This is a gallery of the various international, national and subnational flags of Africa.
Supranational and international flags An incomplete list of flags representing African international and supranational organisations. FlagDateUseDescription 2017–present Flag of the African Union A green flag with the dark green map of the African continent on a white sun, surrounded by a circle of 55 5-pointed gold stars. Flag of the Alliance of Sahel StatesA green flag with the AES seal in the center. 2008–present Flag of the East African Community Uneven stripes of white, black, green, yellow, green, red, and white on a sky blue field, with the EAC emblem in the center. Flag of the Economic Community of West African States A white flag with the ECOWAS emblem in the center. 2013–present Flag of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States Three diagonal bands of green, gold, and blue. In the center is the OACPS logo consisting of the letters "ACP" and three globes. 1992–present Flag of the Southern African Development Community A dark blue flag with the SADC logotype in yellow on a green roundel.
Flags of African sovereign states
Most flags of African nations utilize at least three of the four Pan-African colours of green, yellow, red, and black. The following section lists the flags of all 55 member states of the African Union.
FlagDateUseDescription 1962–present Flag of AlgeriaSee also: List of Algerian flags A vertical bicolour of green and white, charged in the center with a red star and crescent, a symbol of Islam as the nation's prominent faith. 1975–present Flag of AngolaSee also: List of Angolan flags A horizontal bicolour of red above black with a yellow emblem in the center consisted of a five-pointed star within a half gear wheel crossed by a machete (resembling the hammer and sickle used on the Soviet flag). As outlined in the Constitution of Angola, the red half of the flag signifies bloodshed – during Angola's colonial period, independence struggle, and in defense of the country. The black half symbolizes Africa. In the central emblem, the gear represents industrial workers and production, the machete represents peasantry, agricultural production and the armed struggle, and the star, shaped like the red star, symbolizes international solidarity and progress. The yellow color of the emblem symbolizes the country's wealth. 1959–19751990–present Flag of BeninSee also: List of Beninese flags A green vertical band on the hoist side, and two horizontal bands of yellow and red on the fly side.
As stated in Benin's national anthem, the green of the flag represent the hope of a new democracy. The red represents the courage of the ancestors, and the yellow is for the treasures of the nation. On a continental level, the yellow, green, and red represented the Pan-Africanist movement. 1966–present Flag of BotswanaSee also: List of Botswanan flags The light blue represents water—specifically, in the form of rain, as it is a precious resource in Botswana. The blue also alludes to the motto featured on the coat of arms of Botswana—Pula, which means "Let there be rain" in Setswana —as well as life, which is sustained by water.
The black band with the white frame has two meanings. Firstly, they symbolise the harmony and cooperation between the people of different races who live in Botswana, as well as the racial diversity of the country. Furthermore, they represent the stripes of the zebra, the national animal of Botswana. 1984–present Flag of Burkina Faso A horizontal bicolour of red and green, with a centred yellow star. 1982–present Flag of BurundiSee also: List of Burundian flags The white color of the saltire represents peace, green represents the nation's hopes placed on future development, and red symbolizes the suffering of the nation during its freedom struggle. The three stars in triangular configuration stand for the three ethnic groups of Burundi: the Hutu, the Twa and the Tutsi. The three stars also stand for the three elements of the national motto: Unité, Travail, Progrès ("Unity, Work, Progress"), which can be seen on the coat of arms of Burundi. They also represent the loyalty that the citizens of the nations have pledged to their God, king and country. 1975–present Flag of CameroonSee also: List of Cameroonian flags A vertical tricolour of green, red, and yellow, with a centred yellow star. 1992–present Flag of Cabo Verde Blue, with three narrow horizontal stripes of white, red, and white in the lower half of the flag, and a circle of ten gold stars centered on the red stripe, shifted towards the hoist. 1958–present Flag of the Central African Republic Four horizontal bands of blue, white, green, and yellow, crossed in the middle by a vertical red band. There is also a yellow star in the upper hoist. 1959–present Flag of Chad A vertical tricolour consisting (hoist to fly) of a blue, a gold, and a red column. These were intended to be a combination of the colours of blue, white, and red as seen on the flag of France with the Pan-African colours of green, yellow, and red as seen on the flag of Ethiopia. Furthermore, the blue represents the sky and hope; the gold is the sun and desert, and the red signifies the bloodshed over independence. 2001–present Flag of the ComorosSee also: List of Comorian flags Four horizontal stripes of yellow, white, red, and blue (from top to bottom); with a green pile based on the hoist side charged with a white crescent and four five-pointed stars in a line between the points of the crescent. 2006–present Flag of the Democratic Republic of the CongoSee also: List of flags of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Sky blue with a red band edged in yellow running from its bottom inner corner to its upper outer corner. In the canton, there is a single large yellow star. 1959–19701991–present Flag of the Republic of the Congo The colours of the flag carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The green symbolizes the agriculture and forests of the Congo, while the yellow represents the "friendship and nobility" of the Congolese people. However, the symbolism behind the red was left unexplained. From a continental viewpoint, the green, yellow, and red are the colours of the Pan-Africanist movement. 1977–present Flag of DjiboutiSee also: List of Djibouti flags Bisected horizontally between sky blue and green, with a white triangle containing a red star emerging from the hoist. 1984–present Flag of EgyptSee also: List of Egyptian flags Three even horizontal stripes of red, white, and black, with the coat of arms of Egypt in the center. 1979–present Flag of Equatorial GuineaSee also: List of flags of Equatorial Guinea Three even horizontal stripes of green, white, and red. A blue obtuse isosceles triangle points from the hoist. In the center of the flag is the coat of arms of Equatorial Guinea. 1995–present Flag of EritreaSee also: List of Eritrean flags A red triangle charged with an olive branch and wreath extends along the length of the flag, with a green section above and a blue section below. 1968–present Flag of Eswatini A blue background through which runs a red Spanish fess edged in yellow. On the fess is a black and white shield, two spears, and a staff. 2009–present Flag of EthiopiaSee also: List of Ethiopian flags Three even horizontal stripes of green, yellow, and red, overlaid on which is the emblem of Ethiopia. 1960–present Flag of Gabon A horizontal tricolour of green, yellow, and blue. The yellow alludes to the equator — which cuts across the country — and also symbolizes the sun. The green epitomizes the natural resources of Gabon. The blue represents the sea, specifically the South Atlantic Ocean. 1965–present Flag of The GambiaSee also: List of Gambian flags Three horizontal red, blue, and green bands separated by two thin white stripes. The blue alludes to the Gambia River, which is the nation's key geographical feature and from which the country derives its name. The red evokes the sun – given the Gambia's close proximity to the equator – as well as the savanna, while the thin white stripes represent "unity and peace". The green epitomizes the forest and the agricultural goods that the Gambian people are heavily dependent on, both for exports and their personal use. 1957–19581963–19641966–present Flag of GhanaSee also: List of Ghanaian flags Three even horizontal stripes of red, yellow, and green, with a single black star in the center. 1958–present Flag of GuineaSee also: List of Guinean flags The flag features a simple vertical tricolour of red, yellow, and green. 1973–present Flag of Guinea-Bissau A vertical red stripe on the hoist side charged with a black five-pointed star and two horizontal yellow and green stripes on the fly side.
The flag's design is taken from the flag of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde, while the Pan-African colours of yellow, green, red, and black are taken from the flag of Ghana. 1959–present Flag of Ivory Coast A vertical tricolour of orange, white, and green. 1963–present Flag of KenyaSee also: List of flags of Kenya Three stripes of black, red, and green, separated by thinner white stripes. In the center is a red Maasai shield over two crossed spears. 2006–present Flag of Lesotho Three horizontal stripes of blue, white, and green, with a black mokorotlo in the center. 1847–present Flag of Liberia Eleven horizontal stripes of red and white, with a square blue canton containing a white star. The flag is intentionally visually similar to the flag of the United States, in reference to Liberia's settlement by the African-American freedmen in the early 19th century. 1951–19692011–present Flag of LibyaSee also: List of Libyan flags A black Spanish fess with red above and green below, bearing in its center a white crescent and five-pointed star. 1958–present Flag of MadagascarSee also: List of Malagasy flags Bisected horizontally between red and green, with a vertical white bar at the hoist of the flag. 1964–20102012–present Flag of Malawi Three horizontal stripes of black, red, and green. Within the black stripe is a red sunrise. 1961–present Flag of MaliSee also: List of Malian flags The flag is a simple vertical tricolour of green, yellow, and red. 2017–present Flag of MauritaniaSee also: List of Mauritanian flags On a field of red, a wide green horizontal stripe bearing a yellow crescent and five-pointed star. 1968–present Flag of MauritiusSee also: List of Mauritian flags Four equal bands; red, blue, yellow, and green. From the National Flag Act 2015: The flag was designed by Gurudutt Moher whose contribution was recognised posthumously in March 2018 in the form of the national title Member of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (MSK). Moher, who was a retired school teacher, died of a heart attack on 7 October 2017, at the age of 93. 1915–present Flag of MoroccoSee also: List of Moroccan flags Red with a dark green pentagram in its center. 1983–present Flag of MozambiqueSee also: List of Mozambican flags Three horizontal stripes of green, black, and yellow, separated by thin white stripes. Pointing outward from the hoist is a red isosceles triangle containing a yellow star, superimposed on which are a crossed gun and hoe over an open book. The red colour of the triangle represents the blood shed during the struggle for liberation. The black stands for the African continent, green for agriculture, yellow for mineral wealth, and white for peace. The book, hoe, and gun represent education, agriculture, and defense, respectively.