A brief overview of the meaning, history, and key facts about the national flag of Benin.
Flag of Benin
The national flag of Benin consists of a vertical green band at the hoist that covers the full height of the flag and two-fifths of its length. The remaining portion of the flag is divided into two equal horizontal stripes: yellow on top and red on the bottom. Green represents hope for democratic renewal, red symbolizes the courage of the ancestors, and yellow encourages the preservation of the country’s greatest treasures.
Printable Benin Flag (PNG Download)
Interesting facts about Benin’s flag
1. The national flag of Benin was adopted on 16 November 1959, before the country gained independence.
2. The meanings of the flag’s colors are explained in L’Aube Nouvelle (“The New Dawn”), the national anthem of Benin.
3. The green, yellow, and red colors are also associated with the pan-African movement.
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Evolution of Benin’s flag
Flag of Dahomey (1959–1975)
After Dahomey became a self-governing republic within the French Community, the national flag consisted of a vertical green band at the hoist with yellow and red horizontal stripes on the fly side. This is the same design used by the national flag today.
Flag of the People’s Republic of Benin (1975–1990)
The country changed its name to the People’s Republic of Benin during the Marxist-Leninist period. A new flag was introduced featuring a green field with a red star in the upper-left corner.
History of Benin’s flag
Colonial period
During French colonial rule, Dahomey did not have its own national flag and used the French tricolor.
Adoption of the first national flag
In December 1958 Dahomey became a self-governing republic within the French Community, and soon afterward a search for a national flag began.
The new flag was adopted on 16 November 1959 and remained unchanged when the country gained independence on 1 August 1960.
Change during the Marxist period
Following a coup in 1972, the country adopted Marxist-Leninist policies and was renamed the People’s Republic of Benin.
In 1975 a new flag featuring a green field with a red star was introduced.
Restoration of the original flag
The Marxist government collapsed in 1990 during political reforms that reintroduced multi-party democracy.
The original flag adopted in 1959 was restored on 1 August 1990 and continues to be used today.
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.