A brief overview of the meaning, history, and key facts about the national flag of Sierra Leone.
Flag of Sierra Leone
The national flag of Sierra Leone consists of three horizontal stripes of green, white, and blue. The green stripe represents the country’s hilly mountains, the white stripe symbolizes unity and justice, and the blue stripe represents the sea.
Printable Sierra Leone Flag (PNG Download)
Interesting facts about Sierra Leone’s flag
1. The national flag of Sierra Leone was adopted on 27 April 1961, the same day the country gained independence from Britain.
2. The design of the flag is believed to have been derived from the coat of arms of Sierra Leone, which was granted in 1960.
3. The white stripe represents unity and justice, which also reflects the country’s national motto: Unity, Freedom, Justice.
4. Unlike some national flags, the constitution does not specify exact color shades, so the precise tones of green and blue may vary slightly between different flags.
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Evolution of Sierra Leone’s flag
Flag of Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate (1889–1916)
This flag was a British Blue Ensign with the colonial badge of Sierra Leone displayed on the fly. The design was similar to those used by other British West African colonies and included the initials “S.L.” for Sierra Leone.
Flag of Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate (1916–1961)
The colonial badge was redesigned following the granting of a new coat of arms. The updated emblem was placed on the Blue Ensign and remained in use until independence.
History of Sierra Leone’s flag
Colonial period
During the colonial era Sierra Leone was part of the British Empire and used a colonial Blue Ensign as its official flag. This flag featured the Union Jack in the canton along with the emblem of the colony.
In 1914 Sierra Leone was granted a new coat of arms, and the emblem used on the colonial flag was updated to reflect this change.
Creation of the national flag
In 1960 the College of Arms in London designed a new coat of arms for Sierra Leone in preparation for the country’s independence. The colors used in the arms, green, white, and blue, were then used to create the national flag.
The flag was officially adopted on 27 April 1961, the same day Sierra Leone became an independent nation.
First raising of the flag
The new flag was first raised at midnight on 27 April 1961 during the independence ceremony, replacing the British colonial flag.
Later developments
In 1963 the government introduced legislation making it illegal to insult or desecrate the national flag, reflecting its importance as a national symbol.
The same design adopted in 1961 continues to serve as the national flag of Sierra Leone today.
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.