Flag of Zambia

Meaning and history of the flag of Zambia

Zambia's flag was adopted on October 24, 1964, upon declaring independence from the United Kingdom. It features a green field covering most of the flag, with three equal vertical stripes in the lower hoist corner—red, black, and orange from left to right—topped by an orange fish eagle in flight positioned above the stripes.

The green that dominates the flag represents the country's abundant vegetation and natural resources. Red symbolizes the blood shed in the struggle for independence. Black represents the Zambian people. Orange symbolizes the country's mineral wealth, especially copper, of which Zambia is one of the world's leading producers; the Copperbelt has historically been the engine of the nation's economy.

The African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) in flight represents the Zambian people's capacity to rise above national challenges, as well as their freedom. The same eagle appears on the country's coat of arms. The asymmetrical placement of the stripes and eagle in the lower hoist corner is highly unusual in world vexillology and makes Zambia's flag one of the most original and recognizable in Africa. It was designed by Gabriel Ellison, and its off-center composition sets it sharply apart from the continent's conventional tricolor flags.

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