The flag of Tanzania, formally known as the United Republic of Tanzania, features typical African colors and was adopted on June 30, 1964, to replace the separate flags of Tanganyika and Zanzibar following their union. In fact, the design of the Tanzanian flag incorporates certain features found in the two previous flags.
The flag consists of a black diagonal line with finer yellow edges, dividing it in half. The upper left part is completely green, while the lower right part is blue.
The Meaning of Colors
The flag consists of four different colors, each of which was chosen to represent a characteristic of Tanzania.
- The color black represents Swahili culture—that is, the culture of the peoples living along the coast of Tanzania—and the Bantu, the ethno-linguistic group of sub-Saharan Africa.
- Yellow/gold represents the region’s mineral wealth and the numerous deposits found there
- Blue represents the Great Lakes region—namely Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Eduardo, Kivu, and Malawi, as well as the Indian Ocean, which laps its shores and in which its islands are situated, such as Pemba, Mafia, and, of course,the Zanzibar Archipelago.
- Finally, green represents the country’s immense plant and natural wealth, which makes it one of the most sought-after destinations for safaris in Tanzania, precisely because of its extraordinary flora and fauna.
The history of the Flag
From 1891 to 1919 Tanzania, and consequently its flag, was that of the German East Africa Company.
From 1919 to 1961 Tanzania’s flag was that of the Tanganyika Territories, and it bore the emblem of Great Britain to indicate its dominance.
From 1961 to 1964 it was the Tanganyika flag that represented Tanzania, a flag that has been strongly revived in the current version.
From 1896 to 1963 Tanzania was represented by the Flag of the Sultanate of Zanzibar, a British protectorate.
From 1963 to 1964 Tanzania was represented by a new Flag of the Sultanate of Zanzibar, no longer a protectorate.
From January to April 1964, before the current flag went into use, Tanzania was represented by the flag of the People’s Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba.
