Ruanda-Urundi, a former territory in East-Central Africa, has a unique postal history deeply tied to European colonial dynamics and the region’s path to independence. Originally part of German East Africa, the region comprising present-day Rwanda and Burundi was administered by Germany until World War I. Following Germany’s defeat, the League of Nations mandated Ruanda-Urundi to Belgium in 1922, establishing Belgian oversight and integrating the region into Belgium’s colonial administration.

Under Belgian control, the postal system in Ruanda-Urundi initially used Belgian Congo stamps overprinted with “Ruanda-Urundi.” The first stamps specifically issued for the territory in 1931 featured native imagery and traditional motifs, introducing themes of local culture and the distinctive geography of the region. These issues symbolized the Belgian administration’s desire to emphasise Ruanda-Urundi’s unique identity within the colonial framework while retaining ties to the Belgian Congo.

During the post–World War II period, Ruanda-Urundi became a United Nations Trust Territory under Belgian administration. In the 1950s, stamps began to reflect a greater emphasis on local leadership and cultural heritage, showcasing traditional leaders and symbols of unity and peace. This era of philately marked an early acknowledgment of Ruanda-Urundi’s distinctive national identities, with separate stamps issued for Ruanda (Rwanda) and Urundi (Burundi) beginning in 1960 as nationalist movements gained momentum.

On July 1, 1962, Ruanda-Urundi was officially dissolved, resulting in the independence of the separate nations of Rwanda and Burundi. The last issues under the Ruanda-Urundi name were made in 1962, closing a chapter in the region’s postal history as each new nation began to issue its own stamps. Today, stamps from Ruanda-Urundi are valued by collectors for their historical significance, offering insight into the region’s colonial legacy and the early stirrings of national identity that would later shape the modern nations of Rwanda and Burundi.