A brief overview of the meaning, history, and key facts about the national flag of Guinea.
Flag of Guinea
The national flag of Guinea consists of three vertical stripes arranged from the hoist in the following order: red, yellow, and green. The red stripe represents the blood of the martyrs who fought against colonial occupation and for the independence of Guinea. The yellow stripe symbolizes the country’s rich mineral resources, including gold, bauxite, diamonds, iron, and uranium. The green stripe represents the country’s vegetation—savannas in the northeast and forests in the southeast—as well as Guinea’s agricultural potential.
Printable Guinea Flag (PNG Download)
Interesting facts about Guinea’s flag
1. The national flag of Guinea was adopted on 10 November 1958, shortly after the country gained independence.
2. The flag uses the pan-African colors of red, yellow, and green, as featured on many African flags.
3. Guinea’s flag is sometimes confused with the flag of Mali, which uses the same colors in the reverse order (green, yellow, red).
4. The green used in Guinea’s flag is described as malachite green, while Mali’s flag uses a grassy green shade.
5. The colors of the flag correspond to Guinea’s national motto: Work (red), Justice (yellow), and Solidarity (green).
Explore more about Guinea:
Brief history of Guinea’s flag
Flag of French Guinea (1912–1958)
During the colonial period, Guinea was part of French West Africa and used the French tricolor as its official flag.
Guinea gained independence from France on 2 October 1958 after voting to reject continued association with the French Community offered by President Charles de Gaulle.
Shortly afterward, the new national flag was adopted on 10 November 1958. The design uses three vertical stripes of red, yellow, and green, arranged in a pattern similar to the French tricolor.
Explore more: African flags or test your knowledge with our African Flags Quiz.
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.