Collection: African Flags

More than any other flags around the world, African country flags are unique in some very unusual ways.

For a start, a great many of them seem to share the same colours – red, green, and gold – as well as very similar designs. In fact, no less than 23 African countries use exactly the same three colours on their flags!

There is such similarity that you would almost think that there was one designer – a very lazy one at that – who was given the task of designing all these flags that look so similar. The story behind this, though, is much more inspiring.

The wave of post-colonial pride that swept across Africa in the 1960s was the root of this collective identity, and the colour arrangement in the flags of African countries had its roots in the 123-year-old flag of Ethiopia – which is one of only two countries on the entire African continent that were never colonized by foreign countries.

Some historians claimed that these colours relate to the ancient kingdom ruled by Solomon, because Haile Selassie, Ethiopia’s monarch at the time, was believed to be a direct descendent – and a great many other newly independent African countries followed suit, embracing a historic declaration of sovereignty and independent heritage.

Black is another colour that features regularly, either as a banner colour or to highlight a central symbol depicted on a flag. Rather logically, it denotes ethnicity, but also represents solidity and strength. And, strikingly, the flag of the centuries-old Ashanti Empire features a golden royal stool against a black background.

The flags of African countries also often display heroic symbols: stars, sickles, machetes, shields, spears, traditional weapons, and tribal insignia.

Vibrant and deeply entwined with national identity, African flags reflect a rich and tumultuous history – and tell an ancient, riveting story.