The flag of Namibia features two triangles divided diagonally by a red stripe bordered by a thin white stripe at the top and bottom. The triangle on the upper hoist-side is blue while the inverted triangle at the base is green. At the top left corner of the blue stripe lays a golden sun consisting of 12 straight rays. On March 21, 1990, Namibia, previously called South West Africa, adopted its current flag after gaining independence from South Africa.
The blue color in the flag stands for the sky and the Atlantic Ocean, Namibia’s valued water resources. White represents peace and unity. Red stands for the people as the country’s most significant resource. The color symbolizes their great courage and resolves to create a future where every citizen has equal opportunities. Green signifies vegetation and agricultural wealth in the country. The golden sun represents power and existence.
There are two different accounts of who designed the Namibian flag. On the one hand, Frederick Brownell, the South African State Herald at the time, claims to have designed the flag which was chosen out of 850 other design proposals. On the other hand, Briton Roy Allen maintains that his design won a competition organized by Hannes Smith of the Windhoek Observer.
Before the adoption of the current flag, Namibia had a series of other flags. Under the German administration, German colonies did not have individual flags and were treated as one single empire. However, between 1912 and 1913, Dr. Solf, the German Secretary of State at the time, submitted a memorandum for the adoption of distinctive emblems for German overseas states. The flags were to be centered on the parallel German tricolor of black, white, and red. In the case of Namibia, there would be blue shield featuring a diamond and a silver ox's head at the center of the tricolor. Due to the shift in attention as a result of the outbreak of the WWI, the flags were never used. Following the surrender of German forces and occupation of South Africa forces on behalf of the British government in Namibia in 1915, the South African Red Ensign was used in the country until May 1928 after which the South African flag was adopted.
This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018
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