| Term |
Incumbent |
Notes |
| German East Africa |
| German East Africa Protectorate |
| 27 May 1885 to 8 February 1888 |
Karl Peters, Administrator |
|
| 8 February 1888 to 1 January 1891 |
Hermann Wissmann, Reichskommissar |
Imperial commissioner, 1st time |
| German East Africa Colony |
| 1 January 1891 to 21 February 1891 |
Hermann Wissmann, Reichskommissar |
Imperial commissioner, 1st time |
| 21 February 1891 to 15 September 1893 |
Julius Freiherr von Soden, Governor |
|
| 1891 |
Rüdiger, acting Governor |
Acting for Soden |
| 15 September 1893 to 25 April 1895 |
Friedrich Radbod Freiher von Schele, Governor |
|
| 25 April 1895 to 3 December 1896 |
Hermann Wissmann, Governor |
2nd time |
| 3 December 1896 to 12 March 1901 |
Eduard von Liebert, Governor |
|
| 12 March 1901 to 15 April 1906 |
Gustav Adolf Graf von Götzen, Governor |
|
| 15 April 1906 to 22 April 1912 |
Georg Albrecht Freiherr von Rechenberg, Governor |
|
| 22 April 1912 to 14 November 1918 |
Albert Heinrich Schnee, Governor |
From 9 October 1916 on the move in opposition to British forces |
| Occupation of German East Africa by United Kingdom |
| 9 October 1916 to 22 July 1920 |
Horace Archer Byatt, Administrator |
From 1918, Sir Horace Archer Byatt |
| 22 July 1920 to 20 July 1922 |
Sir Horace Archer Byatt, Governor |
|
| League of Nations Mandate (administered by United Kingdom) |
| 20 July 1922 to 5 March 1925 |
Sir Horace Archer Byatt, Governor |
|
| 1924 to 5 March 1925 |
John Scott, acting Governor |
Acting for Byatt |
| 5 March 1925 to January 1931 |
Donald Charles Cameron, Governor |
|
| 1929 |
Sir Douglas James Jardine, acting Governor |
Acting for Cameron |
| January 1931 to February 1934 |
George Stewart Symes, Governor |
|
| 19 February 1934 to 8 July 1938 |
Sir Harold Alfred MacMichael, Governor |
|
| 8 July 1938 to 19 June 1941 |
Sir Mark Aitchinson Young, Governor |
|
| 19 June 1941 to 28 April 1945 |
Sir Wilfrid Edward Francis Jackson, Governor |
|
| 28 April 1945 to 11 December 1946 |
Sir William Denis Battershill, Governor |
|
| United Nations Trust Territory (administered by United Kingdom) |
| 11 December 1946 to 18 June 1949 |
Sir William Denis Battershill, Governor |
|
| 18 June 1949 to June 1958 |
Sir Edward Francis Twining, Governor |
|
| 15 July 1958 to 9 December 1961 |
Sir Richard Gordon Turnbull, Governor |
|
| 9 December 1961 |
Independence as Tanganyika |