tourism has dropped considerably since 2009 due to political strife, according to the CIA World Factbook.
  
  

Mauritius

• Mauritius, a small, formerly British island several miles off the coast of Madagascar, earned its independence in 1968. According to the CIA World Factbook, Mauritius has one of Africa's highest per capita incomes, roughly $12,400. The bulk of the economy is based on sugar, fishing and textiles. Most of the more than one million citizens speak a creole language.
  
  

Reunion

• Reunion is a small, French island east of Madagascar. The island covers an area of slightly less than 1,000 square miles and has two distinct mountainous regions, with one mountain reaching higher than 10,000 feet above sea level. Touted as a "mini-Hawaii" by Lonely Planet, Reunion offers beautiful beaches, wonderful food and coral reefs. With a population of 800,000 people, Reunion has a mix of Chinese, Indian, European and African cultures.
  
  

Zanzibar

• Zanzibar is an island state of Tanzania, where inhabitants speak Swahili and primarily work in fishing and tourism. Zanzibar sits in the Indian Ocean and has clear blue water, great for fishing, swimming and lounging on the beach. Zanzibar's exports include palm oil, coconuts and spices, which is why some people refer to it as Spice Island. Stone Town is a 200-year-old city in Zanzibar which houses all original buildings and structures and is a World Heritage site.