Flag of Libya
Red, black and green horizontal stripes, with the black stripe twice as wide and a white crescent and star in its centre.
At a glance
- Adopted
- 2011first adopted on 24 December 1951 for the Kingdom of Libya; brought back in 2011 by the National Transitional Council
- Shape (height : width)
- 1:2
- Capital
- Tripoli
- Continent
- Africa
- Colours
- red
- black
- green
- white
What it means
- Red: the blood shed for independence; also the region of Fezzan
- Black: the dark years under Italian rule; also the region of Cyrenaica
- Green: Libya's farming and prosperity; also the region of Tripolitania
- Crescent and star: a link to the banner of the Senussi order and to King Idris, who led the country to independence
Where it came from
The flag was designed by Omar Faiek Shennib and approved by King Idris when Libya became an independent kingdom in 1951.
It joined the flags of Libya's three historical regions: red for Fezzan, black for Cyrenaica and green for Tripolitania. The black field with a white crescent and star comes from the banner of the Senussi order.
History
After Muammar Gaddafi took power in 1969, Libya used a red-white-black flag, then from 1972 a flag with a golden hawk, when it was part of the Federation of Arab Republics. From 1977 to 2011 the flag was plain green, with no design at all.
During the 2011 uprising, protesters brought back the 1951 flag, and the National Transitional Council made it the flag of Libya again. The United Nations uses it for Libya.
Fun facts
- From 1977 to 2011 Libya's flag was plain green; for most of that time it was the only one-colour national flag in the world.
- Today's flag is the same as the one used from 1951 to 1969.
- The black stripe is twice as tall as the red or the green one.
- In 2011 Libyan embassies around the world began swapping the green flag for this one, starting in March.
Easy to mix up with
Türkiye: Turkey has a white crescent and star too, but on a plain red background
Mauritania: Mauritania has a yellow crescent and star on green, with red stripes
Questions
What does the flag of Libya look like?
Red, black and green horizontal stripes, with the black stripe twice as wide and a white crescent and star in its centre.
What do the colours and symbols on the flag of Libya mean?
Red: the blood shed for independence; also the region of Fezzan; Black: the dark years under Italian rule; also the region of Cyrenaica; Green: Libya's farming and prosperity; also the region of Tripolitania; Crescent and star: a link to the banner of the Senussi order and to King Idris, who led the country to independence.
When was the flag of Libya adopted?
The current flag of Libya was adopted on 2011. (first adopted on 24 December 1951 for the Kingdom of Libya; brought back in 2011 by the National Transitional Council)
What colours are on the flag of Libya?
The flag of Libya uses red, black, green and white.
Which flag is easy to mix up with the flag of Libya?
It is easy to mix up with the flag of Türkiye. Turkey has a white crescent and star too, but on a plain red background
Famous landmarks in Libya
🎯 Play the flag quiz 🌍 Play the globe
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- crwflags.com
- Flag picture: flagcdn.com (Wikimedia Commons)