Union Day in Tanzania
Union Day is a public holiday in Tanzania on April 26th. It commemorates the union of Zanzibar and Tanganyika on April 26th 1964.
Tanganyika and Zanzibar united on 26th April 1964, forming the United Republic of Tanzania. Tanganyika became independent from the British on December 1961 and Zanzibar became free through a revolution on 12th January 1964.
History of Union Day in Tanzania
The first European to visit Tanzania was Vasco da Gama in 1498. European colonialism in the region began on mainland Tanzania during the late 19th century when Germany formed German East Africa.
Following World War I, the mainland came under British control and was ruled as Tanganyika, with Zanzibar remaining a separate colonial jurisdiction.
Tanganyika gained its independence in 1961. The British ended the protectorate status of Zanzibar in December 1963 making it constitutional monarchy under the rule of Sultan Jamshid bin Abdullah. A month later, the Sultan was deposed in a socialist revolution.
On April 26th 1964, Zanzibar and Tanganyika became the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar with the country renamed to Tanzania in October of that year.
Zanzibar is now a semi-autonomous region within Tanzania.
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