German East Africa
German East Africa (GEA; German: Deutsch-Ostafrika) was a German colony in the African Great Lakes region, which included present-day Burundi, Rwanda, the Tanzania mainland, and the Kionga Triangle, a small region later incorporated into Mozambique. GEA's area was 994,996 km2 (384,170 sq mi), which was nearly three times the area of present-day Germany and almost double the area of metropolitan Germany at the time.
German East Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1885–1918 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Service flag of the Colonial Office
Coat of arms of the German Empire
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Green: German East Africa Dark gray: Other German possessions Darkest gray: German Empire (1911 borders) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Colony of Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Capital | Bagamoyo (1885–1890) Dar es Salaam (1890–1916) Tabora (1916, temporary) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Common languages | German (official) Swahili, Arabic, Kirundi, Kinyarwanda, Maa, Kisukuma, Iraqw, Chaga languages | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Religion | Islam, traditional African religion, Christianity (Catholic Church and Lutheranism) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Emperor | |||||||||||||||||||||
• 1885–1888 | Wilhelm I | ||||||||||||||||||||
• 1888 | Frederick III | ||||||||||||||||||||
• 1888–1918 | Wilhelm II | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Governor | |||||||||||||||||||||
• 1885–1891 (first) | Carl Peters | ||||||||||||||||||||
• 1912–1918 (last) | Heinrich Schnee | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Historical era | New Imperialism | ||||||||||||||||||||
• Established by the DOAG | 27 February 1885 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 July 1890 | |||||||||||||||||||||
• Maji Maji Rebellion | 21 October 1905 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 August 1914 | |||||||||||||||||||||
• Surrender | 25 November 1918 | ||||||||||||||||||||
• Formal disestablishment | 28 June 1919 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Area | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1912 | 995,000 km2 (384,000 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Population | |||||||||||||||||||||
• 1912 | 7,700,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Currency | German East African rupie | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The colony was organised when the German military was asked in the late 1880s to put down a revolt against the activities of the German East Africa Company. It ended with Imperial Germany's defeat in World War I. Ultimately the territory was divided amongst Britain, Belgium and Portugal, and was reorganised as a mandate of the League of Nations.