Flag of Ethiopia

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Flag of Ethiopia

The Ethiopian flag is a green-yellow-red horizontal tricolor with a blue circle at the center containing a gold five-pointed star and rays.

Details
- Proportion: 1:2
- National flag adopted: 11 October 1897 (original version); 31 October 1996 (current version, with a 2009 update)
- Civil flag and ensign adopted: 1991 (same tricolor, without the emblem)

Meaning
- Red: blood shed defending the country
- Yellow: peace and harmony among Ethiopia’s groups
- Green: hope, land, and fertility
- The blue circle with a gold star represents a bright future and equality for all Ethiopians

History in brief
- The colors red, yellow, and green have long had symbolic meaning in Ethiopian tradition and were later adopted as the national colors.
- The first flag in 1897 had a different color order and included a letter in the center; the order was changed to green on top, yellow in the middle, and red at the bottom in 1914.
- The Lion of Judah emblem appeared on imperial flags; during the late 20th century, Ethiopia used plain tricolors and several emblem-containing versions.
- In 1996, the current flag with the emblem was adopted, and in 2009 a law required the emblem to be used on official flags, with penalties for misuse.
- The plain tricolor flag was widely used for civil purposes before 1996, while emblems have become more common in official use since then.

Note on significance
- The colors are also recognized as Pan-African colors, honored by many African nations in connection with Ethiopia’s resistance to colonization.