Tanganyika was a territory in East Africa that existed from the end of World War I until 1961. It was part of the larger region that is now known as Tanzania. The area was originally a German colony called German East Africa but became a British mandate after the war. In 1961, Tanganyika gained independence from British rule and later united with the Zanzibar islands to form the United Republic of Tanzania in 1964. The capital city of Tanganyika was Dodoma, which remains the capital of Tanzania today.