Flag of Ivory Coast

Meaning and history of the flag of Ivory Coast

The flag of Ivory Coast was adopted on December 3, 1959, a year before the country's independence. It consists of three equal vertical stripes of orange, white, and green, from left to right. Its design was clearly inspired by the French flag, the former colonial power, keeping the vertical tricolor structure but with different colors.

The orange represents the fertile soil of the northern savanna and the wealth of the land. The white symbolizes peace and unity between the north and south of the country. The green evokes hope and the dense tropical forests of the south. Ivory Coast's flag closely resembles Ireland's, which also has three vertical stripes but in reverse order -- green, white, and orange -- with the difference in orientation being the only real distinction, a fact that often causes confusion. President Felix Houphouet-Boigny personally chose these colors, and the orange is also said to honor the country's agricultural wealth, particularly its extensive cocoa and coffee plantations.

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