Africa may lack many things, but the continent has never lacked beauty, or a sense of style. The most beautiful flags in Africa are just examples of the continent’s creativity, and the unique way we see colors.
Flags are more than that; they are emblems representing the pride, heritage, and identity of the countries that wave them; some African flags reflect this special kind of beauty- one that comes with knowing who you are, knowing your past, and being proud of your history.
Some of the flags that come to mind are listed below, and some interesting facts about the countries that wave them.
Top 20 Most Beautiful Flags In Africa
1. Seychelles
Seychelles has quite easily the most beautiful flag in Africa; it is unique in design, and it is going to be difficult to find any one like it in the world. The flag is made up of colors like blue, yellow, red, white and green. However, instead of the colors being arranged horizontally or vertically, they are arranged diagonally, and are narrow at the left but broad at the right.
Seychelles’ flag quite accurately represents the country and its history; while the nation is part of Africa; it was not historically populated by native Africans. The islands were unpopulated until encountered by Europeans.
The country was contested by the French and British; and it the British who finally won the fight. They established the colony with African slaves and European upper class. Today, most Seychellois are Creole (a combination of Whites and Blacks), and Asians and other ethnic groups also exist.
The color combination on the Seychellois flag therefore shows this mixture of people, and this unity. It is also important to note that Seychelles is made up of about 115 small islands; and it is located in the Indian Ocean.
2. Tanzania
The east African nation of Tanzania has one of the best flags on the continent; the flag’s major colors include green and blue; separated in the center by a black streak running diagonally from the bottom left to the top right. The black band also has steaks of yellow running along both sides of its length.
Tanzania is a nice country that is worth visiting; the number one feature of the country is the Mount Kilimanjaro; which is the tallest peak in the country, and which draws in millions of visitors and climbing aficionados.
The country is quite beautiful; and not just the land or the landmarks but also the people. Tanzanians are some of the most beautiful people on earth.
3. South Africa
South Africa’s is one of the most popular flags in Africa. It is certainly beautiful; and there is a certain flair in the design. The flag is also called the rainbow flag although that may have more to do with South Africa being called the rainbow nation, more than anything else.
This flag which was designed in 1994 has several colors; and what actually makes it unique is the black triangle on the left with the yellow bands on the sides. The triangle and the bands make a lovely y shape into which the other colors meet.\
The other colors on the flag include green, red, and blue. The green also has white band on its sides, which also makes the y shape more visible.
4. Ethiopia
The Ethiopian flag is one of the most famous in Africa and the Caribbean region, although most people don’t even know where it comes from. The Ethiopian flag is made of up green, yellow, and red, and the colors are arranged horizontally.
All over Africa you can see people in dreadlocks wearing these colors either in their clothing or in their accessories such as wrist bands, hair bands and so on.
It has to do with the Rastafarian movement which started in Jamaica; and which maintains that the Emperor Haile Selassie was a divine figure because he successfully fought against the invading Europeans. The movement has spread throughout Africa; and so have the colors of the Emperor of Ethiopia.
5. Somalia
Somalia has a rather simple, but very elegant flag. The flag is just blue, with a white, five pointed star in the center. In as much as this is a very beautiful flag, it is also very strange. The strangeness comes from the fact that African flags are rarely this monotonous; they are usually made of several colors which are then mixed together to provide some kind of impressive spectrum.
Somalia’s flag does little to impress, but that little is just enough. The flag is an ethnic one; which belongs to the Somali people. The five points of the star represents the five regions where Somalis live.
6. Kenya
There is no African flag that is more African than the Kenyan flag. It contains a traditional shield in the center, and that shield represents the warrior spirit of the African people. It is sad that no other country adopts such cultural emblems.
Kenya’s flag has red, black and green; the colors are arranged horizontally, while the shield takes the center. The shield has behind it, two spears crossed together.
The colors signify the fact that Kenyans are proud of their African identity, the fact that they understand the need for struggle in order to make progress, and also the fact that the land is productive.
7. Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe has another interesting flag; it shows that the country has a lot in common with South Africa. Zimbabwe’s flag has red, yellow, green and black, arranged in horizontal strips above each other. The colors are repeated in twos, appearing parallel to one another.
Zimbabwe’s flag also has a triangle to the left, but this time it is colored white, with a black band around it. Inside the white triangle there is a red five pointed star, with the image of a bird superimposed on it. The bird represents the soapstone birds of great Zimbabwe, which were probably of religious significance.
8. Rwanda
Rwanda’s flag is one of the youngest on the continent; and it would have been a through disappointment if the flag was not impressive. It consists of three main colors which are light blue, yellow, and green. The colors are arranged horizontally; one on top of the other.
The blue part (which is on top) is the biggest, and has a very interesting feature. On the far right hand corner there is the image of the sun shining in full force.
The flag was adopted in 2001; and it has a clear intention to it. The blue part of it signifies peace and happiness, the green part symbolizes hope that the country will be prosperous, while the yellow band signifies economic development. The yellow sun symbolizes enlightenment.
9. Sudan
Sudan is a country that has suffered through a history of bloodshed, but ironically it has one of the most peaceful flags on the continent. The flag contains white and green. The full colors are red, white, and black, and they are arranged horizontally, with the red on top and the white in the center.
Sudan’s flag has a triangle on the left, in similar fashion to the South African flag. However, the triangle is green, and has no band on it. Sudan’s flag has little to do with South Africa’s or any other African countries; it has to do with the Arab league; and their colors are consistent with other Arab countries.
10. Nigeria
Nigeria’s flag is quite simple, but it is without doubt one of the most famous African flags because of its beauty, and the sheer number of people waving the colors. The flag is made up of bands of green, white, and green again. The colors are arranged vertically, rather than horizontally as it is common within the continent.
The colors of the Nigerian flag are quite significant; the green symbolizes natural wealth, while the white symbolizes peace.
Nigeria’s flag has been in use since 1960, when at independence it replaced the British flag.
The flowing is a more thorough breakdown of the 20 most beautiful flags in Africa.
| Rank | Flag | Region |
| 1 | Seychelles | East Africa |
| 2 | Tanzania | East Africa |
| 3 | South Africa | Southern Africa |
| 4 | Ethiopia | East Africa |
| 5 | Somalia | East Africa |
| 6 | Kenya | East Africa |
| 7 | Zimbabwe | Southern Africa |
| 8 | Rwanda | East Africa |
| 9 | Sudan | North Africa |
| 20 | Nigeria | West Africa |
| 21 | Ghana | West Africa |
| 22 | Chad | Central Africa |
| 23 | Egypt | North Africa |
| 24 | Uganda | East Africa |
| 25 | Botswana | Southern Africa |
| 26 | Algeria | North Africa |
| 27 | Eritrea | East Africa |
| 28 | Mauritius | East Africa |
| 29 | Burundi | East Africa |
| 30 | Mozambique | Southern Africa |
Related
- Most Beautiful Countries In Africa
- Most Peaceful Countries In Africa
- Most Alcoholic Countries In Africa
Closing
Looking at the most beautiful flags in Africa; it is clear that nobody knows how to design a flag better than the east African whose flags make up the majority of this list. It has also been interesting to note the meanings symbolized by some of these flags as they relate to the individual countries.