Flag of Sierra Leone

Meaning and history of the flag of Sierra Leone

The flag of Sierra Leone has three equal horizontal stripes: green on top, white in the middle, and blue on the bottom. It is a simple design that was adopted on April 27, 1961, the day the country gained independence from the United Kingdom.

Green represents the country's natural resources and agriculture, especially the vegetation-covered mountains that gave the country its name (Portuguese sailors called it "Serra Leoa," or "lion mountain," after the shape of the hills and the roar of its storms). White symbolizes unity and justice, and blue represents the Atlantic Ocean and the natural harbor of Freetown, the capital, one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Although the color combination is shared with other flags, the specific arrangement of green, white, and blue makes it fairly easy to distinguish. It bears some resemblance to the flag of Uzbekistan, though that flag includes a crescent moon and stars.

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