Flag of Eswatini

Meaning and history of the flag of Eswatini

The flag of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) was adopted on September 6, 1968, upon independence from the United Kingdom. The design features five horizontal stripes: blue, yellow, crimson, yellow, and blue. The wider central crimson stripe carries a black-and-white Swazi war shield decorated with two spears and a tasseled staff called a tinjobo.

The black-and-white Nguni shield, laid horizontally, is a traditional symbol of the Swazi monarchy and represents the protection of the people. The spears and feathered staff symbolize the defense of the nation against its enemies. Blue represents peace and stability, yellow the country's mineral resources, and crimson the battles of the past.

Eswatini's flag is one of the few in the world to incorporate traditional African weaponry as its central feature, and the war shield sets it clearly apart from the flags of its neighbors in southern Africa. The country's name was officially changed from Swaziland to Eswatini in 2018 by King Mswati III, though the flag itself remained unchanged.

You can view the flag of Eswatini in high resolution above and download it in several sizes for personal, educational or reference use. To explore more, visit the full Eswatini profile, its map, or the current local time in Mbabane.