Flag of Burundi
The flag of Burundi is divided by a white diagonal cross into red and green triangles, with a white circle in the middle holding three red stars outlined in green.
At a glance
- Adopted
- June 28, 1967adopted in 1967 after the monarchy ended; the official shape changed from 2:3 to 3:5 in 1982
- Shape (height : width)
- 3:5
- Capital
- Gitega (political capital); Bujumbura is the economic capital
- Continent
- Africa
- Colours
- red
- green
- white
What it means
- Three stars: officially the national motto, "Unity, Work, Progress"; they are also said to stand for the country's three peoples, the Hutu, Tutsi and Twa
- White: peace
- Green: hope for the future
- Red: the suffering and struggle for independence
Where it came from
Burundi became independent from Belgium on 1 July 1962 as a kingdom. Its first flag already had the white diagonal cross, with a royal drum called the karyenda in the centre.
The flag expert Whitney Smith once suggested the diagonal design might have been inspired by the flag of the Belgian airline Sabena, but he found no proof.
History
The monarchy was abolished in November 1966. The royal drum, a symbol of the king's power, was removed from the flag and replaced by a sorghum plant, an important local crop.
On 28 June 1967 the sorghum was replaced by today's three stars. In 1982 the official shape was changed from 2:3 to the slightly longer 3:5.
The flag has kept its white cross and white disc through all these changes.
Fun facts
- The stars have six points, not five like most stars on flags.
- An earlier flag showed a royal drum, the karyenda, which people believed had sacred powers.
- The flag's shape is 3 by 5, a little longer than most African flags.
- The white diagonal cross splits the flag into four triangles: red at the top and bottom, green at the sides.
Easy to mix up with
Jamaica: Jamaica also has a diagonal cross, but it is gold, with green and black triangles
Questions
What does the flag of Burundi look like?
The flag of Burundi is divided by a white diagonal cross into red and green triangles, with a white circle in the middle holding three red stars outlined in green.
What do the colours and symbols on the flag of Burundi mean?
Three stars: officially the national motto, "Unity, Work, Progress"; they are also said to stand for the country's three peoples, the Hutu, Tutsi and Twa; White: peace; Green: hope for the future; Red: the suffering and struggle for independence.
When was the flag of Burundi adopted?
The current flag of Burundi was adopted on June 28, 1967. (adopted in 1967 after the monarchy ended; the official shape changed from 2:3 to 3:5 in 1982)
What colours are on the flag of Burundi?
The flag of Burundi uses red, green and white.
Which flag is easy to mix up with the flag of Burundi?
It is easy to mix up with the flag of Jamaica. Jamaica also has a diagonal cross, but it is gold, with green and black triangles
Famous landmarks in Burundi
🎯 Play the flag quiz 🌍 Play the globe
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- crwflags.com
- Flag picture: flagcdn.com (Wikimedia Commons)