The Heligoland–Zanzibar Treaty – How Mt. Kilimanjaro Ended Up in Tanzania (Popular Myth)

Posted on July 1, 2015 Updated on July 8, 2015

On July 1 st 1890 the Heligoland–Zanzibar Treaty also known as the Anglo-German Agreement of 1890 was signed between the German Empire and the United Kingdom.

Heligoland was a small island off the coast of the south of Danish Jutland and the North West of Germany. It was seized by Britain from the Danes and was under British rule since 1807. The Germans had begun the construction of the Kiel Canal in 1887 between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea and the island was situated right in between. Germany wanted to obtain it in order to build a strong base for their naval operations.

On the other hand European powers had been looking to obtain African territories since the Berlin Conference. As of 1890, Zanzibar was a Sultanate off the coast of Tanganyika, now Tanzania. Obtaining control over Zanzibar was important to Britain as it provided good access to East Africa. The Sutanate of Zanzibar owned territories in East Africa, including Dar Es Salaam, Mogadishu and Mombasa which were later acquired by the European powers between 1887 and 1892.

As per the treaty Germany recognized Zanzibar as a British protectorate. Germany also handed over the ownership of Uganda, Bechuanaland, the Somali coast and Wituland (a small Sultanate in Kenya) to Britain. In return Britain transferred the ownership of Heligoland as well as allowed Germany access to Zambizi River, through the Caprivi Strip and settled the borders of German East Africa.

The treaty was tipped way against the Germans. Through this treaty Germany literally exchanged their African empire for a small island. Another popular myth/ wide spread belief related to this treaty was Queen Victoria’s insistence to be given a mountain in Africa to his grandson, the German Kaiser Wilhelm II!  Hence the border from Lake Victoria to the coast has a kink in it, in order to keep Mt. Kilimanjaro in German East Africa! However there is no historical evidence to support this view.

Presently Heligoland is within Schleswig-Holstein region of Germany. It is a part of the European Union, and is exempted from taxes like the British Channel Islands. Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania and elects their own President who is responsible for the affairs of the state.

Source: About.com; Historic UK; everything2