Final answer:
Great Zimbabwe was strategically located between gold-producing regions in the west and eastern coastal trading centers, facilitating significant long-distance trade and connections to the Indian Ocean network.
Step-by-step explanation:
Great Zimbabwe became an important trade center primarily because it was located between gold-producing regions in the west and trading centers on the east coast. This strategic position enabled it to play a pivotal role in the long-distance commerce that connected the interior of Africa to the Indian Ocean trade network. The Zimbabwean gold was especially influential, enriching the Swahili city-states such as Sofala and Kilwa, which in turn connected Great Zimbabwe to global trade networks. As a result, goods such as Chinese Ming porcelain and Persian ceramics found their way to the markets on the Zimbabwean plateau.