Flag of Mauritania
Mauritania's flag is green with a golden crescent moon and star in the middle, and a red band along the top and bottom.
At a glance
- Adopted
- October 12, 2017red bands were added to the 1959 flag after a 2017 referendum; the parliament adopted the law on 12 October 2017 and the new flag was first raised on 28 November 2017
- Shape (height : width)
- 2:3
- Capital
- Nouakchott
- Continent
- Africa
- Colours
- green
- gold
- red
What it means
- Green: Islam, the religion of almost all Mauritanians
- Crescent and star: also symbols of Islam
- Red bands: the blood of the people who fought for freedom from France
Where it came from
The first flag was adopted on 1 April 1959, while Mauritania was still part of the French community, and it stayed the same at independence on 28 November 1960. It was a green field with a gold crescent and star. The sources do not name a designer.
The red bands were proposed in 2016 by the ruling party, the Union for the Republic, as a tribute to people who fought for independence.
History
In 2017 the Senate blocked the change, so the government held a referendum on 5 August 2017. More than 85 percent of voters said yes to a new flag and anthem. The parliament approved the law in October, and the new flag was first raised on 28 November 2017, Independence Day, in the town of Kaedi.
In May 2020 the government published a design manual that fixed the exact shapes and colours.
Fun facts
- Mauritania changed its flag by a vote of the people, which is quite rare.
- Each red band is exactly one fifth of the flag's height.
- Green, gold and red are also the pan-African colours.
- The crescent points upward, like a bowl, instead of to the side.
Easy to mix up with
Pakistan: Pakistan is also green with a crescent and star, but the moon is white, tilted, and there is a white stripe at the hoist
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia is green too, but it has white Arabic writing and a sword instead of a moon
Questions
What does the flag of Mauritania look like?
Mauritania's flag is green with a golden crescent moon and star in the middle, and a red band along the top and bottom.
What do the colours and symbols on the flag of Mauritania mean?
Green: Islam, the religion of almost all Mauritanians; Crescent and star: also symbols of Islam; Red bands: the blood of the people who fought for freedom from France.
When was the flag of Mauritania adopted?
The current flag of Mauritania was adopted on October 12, 2017. (red bands were added to the 1959 flag after a 2017 referendum; the parliament adopted the law on 12 October 2017 and the new flag was first raised on 28 November 2017)
What colours are on the flag of Mauritania?
The flag of Mauritania uses green, gold and red.
Which flag is easy to mix up with the flag of Mauritania?
It is easy to mix up with the flag of Pakistan. Pakistan is also green with a crescent and star, but the moon is white, tilted, and there is a white stripe at the hoist
Famous landmarks in Mauritania
🎯 Play the flag quiz 🌍 Play the globe
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- crwflags.com
- Flag picture: flagcdn.com (Wikimedia Commons)