Tanzania — Stamps & Postal Service

Postal Service Overview

Tanzania Posts Corporation is Tanzania’s national postal operator. Tanzania was formed in 1964 through the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar — each with distinct philatelic histories. Tanganyika used German East Africa stamps (1893–1915), British East Africa and KUT stamps (1916–1961), and its own stamps from independence in 1961. Zanzibar, an ancient Arab trading sultanate, used its own British protectorate stamps from 1895 and independent stamps from 1963, before the revolutionary government merged with Tanganyika to form Tanzania. This complex history makes Tanzania’s philatelic past one of Africa’s most varied.

Notable Stamp Issues

German East Africa stamps (1893–1915) are classic early African colonial material. KUT (Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika) joint stamps served Tanganyika 1935–1961. Zanzibar’s sultan portrait stamps are classic British colonial East Africa material — the 1936 silver jubilee and 1964 revolution stamps are historically charged. Tanzanian independence stamps from 1965 depicted Kilimanjaro, Julius Nyerere (Tanzania’s founding president), and the Serengeti. Wildlife stamps featuring wildebeest migration, Ngorongoro Crater fauna, and Zanzibar’s unique spice history are popular internationally.

Collecting Tips

Stanley Gibbons Commonwealth catalogue covers all Tanzanian entities. German East Africa stamps are covered in Michel. Zanzibar stamps are a distinct specialist area — the 1964 revolution overprints on sultan stamps are historically significant. Tanzania’s wildlife stamps feature the Serengeti Big Five, flamingos of Lake Natron, and the Zanzibar red colobus (critically endangered) — all popular with thematic collectors. Kilimanjaro as the world’s highest free-standing mountain appears on many stamps. Tanzania’s Maasai and Chagga cultural stamps are ethnographically interesting.

Part of the Africa Postal Directory.