thumb|Tanzanian flag at the [[University of Dar es Salaam]]
thumb|Mountaineer Alex Nyirenda atop [[Uhuru Peak with Tanganyika flag, on a Tanganyika stamp]]
The national flag of Tanzania () consists of a gold-edged black bend, divided diagonally from the lower hoist-side corner, with a green upper triangle and light blue lower triangle. Adopted in 1964 to replace the individual flags of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, it has been the flag of the United Republic of Tanzania since the two states merged that year. The design of the present flag incorporates the elements from the two former flags. It is one of a relatively small number of national flags incorporating a diagonal line (heraldic bend, bend sinister), with other examples including the DR Congo, Republic of the Congo, Namibia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago and Brunei.
History
The United Kingdom – together with its dominion South Africa and fellow Allied power Belgium – occupied the majority of German East Africa in 1916 during the East African Campaign. Three years later, the British were tasked with administering the Tanganyika Territory as a League of Nations mandate. It was turned into a UN Trust Territory after World War II, when the LN dissolved in 1946 and the United Nations was formed. In 1954, the Tanganyika African Association – which spoke out against British colonial rule Shortly before independence in 1961, elections were held in Tanganyika. After the TANU won comprehensively, the British colonial leaders advised them to utilise the design of their party's flag as inspiration for a new national flag. As a result, yellow stripes were added, and Tanganyika became independent on 9 December 1961. This consisted of a tricolour with three horizontal blue, black and green bands. The green and black colours from the flag of Tanganyika were retained along with the blue from Zanzibar's flag, Since 2005, Zanzibar has also used its own regional flag: a horizontal arrangement of blue, black, and green with the national flag of Tanzania in the canton. The design reflects Zanzibar’s identity within the union while maintaining visual ties to Tanzania’s national colours.
Design
Symbolism
The colors and symbols of the flag carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The green alludes to the natural vegetation and "rich agricultural resources" of the country, derived from the "rich deposits" in the land.