Yellow and green appear on many flags, especially the national flags of Pan-African countries. From Ethiopia to Ghana, Mali, and other countries, yellow, green, and red are symbols of African uniqueness.
That is not to say that countries on other continents do not have the colors on their flag. This article highlights 16 countries around the world with green and yellow on their flag.
What countries have a green and yellow flag?
1. Brazil
Brazil officially adopted its flag on November 15, 1889, four days after it became a republic. The flag is a green field with a yellow diamond in the center.
On the yellow diamond is a blue ball with 27 small stars and the national motto “Ordem e Progress,” which means order and progress.
Brazil’s flag was designed by four artists, with Raimundo Teixeira Mendes at the forefront, while Miguel Lemos, Manuel Pereira, and Decio Villares followed.
The blue disc is the symbol of the celestial sphere, which includes the starry sky, with 27 small white stars representing the Brazilian states and the Federal District.
The green fields symbolize the rainforest, including flora and fauna. Yellow represents the country’s gold mines.
2. Ethiopia
The flag of Ethiopia is a green, yellow, and red horizontal band with a golden five-pointed star on a central blue disc. The country adopted its current flag on October 31, 1996.
But the modern tricolor was first introduced on October 11, 1897. Also, green, yellow, and red have been symbolic for Ethiopians since the 17th century.
Green represents the rich and fertile land, yellow represents hope, and red symbolizes the people who died defending Ethiopia.
On the other hand, the stars depict Ethiopia’s hope for a bright future, and the stars’ yellow light represents Ethiopians’ equality regardless of race, creed, or gender.
3. Lithuania
The Lithuanian flag is a horizontal band of yellow, green, and red. It was first adopted on April 25, 1918, when Lithuania got independence. In 1941, the Soviet occupation began, and Lithuania was forced to stop using the national flag.
Then from 1941 to 1944, Nazi Germany took over the area. After World War II, Soviet Lithuania adopted the genetic red Soviet flag with the republic’s name and changed it back to a red flag with white and green at the bottom.
On March 20, 1989, the current flag was re-adopted, with some adjustments in 2004.
Yellow represents the sun and prosperity, green symbolizes the forest and hope and freedom, and red represents the blood of those who died defending the country.
4. Ghana
The flag was introduced on 6 March 1957 after Ghana became independent. It first rose during Independence Day celebrations after years of British colonial rule.
The flag is horizontal, with equal green, yellow, and red bands arranged in sequence. In the center is a black star, the symbol of Ghana. The design is an initiative of renowned Ghanaian artist Theodosia Okoh.
The flag symbolizes power and Ghana’s success in the struggle for independence. The color combinations are also representative of African heritage.
Red represents the bloodshed in the struggle for independence, yellow represents the location of the region’s mineral resources, and green represents the country’s vast forests.
The Black Star is the North Star depicting freedom in Africa.
5. Jamaica
After Jamaica gained independence from the Commonwealth of the West Indies, it adopted its national flag on August 6, 1962. The flag has a yellow flag that divides the flag into four parts.
The split part has two green triangles facing each other and two black triangles facing each other.
The yellow saltire symbolizes sunshine and wealth, the black represents strength and creativity, and the green represents the region’s agricultural resources.
6. Mauritania
The flag of Mauritania contains two equal red bands at the top and bottom of a large green horizontal band in the middle. In the green field is a yellow crescent moon with a star.
The country introduced its first flag on March 22, 1959, and adopted it on April 1, 1959, under President Moktar Ould Dada.
On August 5, 2017, President Mohamed Ould Abdel held a referendum to change the flag, abolish debates, and other constitutional amendments.
After the referendum was successful, a new flag with two red stripes was adopted.
Red symbolizes the sacrifice of the people and their unwavering loyalty to defend the country. The new flag was raised for the first time on November 28, 2017, on the 57th anniversary of Mauritania’s independence.
Green represents Islam, yellow represents the Sahara Desert, and the crescent moon and star are also symbols of Islam, the core religion of Mauritania.
7. Senegal
The flag of Senegal consists of three vertical colors green, yellow, and red with a green star on the middle yellow band. The flag was adopted upon independence in 1960.
This flag was inspired by the French flag that colonized them. The flag of Senegal means many things.
Nationally, green belts and stars represent the dominant Islamic majority in 94% of the population. On the other hand, Christians see it as a symbol of hope.
Yellow means wealth and government rewards for labor. Yellow is also associated with literature, art, and intelligence, as teachers who teach literature in Senegal, wear yellow.
Red represents bloodshed in the struggle against underdevelopment and independence.
Historically, these three colors represent the merger of three political parties to form Union Progressiste Sénégalaisé, which means Union of Progress in Senegal, now known as the Socialist Party of Senegal.
8. Guinea
The Guinean flag is modeled after one of the Pan African Movement’s flags. It has red, yellow, and green stripes, with yellow having the largest width and the other two equal.
After gaining independence, the country adopted its flag on November 10, 1958.
According to Guinea’s first president, Segutoure, red symbolizes the bloodshed in the struggle for independence, the labor of the workers, and the desire for progress.
Yellow represents the presence of gold, the sun as a source of energy, and the goodness and equality of all people.
Green symbolizes agriculture, the country’s progress from its rich mineral resources, and the daily struggles of Guineans living in the countryside.
9. Guinea-Bissau
The Guinea-Bissau flag consists of a vertical red band on the fly side, two horizontal yellow bands on the top right, and a green band on the bottom.
There is also a black star in the center of the red vacuum cleaner. Adopted after independence from Portugal in 1973, this flag was inspired by the flag of Ghana.
Red represents the blood of anti-colonial martyrs, green represents rich forests, and yellow represents the country’s mineral resources.
10. Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso adopted its flag on August 4, 1984. The flag consists of two equal red and green horizontal bands with a yellow star in the center.
The flag design also uses the pan-African colors seen in many African countries.
Red represents the independence revolution, while green represents agriculture and mineral abundance. The yellow star symbolizes the guiding light of the revolution.
11. Cameroon
The Cameroonian flag is a vertical stripe of equal parts green, red, and yellow with a yellow star in the center of the red stripe. The country adopted its current flag on May 20, 1975.
The colors were chosen according to the Pan-African movement. Red represents unity, and the star itself is a symbol of unity.
Yellow represents the sun and forests in the north of the country. Green depicts the dense forest in the south.
12. Grenada
Grenada adopted the flag in 1974 to replace the temporary design used when associated with the United Kingdom.
The flag has a red border; inside the border, there are two yellow triangles at the top and bottom and two green triangles on the left and right.
The top and bottom borders are each three yellow stars, with another yellow star in the middle, on the red disc connecting the triangles.
There is a nutmeg on one side of the gourd, and the red color represents the country’s main export, nutmeg in the past.
The green triangles represent the island’s lush vegetation and agriculture. Yellow is a symbol of sunshine, warmth, and wisdom. Red represents unity, harmony, courage, and strength.
The six stars on the red border represent the country’s six administrative divisions, while the yellow star on the central red disc represents the country’s capital, St. George.
13. Mali
Mali’s flag is a vertical equal-length green, yellow, and red band, a typical pan-African color. The flag was adopted on March 1, 1961. It looks very similar to that of Guinea but in reverse order.
Green represents fertile land, yellow represents purity and abundance of natural resources, and some red represents those who died in the struggle for independence.
14. The Republic of Congo
The Congolese flag features a yellow diagonal stripe that divides the flag into two diagonal parts, a green upper triangle, and a red lower triangle. The flag was first introduced in 1959 to replace the French flag.
In 1970, the country became the Republic of Congo, and a new flag was formed until a new government came to power in 1991. The flag has cultural, political, and ethnic reasons.
Green represents Congo’s rich agriculture and forests, yellow represents friendship and nobility, and red represents the people’s struggle for independence. Obviously, the flag was designed for the Pan-African movement.
15. Suriname
After independence, Suriname officially adopted the national flag on November 25, 1975. It has a horizontal green three-band at the top and bottom, a wide red band with a white border, and a yellow star in the middle.
The country organized a competition and selected the best designs for the Independence Day celebrations.
The green belt represents the country’s abundant agricultural land. The white bars represent freedom and independence, and the red represents progress and hope.
The stars reflect the sacrifice of the people in the struggle for independence, as well as the bright future and unity of the people.
16. Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome introduced its flag in 1975 after its independence from Portugal. The flag consists of three horizontal bands of green, yellow, and green, with a red triangle on one side of the hoist pointing to the side.
The yellow stripes have two black flags representing the country’s two islands. Green represents the country’s agricultural wealth and vegetation.
Yellow depicts the sun and cocoa, the country’s main agricultural products. Red is a symbol of fighting for independence.
FAQs
Which African country uses a diagonal pattern on its flag?
The Republic of Congo is the only Pan-African flag to use a diagonal pattern in its design.
Which country has a green, yellow, and black flag?
The Jamaican flag has two greens on top and bottom, two black triangles on the hoisting, and flashing edges, separated by a yellow saltire.
Conclusion
A flag tells people’s history, environment, hopes, and aspirations. For many countries, green symbolizes rich farmland, vegetation, and forests.
Yellow represents the sun, natural resources, and light. In many Islamic countries, the flag has a yellow star or sun to indicate that people believe in Islam.
That said, you should read about countries that have green, yellow, and blue flags.
I hope this article is helpful.
Thanks for reading.
