republic · Horn and East Africa

Tanganyika

1961 CE – 1964 CE · capital Dar es Salaam

The independent state of mainland Tanzania from 1961 to 1964, led by Julius Nyerere before its union with Zanzibar.

Origins

Tanganyika Territory became independent on 9 December 1961, with Julius Nyerere, leader of the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU), as prime minister and Elizabeth II as head of state. It was one of the first East African countries to gain independence, achieved peacefully through elections.

Rule and society

Nyerere resigned as prime minister in January 1962 to rebuild TANU, handing office to Rashidi Kawawa, and on 9 December 1962 Tanganyika became a republic with Nyerere as executive president. Swahili was promoted as a national language, chieftaincies were abolished in 1963, and TANU moved towards a one-party state. In January 1964 an army mutiny was put down with British help.

Decline and legacy

After the revolution in Zanzibar, Nyerere and Abeid Karume agreed to unite their countries. On 26 April 1964 Tanganyika and the People's Republic of Zanzibar formed the United Republic, renamed Tanzania in October 1964.

Lineage

Tanganyika Territory 1920 CE – 1961 CETanganyikaTanzania 1964 CE – present

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Tanganyika. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/tanganyika
MLA
“Tanganyika.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/tanganyika. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Tanganyika.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/tanganyika.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Tanganyika’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/tanganyika (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻