Flag of Burkina Faso. Facts & history.

The flag of Burkina Faso is a striking display of red and green.

The top half of the flag is a red horizontal band with a green equal-sized horizontal band below.

In the center of the flag, overlapping where the red and green colors meet, is a small-sized yellow five-pointed star.

Somehow, this star seems to dominate the flag with the red and green bands appearing as background.

The Colors on the Burkina Faso flag

These red, green and yellow colors are popular pan-African colors and represent the break of the country with its colonial past.

The colors also indicate the country’s unity with other African ex-colonies.

The red color is said to represent their revolution.

The green is to show the abundance of the national riches.

The yellow star was the guiding light of their revolution.

Early communications regarding the regulations for the flag’s construction indicated that the star should be much bigger.

It was shown to be one half to one third the height of the flag of Burkina Faso.

There were written descriptions of the flag that stated the star should be slightly offset by placing it more in the top red horizontal band. However, the final regulations indicated the star should be placed as we see the flag today.

This design was adopted as the national flag of Burkina Faso in August 1984.

While the ratio of the national flag of Burkina Faso is 2:3, they also have a Presidential flag that is slightly different.

It is a square flag with the same color bands and star placement and it has a yellow border around the three free edges.

The flag decoration on Burkina Faso national aircraft is a roundel which is a round version of the flag’s colors.

Burkina Faso doesn’t have an actual holiday called Flag Day. It does have December 11 as a holiday called National Day and all are encouraged to fly their nation’s flag.

Flag of Burkina Faso history & predecessors

Burkina Faso was originally part of the Mossi empire.

The empire was established by invading tribes from our present-day Ghana.

They created states that were so powerful they lasted for more than 500 years.

Their armies were able to sustain most attacks from other empire throughout the centuries.

Near the end of the 19th century, there were many European powers trying to gain control of this region.

France negotiated a peaceful takeover and the area became a French protectorate in 1897. Hence the influence of the French language and the fact that the country is today one of the world's many French speaking countries, where you can learn French of practice your French!

This area was administered as part of the French colony of Soudan until 1919.

At that time it became a separate French protectorate as Upper Volta.

France’s tricolor flag of red, white, and blue flew over the country for all of these years and was the flag of Burkina Faso, or what is now known as Burkina Faso.

In August 1960, Upper Volta achieved full independence from France.

As Upper Volta , the national flag was three equal horizontal bands of black at the top, white in the middle, and red as the bottom band and as a 2:3 ratio.

The bands were to represent the three main rivers, the Black Volta River, White Volta River and Red Volta River in the country.

Upper Volta also had a square Presidential flag with the same black, white, and red bands but it also had an orange fringe around the three free sides.

Like many other African nations, Upper Volta also went through a rejection of their previous colonial past.

In 1984, the country changed its name to Burkina Faso. A rough translation from local languages means this name is translated as the land of incorruptible men.

To symbolize their new freedom and name, they adopted a new flag.

The flag has a top half band of red with a bottom half band of green. A yellow star sits in the center on top of the bands of color.
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