Benin - Current

The national flag of Benin was originally adopted in 1959. It was changed upon the accession of the Marxist regime in 1975, but upon the removal of the regime, the old design was reintroduced on 1st August 1990. The Constitution of the Republic of Benin describes the flag as “.. a tricolour flag of green, yellow and red. Next to the staff is a green band for the entire height and two-fifth of the length, with two equal horizontal bands: the upper one yellow and the lower one red.” [4]

The colours are the traditional Pan-African colours. The colours of the flag are explained in the national anthem as follows:

Quand partout souffle un vent de colère et de haine.
Béninois, sois fier, et d'une âme sereine,
Confiant dans l'avenir, regarde ton drapeau!
Dans le vert tu liras l'espoir du renouveau,
De tes aïeux le rouge évoque le courage;
Des plus riches trésors le jaune est le présage. [3]

Translated to English:

When a wind of wrath and hate blows everywhere,
Citizen of Benin, be proud, and with a serene soul,
Confident in the future, look at your flag!
In the green [field] you shall read the hope of revival,
The red recalls the courage of your ancestors,
The yellow is the omen of the richest treasures.

Pedersen associates red to the soil, yellow to the savannas and green to palm trees. Smith agrees with Pedersen, except for the red symbolizing the blood of ancestors. [1]

The colours of the flag are estimated as:

Green: Pantone 347c, RGB 0-158-96
Yellow: Pantone Yellow, RGB 252-224-22
Red: Pantone Red 032, RGB 239-43-45 [2]

[1] http://flagspot.net/flags/bj.html
[2] http://www.caribbeanflags.com/Scripts/cp_CaribbeanFlagPantoneColors.asp
[3] http://www.beninensis.net/benin_hymne.html
[4] Vagnat & Poels. Constitutions - What they tell us about national flags and coat of arms.