Red for blood, yellow & green, the flag of Guinea

Flag of Guinea – Traditional pan-Africa Flag Colors

A tri-color flag of red on the hoist side of the flag, yellow, and green colors are in equally sized wide vertical banners is the national flag of Guinea.

The design is based on the France’s tricolor flag which once flew over this country.

The colors are the same as many African countries taken from the Pan-African Ethiopia.

These colors represent the continuity of the human emancipation movement in this area.

The color red is a symbol of blood from their anti-colonialist martyrs and their struggle for freedom.

Their first president, Sekou Toure, said, “It is the sweat that runs over the ivory body of farmers, factory workers, and other active workers.

It is the wish for progress. Therefore, red matches perfectly the first word in our motto: Travail, which in French means Work.

The yellow color stands for their second word of their motto, which is justice. It also represents the country’s gold and the sun. It shows the energy, generosity, and equality for all men under this African sun.

Green represents the vegetation and crops grown by the farmers of the county.

This is their prosperity and the crops provide a wealth from the soil. It also is the third word in their motto, which is solidarity.

With the crops to provide for them, they can stand alone. Approximately 85% of the country’s population are farmers.

Presidential flag of Guinea, West Africa & the Coat of Arms of Guinea

The Presidential flag of Guinea has the same wide vertical bands of the pan-African colors of Ethiopia and uses red, yellow, and green just as the national flag of Guinea does. There is a coat of arms in the yellow field.

History of Guinea and the Flag of Guinea

Guinea was part of the Empire of Mali during the 13th and 15th centuries.

The Portuguese landed on the coast sometime during the 15th century. The Portuguese were looking for slaves to add to the market.

Fulani herders entered the area in the 15th century and gained control during the Holy Islamic War of 1725.

Arrival of the French

It was not until the early part of the 19th century that the French arrived.

The French proclaimed the coastal region to be a French protectorate in 1849.

The French tricolor flag was used by the protectorate as the first flag of Guinea, as it was for this region.

In 1891, Guinea was constituted as a French colony.

It has been part of Senegal but was not a separate colony.

In 1893, it was renamed French Guinea.

It became part of French West Africa in 1895.

The local people fought French rule.

Led by Samori Toure who was a national hero, the fight continued until 1898. The French captured Samori Toure.

A descendant of Samori Toure was Ahmed Sekou Toure.

He was an important trade union leader in French West Africa. In 1956, he led the movement to break away from France and formed the federation of African trade unions.

In 1958, the French offered the West African French colonies autonomy as separate countries.

Sekou Toure was the only West African leader to reject the offer by saying he preferred "freedom in poverty to liberty in chains”.

At this rebuff, France turned its economic back on the small country.

The French administration was withdrawn and military equipment was destroyed. The colonized French left the country with massive amounts of capital and the economy of the country destitute.

Guinea became an independent nation in October 1958.

The red, yellow, and green banner flag became the national flag of Guinea in November 1958.

Guinea soon turned to the Soviet Union for help. However, this alliance did not last long.

In 1961, the Soviet ambassador was thrown out of the country for interfering in internal affairs of the country.

The country soon formed collectivization similar to the Chinese. This did not prove successful either. Millions of Guineans left the country to look for work.

With the reduction in labor numbers, the farmers could only farm one-fourth of the land.

Large shipments of food aid were needed to prevent the people from starvation.

A military coup under the leadership of Lansana Conte allowed the Military Committee of National Recover to come to power.

In 1990, a new constitution was approved. Conte was elected President in 1993.

Ties to the Western nations and allowing private enterprise to work and prosper, the nation have been strengthened.

Now you know all about the flag of Guinea, click here for information, statistics & facts on this West African French speaking nation.

More facts & information on Guinea, a French-speaking nation
Information on Guinea, West Africa History of Guinea | Map of Guinea | Learn French in Guinea |

Flag of Guinea
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Red for blood, yellow & green, the flag of Guinea

Presidential flag of Guinea, West Africa & the Coat of Arms of Guinea

History of Guinea and the Flag of Guinea

Arrival of the French

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