Postage stamps and postal history of Zanzibar Postage stamps and postal history of Zanzibar This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Zanzibar. Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous part of the United Republic of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises most of the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. The islands were once governed by the Zanzibar Sultanate, a sovereign state with a long trading history within the Arab world. In 1964 it united with Tanganyika to form Tanzania. Any Indian stamps or covers used in Zanzibar between 1854 and 1876 are rare. A post office under Indian administration provided postal services from late
Battle of Zanzibar Battle of Zanzibar The Battle of Zanzibar was an encounter between the German "Kaiserliche Marine" and the British Royal Navy early in the First World War. While taking on coal in the delta of the Rufiji River in German East Africa) the German cruiser learned that a British cruiser, , which had been part of the Royal Navy's Cape Squadron sent to counter "Königsberg", had put in at Zanzibar for repairs. "Königsberg" captain, Commander Max Looff, decided to attack "Pegasus" while she was in port. On 20 September 1914 "Königsberg" sailed past the picket ship at the entrance to Zanzibar