Flag of Niger
Niger's flag has three sideways stripes, orange, white and green, with an orange circle in the middle of the white stripe.
At a glance
- Adopted
- November 23, 1959adopted a year before independence from France in 1960 and kept unchanged since
- Capital
- Niamey
- Continent
- Africa
- Colours
- orange
- white
- green
What it means
- Orange: commonly said to be the Sahara Desert in the north
- White: commonly said to be purity, hope and the savannah
- Green: commonly said to be the grassy south and the Niger River, and also hope
- Orange disc: commonly said to be the sun
- Note: these meanings are widely repeated, but the government has not confirmed them
Where it came from
The design dates from 1958, when Niger was still a French territory, and was adopted by the territorial assembly. It became official on 23 November 1959. The sources do not name a designer.
Flags of the World notes that its orange-white-green colours are close to those of neighbouring Ivory Coast, another former French territory with close ties to Niger.
History
Niger became independent from France in 1960 and kept the same flag. It has been written into each new constitution since then, including those of 1993, 1996, 1999 and 2010, without any change.
Fun facts
- Niger's flag is often drawn almost square, at 6:7, which is very unusual; the law does not actually fix a shape.
- Different official places use different shapes, from 2:3 to 1:2.
- The flag has stayed the same since 1959, through several new constitutions.
- No law gives exact shades for the orange and green.
Easy to mix up with
India: India has the same orange-white-green stripes, but with a navy blue wheel instead of an orange disc
Côte d’Ivoire: Ivory Coast uses orange, white and green too, but in upright stripes with no disc
Questions
What does the flag of Niger look like?
Niger's flag has three sideways stripes, orange, white and green, with an orange circle in the middle of the white stripe.
What do the colours and symbols on the flag of Niger mean?
Orange: commonly said to be the Sahara Desert in the north; White: commonly said to be purity, hope and the savannah; Green: commonly said to be the grassy south and the Niger River, and also hope; Orange disc: commonly said to be the sun; Note: these meanings are widely repeated, but the government has not confirmed them.
When was the flag of Niger adopted?
The current flag of Niger was adopted on November 23, 1959. (adopted a year before independence from France in 1960 and kept unchanged since)
What colours are on the flag of Niger?
The flag of Niger uses orange, white and green.
Which flag is easy to mix up with the flag of Niger?
It is easy to mix up with the flag of India. India has the same orange-white-green stripes, but with a navy blue wheel instead of an orange disc
Famous landmarks in Niger
🎯 Play the flag quiz 🌍 Play the globe
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- crwflags.com
- Flag picture: flagcdn.com (Wikimedia Commons)