Flag of Ghana
Ghana's flag has three horizontal stripes, red, gold and green, with a black five-pointed star in the middle of the gold stripe.
At a glance
- Adopted
- March 6, 1957first raised at independence on 6 March 1957; from 1964 to 1966 the middle stripe was white, and the original 1957 design was restored on 28 February 1966
- Shape (height : width)
- 2:3
- Capital
- Accra
- Continent
- Africa
- Colours
- red
- gold
- green
- black
What it means
- Red: the blood of those who fought for independence
- Gold: the country's mineral wealth, especially gold, which gave the Gold Coast its name
- Green: Ghana's rich forests and natural resources, such as cocoa and timber
- Black star: the "lone star of African freedom": the freedom and unity of Africa
Where it came from
The flag was designed in 1957 by Theodosia Okoh, a Ghanaian artist and teacher, for the independence of Ghana from British rule. Ghana, once called the Gold Coast, was one of the first African colonies to become independent.
Its red, gold and green follow Ethiopia's colours, and the black star is believed to come from the flag of the Black Star Line, a shipping company started by Marcus Garvey in 1919.
History
The flag was first raised on 6 March 1957. From 1964 the gold stripe was changed to white, to match the colours of President Kwame Nkrumah's ruling party; that version looked a bit like Hungary's flag.
After Nkrumah was overthrown in 1966, the original design came back on 28 February 1966, and it has stayed the same since.
Fun facts
- Ghana's national football team is called the Black Stars, after the star on the flag.
- Ghana's was the second African national flag, after Ethiopia's, to use red, gold and green.
- The flags of Guinea-Bissau and Sao Tome and Principe were influenced by Ghana's design.
- The designer, Theodosia Okoh, also led Ghana's hockey association.
Easy to mix up with
Bolivia: Bolivia has red, yellow and green stripes in the same order, but no black star
Guinea-Bissau: Guinea-Bissau has the black star on a red vertical band, with yellow and green stripes beside it
Questions
What does the flag of Ghana look like?
Ghana's flag has three horizontal stripes, red, gold and green, with a black five-pointed star in the middle of the gold stripe.
What do the colours and symbols on the flag of Ghana mean?
Red: the blood of those who fought for independence; Gold: the country's mineral wealth, especially gold, which gave the Gold Coast its name; Green: Ghana's rich forests and natural resources, such as cocoa and timber; Black star: the "lone star of African freedom": the freedom and unity of Africa.
When was the flag of Ghana adopted?
The current flag of Ghana was adopted on March 6, 1957. (first raised at independence on 6 March 1957; from 1964 to 1966 the middle stripe was white, and the original 1957 design was restored on 28 February 1966)
What colours are on the flag of Ghana?
The flag of Ghana uses red, gold, green and black.
Which flag is easy to mix up with the flag of Ghana?
It is easy to mix up with the flag of Bolivia. Bolivia has red, yellow and green stripes in the same order, but no black star
Famous landmarks in Ghana
🎯 Play the flag quiz 🌍 Play the globe
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- crwflags.com
- Flag picture: flagcdn.com (Wikimedia Commons)