In which island city was Freddie Mercury born?

Freddie Mercury was born in Zanzibar, specifically in Stone Town, on 5 September 1946.

Born Farrokh Bulsara, Mercury entered the world when Zanzibar was a British protectorate. The island is now part of Tanzania, so modern references may describe his birthplace as Tanzania rather than Zanzibar. Stone Town is Zanzibar’s historic urban center and the location most specifically associated with his birth.

Mercury’s family belonged to the Parsi Zoroastrian community and had roots in Gujarat, India. His father worked for the British Colonial Office, which brought the family to Zanzibar. Mercury spent much of his childhood in India, where he attended St. Peter’s School in Panchgani and began developing his musical abilities.

A common mix-up is London, where Mercury later studied art, worked around Kensington Market, and formed Queen with Brian May and Roger Taylor in 1970. He did not originate there: his birthplace was Stone Town, Zanzibar, although his career and citizenship became closely connected with Britain.