Africa · NA / NAM
Flag of Namibia
The Namibian flag is divided by a red diagonal band with white edges. Above it is a blue triangle with a golden sun of twelve rays, and below it is a green triangle. It was first raised on independence day, 21 March 1990.
What the flag of Namibia looks like
The flag of Namibia has a ratio of 2:3. A red diagonal band, known in heraldry as a bend sinister, runs from the lower hoist corner to the upper fly corner. It is edged with thin white stripes on both sides. The upper-left triangle is blue, and it contains a golden-yellow sun with twelve triangular rays. The lower-right triangle is green.
The flag is one of the few national flags with a diagonal line; others include the DR Congo, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, and Brunei. Five colors appear: blue, red, white, green and gold.
Namibia flag colors
Color codes measured from the official design. Use HEX for the web and CMYK for print.
HEX
#009A44RGB
0, 154, 68CMYK
100, 0, 56, 40HEX
#002F6CRGB
0, 47, 108CMYK
100, 56, 0, 58HEX
#C8102ERGB
200, 16, 46CMYK
0, 92, 77, 22HEX
#FFFEFFRGB
255, 254, 255CMYK
0, 0, 0, 0HEX
#FFCD00RGB
255, 205, 0CMYK
0, 20, 100, 0Namibia flag meaning and symbolism
The meanings were explained by the chairman of the national symbols sub-committee when the flag was introduced. Blue stands for the sky and for the Atlantic Ocean, and it also refers to the country's water resources and rain. Red stands for the people and for their heroism and determination to build a future with equal opportunities. Green represents vegetation and agricultural resources. White stands for peace, unity, tranquility and harmony. The golden-yellow sun symbolizes life and energy, and its color represents the wealth of the country.
The twelve rays of the sun represent the twelve ethnicities of Namibia, which make up most of the population and are divided into four main groups of three.
History of the Namibian flag
The area was a German colony, German South West Africa, from 1884 until 1915, when South African forces took over. South Africa later administered the land as South West Africa, and its own flag flew there until independence.
When the independence process began, the National Symbols Sub-Committee received 870 entries for the flag. Three designs, by the Namibians Theo Jankowski, Don Stevenson and Ortrud Clay, were combined into the final flag, which the Constituent Assembly adopted unanimously on 2 February 1990. The flag was raised for the first time on 21 March 1990, as South Africa's rule ended and Namibia became independent. The design has not changed since.
See also the flag of South Africa, Namibia's neighbor, and other flags of Africa.
Namibia flag facts
| Country | Namibia |
|---|---|
| Flag adopted | March 21, 1990 |
| Proportions | 2:3 |
| Colors | #009A44, #002F6C, #C8102E, #FFFEFF, #FFCD00 |
| Symbols | Sun |
| Flag emoji | 🇳🇦 |
| Country code | NA, NAM (ISO 3166) |
| Capital | Windhoek |
| Continent | Africa |
| Population | 2,533,794 |
| Area | 825,615 km² |
| Currency | rand, Namibian dollar |
| National anthem | Namibia, Land of the Brave |
Namibia flag: frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of the Namibian flag?
Blue is the sky and the Atlantic, red is the people and their determination, green is vegetation, white is peace and unity, and the gold sun is life and energy.
Is Namibia German or Dutch?
Neither today, but it has links to both. It was a German colony from 1884 to 1915, and then governed by South Africa until independence in 1990. German and Afrikaans are still spoken by minorities, while English is the official language.
Is Namibia in Europe or Africa?
Namibia is in Africa. It lies on the Atlantic coast of southern Africa and borders Angola, Zambia, Botswana and South Africa. Its capital is Windhoek.
When was the Namibian flag adopted?
The design was approved by the Constituent Assembly on 2 February 1990, and the flag was officially raised on 21 March 1990, the day of Namibia's independence from South Africa.
What was the Namibia flag before independence?
During apartheid-era South African rule, Namibia used the South African orange-white-blue tricolour. The present flag was adopted on 21 March 1990 when Namibia became independent.
Who designed the Namibian flag?
The design combined three entries by Namibians, Theo Jankowski, Don Stevenson and Ortrud Clay, picked from 870 submissions. Two other people also claimed to have designed it.
What do the 12 rays on the Namibia flag mean?
The twelve rays of the golden sun stand for the twelve ethnicities of Namibia, which make up most of the population and are grouped into four main groups of three. The sun itself means life and energy.
Which other flags have a diagonal stripe like Namibia's?
Other national flags with a diagonal line include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, and Brunei. The Namibian flag has a white-edged red diagonal band between blue and green triangles.
