A brief overview of the meaning, history, and key facts about the national flag of Mauritania.
Flag of Mauritania
The national flag of Mauritania consists of a green field featuring a gold crescent and five-pointed star at the center, with two horizontal red stripes at the top and bottom. The crescent and star are widely recognized symbols associated with Islam, while the red stripes were added in 2017 to commemorate the bloodshed of Mauritanians who died defending the country.
Printable Mauritania Flag (PNG Download)
Interesting facts about Mauritania’s flag
1. The current national flag of Mauritania was officially adopted in 2017, when two red stripes were added to the original green flag design.
2. Early versions of the redesigned flag briefly retained the darker green of the previous flag, but later official specifications introduced a slightly lighter shade of green and a modified crescent shape.
3. The change to the national flag was approved following a national referendum held on 5 August 2017, in which a majority of voters supported the new design.
4. The new flag was officially raised for the first time on 28 November 2017, during celebrations marking the anniversary of Mauritania’s independence.
5. The green color and crescent-and-star symbol reflect the country’s strong Islamic identity, as Mauritania is officially known as the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.
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Evolution of Mauritania’s flag
Flag of Mauritania (1959–2017)
Mauritania’s first national flag consisted of a green field with a golden crescent and five-pointed star at the center.
Early version of the revised flag (2017)
When the national flag was redesigned, the first versions of the new flag were based directly on the earlier design, with two red stripes added to the top and bottom. These early versions retained the darker shade of green used in the previous flag.
History of Mauritania’s flag
Colonial period
During the colonial era Mauritania was part of the French colonial empire, and the French tricolor served as the official flag of the territory.
Mauritania became an autonomous republic within the French Community in 1958, marking the beginning of the transition toward independence.
First national flag
On 1 April 1959 Mauritania adopted its first national flag. The design featured a green background with a golden crescent and star at the center.
The flag remained unchanged when Mauritania gained independence from France on 28 November 1960.
Change to the national flag
In 2016 the Mauritanian government proposed modifying the national flag to include symbols representing the sacrifices made during the country’s struggle for independence.
A constitutional referendum was held on 5 August 2017 in which a majority of voters approved the change to the national flag and national anthem.
Two red stripes were added to the existing green flag bearing the crescent and star.
Adoption of the current flag
The flag change was formally enacted by decree in October 2017. The new flag was raised for the first time on 28 November 2017 during celebrations marking the anniversary of Mauritania’s independence.
In 2020 the Mauritanian government published official graphic guidelines that standardized the design and construction of the national flag.
Explore more: African flags.
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. With seven years of teaching experience and a background in educational content, she specialises in creating clear reference resources about countries, geography and global topics.