The Secret History Behind South Sudan's Flag
South Sudan's flag was carried through a civil war before it became a national flag.
It started as the flag of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, which used it for decades during the Second Sudanese Civil War. It was officially adopted on July 9, 2005, after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement ended that war, and it became the national flag when South Sudan declared independence on July 9, 2011.
The design has black, red and green stripes separated by thin white stripes, with a sky-blue triangle on the hoist that holds a yellow star. Black stands for the people, red for the blood shed in the struggle for independence, green for the land, and white for peace. The blue triangle is the Nile, and the gold star is described as the Star of Bethlehem, a sign of unity and hope.
The date printed on every South Sudan design in our catalog, July 9, 2011, is Independence Day.
Five colors, one star and a long road to a flag.
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