Flag of Benin
The flag of Benin has a green vertical stripe by the pole and two horizontal stripes, yellow above red, on the rest of the flag.
At a glance
- Adopted
- August 1, 1990first chosen on 16 November 1959, when the country was called Dahomey; replaced from 1975 to 1990 and then brought back
- Shape (height : width)
- 2:3
- Capital
- Porto-Novo
- Continent
- Africa
- Colours
- green
- yellow
- red
What it means
- Green: hope and renewal, as described in the national anthem
- Red: the courage of the ancestors
- Yellow: the country's riches, which the people should look after
- Another explanation: some flag books say red is the soil, yellow the savannas and green the palm trees
Where it came from
The flag was chosen on 16 November 1959, when the country, then called Dahomey, was getting ready for independence from France. It was first raised on 1 August 1960, Independence Day.
It uses the pan-African colours green, yellow and red, which come from the flag of Ethiopia, one of the oldest independent countries in Africa.
History
In 1975 the country became the People's Republic of Benin under a Marxist government. It flew a green flag with a red star in the top corner, although that flag was never made official by law.
In 1990 a national conference brought back democracy with several political parties. On 1 August 1990 the 1959 flag returned, and the country kept the name Benin, after an old African kingdom of the region.
Fun facts
- The country changed its name from Dahomey to Benin in 1975, but kept the name after its old flag came back.
- French colonial rulers did not let Dahomey have its own flag, because they feared it would make people want independence.
- The meanings of the colours are written into Benin's national anthem.
Easy to mix up with
Guinea-Bissau: Guinea-Bissau has the same layout, but red is by the pole with a black star, and green is at the bottom
Madagascar: Madagascar has a white stripe by the pole, with red above green
Ethiopia: Ethiopia uses the same three colours, in horizontal stripes with a blue emblem
Questions
What does the flag of Benin look like?
The flag of Benin has a green vertical stripe by the pole and two horizontal stripes, yellow above red, on the rest of the flag.
What do the colours and symbols on the flag of Benin mean?
Green: hope and renewal, as described in the national anthem; Red: the courage of the ancestors; Yellow: the country's riches, which the people should look after; Another explanation: some flag books say red is the soil, yellow the savannas and green the palm trees.
When was the flag of Benin adopted?
The current flag of Benin was adopted on August 1, 1990. (first chosen on 16 November 1959, when the country was called Dahomey; replaced from 1975 to 1990 and then brought back)
What colours are on the flag of Benin?
The flag of Benin uses green, yellow and red.
Which flag is easy to mix up with the flag of Benin?
It is easy to mix up with the flag of Guinea-Bissau. Guinea-Bissau has the same layout, but red is by the pole with a black star, and green is at the bottom
Famous landmarks in Benin
🎯 Play the flag quiz 🌍 Play the globe
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- crwflags.com
- Flag picture: flagcdn.com (Wikimedia Commons)