List of former German colonies

This is a list of former German Empire colonies and protectorates (German: Schutzgebiete) outside of the Empire's European borders, the German colonial empire.

Brandenburg-Prussian colonies

These were colonies unsuccessfully settled by Brandenburg-Prussia (part of the Holy Roman Empire realm), since 1701 Kingdom of Prussia, before the foundation of the German Empire in 1871.

Groß Friedrichsburg (in Ghana), 1683–1718
Arguin (in Mauritania), 1685–1721
Whydah (in present Bénin), circa 1700 (this Brandenburg 'colony' was just a minor point of support, a few dwellings at a site co-inhabited by British and Dutch)

These territories were held briefly under lease or occupation during the early European colonizations of the New World.

Saint Thomas. Leased by Brandenburg from the Danish West India Company, 1685–1720.
Island of Crabs (Krabbeninsel in German) (Caribbean, now US), Brandenburg annexation in the Danish West Indies, 1689–1693
Tertholen (Caribbean), 1696. Occupation.

These were colonies of the Habsburg Monarchy (part of the Holy Roman Empire realm), since 1804 Austrian Empire, since 1867 Austria-Hungary.

These are colonies settled by and controlled by the German Empire from 1884-1919.

The following were German African protectorates.

German colonies in Africa, 1884-1920

German East Africa (Deutsch-Ostafrika):
- Tanganyika. In 1922 became a League of Nations mandate under the United Kingdom. In 1961 became independent and in 1964 joined with former British protectorate of the sultanate of Zanzibar to form present-day Tanzania
- Ruanda-Urundi (1885–1917) - present-day Rwanda and Burundi
- Wituland (1885–1890) - since 1890 in Kenya
- Kionga Triangle - since 1920 (earlier occupied) in Portuguese Mozambique
German South West Africa (Deutsch-Südwestafrika) - present-day Namibia (except then-British Walvis Bay) and part of Botswana (Südrand des Caprivi-Zipfels)
German West Africa (Deutsch-Westafrika) - existed as one unit only for two or three years, then split into two colonies due to distances:
- Kamerun'(1884–1914) - after World War I, separated into a British part, Cameroons, and a French Cameroun, which became present Cameroon. The British part was later split in half, with one part joining Nigeria and the other Cameroon. (Kamerun, Nigeria-Ostteil, Tschad-Südwestteil, Zentralafrikanische Republik-Westteil, Republik Kongo-Nordostteil, Gabun-Nordteil)
- Togoland (1884–1914) - after World War I it separated into two parts: a British part (Ghana-Westteil), which joined Ghana, and a French one, which became Togo

These were German colonies in the Pacific.

German colonies in southern Pacific: Kaiserwilhelmsland and the Bismarck Archipelago (Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands)

Colonial Possessions and Protectorates of the German Empire, 1883-1920, confirmed by Treaty, International Agreement, or Purchase

These are German concessions in China leased to it by the Qing Dynasty.