Burkina Faso - Current

The flag of Burkina Faso consists of two equal horizontal bands of red and green, red on the top. A five pointed yellow star is placed in the centre.[1] The flag was adopted on 4th August 1984 following the coup of 1983 which brought Thomas Sankara to power.[2] The flag is in the pan-African colours, reflecting both a break with the country’s colonial past and its unity with other African ex-colonies.[3]

The symbolism of the colours are given as follows. The red is said to represent, the revolutionary struggle[2] or “…the blood shed yesterday, today and tomorrow by the martyrs of the Revolution to ensure the victory. Moreover, red represents all the sacrifices of the Burkinabe people.”[4] The green, hope and abundance[2] or “…agricultural wealth of the country. Moreover, green symbolizes plenty, which shall ensure the happiness of the people.” [4] The yellow star mineral wealth[2] or the “…ideological guide of the People’s and Democratic Revolution in its shining progress.”[4]


[1] Translated from French, Constitution Du Burkina Faso, The Government of Burkina Faso, http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/CAFRAD/UNPAN002916.pdf
[2] Whitney Smith, Flag lore of all nations, Millbrook Press, 2002.
[3] Ivan Sache, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/bf.html
[4] Rouamba Adama, Sidwaya newspaper, 12th December 2004.
[fig1] António Martins, Flags of the World, http://flagspot.net/flags/bf.html