Flag of MalawiRepublic of Malawi

What the flag looks like

The Malawian flag consists of three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red (middle) and green (bottom), with a red rising sun with 31 rays centered on the upper black band. The proportion is 2:3. It was originally adopted on 6 July 1964, when Malawi gained independence from Britain, briefly replaced in 2010, and restored on 28 May 2012.

Colors and meaning

Black represents the African people of Malawi and the continent, red represents the blood shed in the struggle for independence, and green represents the country's vegetation and natural wealth. The rising sun represents the dawn of freedom and hope for a new beginning for Africa.

Black

Represents the African people of Malawi and the African continent as a whole. Black is a Pan-African color used by many African independence movements.

Red

Represents the blood shed by Malawian patriots in the struggle for independence from Britain, achieved in 1964, and the courage and sacrifice of the Malawian people.

Green

Represents Malawi's lush vegetation, forests and natural wealth. Despite being a small, landlocked country, Malawi has rich agricultural land.

Rising sun

The red rising sun with 31 rays represents the dawn of freedom and hope for a new beginning for Africa, and the bright future of the Malawian nation. The 31 rays are said to represent the 31 districts of Malawi at the time the flag was designed.

History and adoption

Malawi was a British protectorate known as Nyasaland from 1907 until 1964, when it gained independence on 6 July 1964 under President Hastings Banda. The flag was adopted on independence day. In 2010, President Bingu wa Mutharika's government changed the flag — the order of the stripes was rearranged to red, black and green, and the rising sun was replaced with a full white sun in the center, to reflect the country's 'development' and to align the stripes with the Pan-African flag. The change was widely unpopular, and on 28 May 2012, following Mutharika's death, the parliament voted to restore the original 1964 flag. It has remained unchanged since.

Key facts

Adopted

6 July 1964 (restored 28 May 2012)

Proportion

2:3

Designer

Based on the Malawi Congress Party flag

Capital

Lilongwe

Country code

MW

Similar flags

Kenya

Historical and related flags

Malawi has used three different national flags since independence.

• British Nyasaland (1907–1953): British Blue Ensign with a colonial badge.
• Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (1953–1963): Blue Ensign with a combined badge.
• First national flag (1964–2010): Black-red-green with a red rising sun.
• Mutharika flag (2010–2012): Red-black-green with a full white sun.
• Current flag (2012–present): Original 1964 design restored.
• Presidential standard: Uses the Malawian coat of arms on a red field.

Frequently asked questions

What does the flag of Malawi look like?

The flag of Malawi has three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red (middle) and green (bottom), with a red rising sun with 31 rays on the upper black band. The proportion is 2:3.

When was the flag of Malawi adopted?

The current flag of Malawi was officially adopted on 6 July 1964 (restored 28 May 2012).

What do the colors mean?

Black represents the African people of Malawi and the continent, red represents the blood shed in the struggle for independence, and green represents the country's vegetation and natural wealth. The rising sun represents the dawn of freedom and hope for a new beginning for Africa.

Which flags look similar to the Malawi flag?

Kenya uses black-red-green with white fimbriations and a Maasai shield. Malawi uses the same palette but with a rising sun instead of a shield. The two flags are related in their color scheme.