Dar Es Salaam History, Tanzania

Tanzania is fairly a young country, but throughout its existence, the city of Dar es Salaam has maintained its position as the primary city and capital. However, a change of capital happened in 1996 transferring the capital to Dodoma.

Currently it is Tanzania’s richest place and an important economic center. It is the capital of the Dar es Salaam region with a population of two and a half million. It is still the centre of the government and as of recent, it was home to a leg of the world torch relay of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In 1859, Albert Roscher, hailing from Hamburg by some luck and exploration, was the first European to come in Mzizima which means Healthy town.

In 1866, Sultan Seyyid Majid gave the city its current name Dar es Salaam - an Arabic phrase meaning Abode of Peace. In 1870 when the good Sultan succumbed to his death, the city fell to a decline. However, it was brought to life in 1887 when the German East Africa Company came here. The role of the town being the commercial center of the German East Africa company, led to the city’s progressive growth. Likewise, the industrial expansion by constructing the Central Railway Line at the beginning of the 1900s also took part in its growth. 

The British government captured the German settlement of German Eat Africa and renamed it into Tanganyika. However, Dar es Salaam retained its role as the territory's commercial centre. From then on the settlement’s population increased including many South Asians. After the Second World War, the city experienced a period of rapid growth. Along with political developments, the country attained official independence in December 1961.

During the time when Tanganyika and Zanzibar united in 1964, it remained to be the capital of the new country. The long history of the city has been a continuous change of rulers. However, true to the pliant nature of the city it has steadily bounced back from colonization and is starting to make a history of its own. Currently the steady rise of the city as the next important city of Africa can be seen by the efforts of the government to develop it into a tourism and administrative hub.  

email to a friendAsk our travel experts a question about Dar Es Salaam
ask now

Things about Dar Es Salaam you may be interested in

Be the first who requests a site listing for this page.

 

+ list your site

 

ReviewsTravel TipsWrite a reviewWrite a travel tip

 

 

Read our members' reviews about Dar Es Salaam

No reviews have been added yet for this category. Be the first to add a new one.

 

Read our members' travel tips about Dar Es Salaam

No travel tips have been added yet for this category. Be the first to add a new one.

 

 

Community

Members Who Have Been to Dar Es Salaam

See who has been to Dar Es Salaam and ask them a question (membership required)

safaritz ask a question add to friends

rjgeraghty3 ask a question add to friends

donald ask a question add to friends

shehnis ask a question add to friends

 

show all

 

 

the best travel deals provided by TravelZoo...