Flag of Ethiopia

Flag origins

Ethiopia’s flag has green-yellow-red horizontal bands and a central blue disc with a yellow five-pointed star. Its embassy explains the star and rays as the hope of different peoples and religions living together in equality. Blue supports the ideal of peace and unity. The three colors have long been used since the imperial period. Common interpretations link green with land, agriculture and hope; yellow with peace, harmony and love; and red with sacrifice and strength in defending the homeland.

Flag story

Ethiopia’s green-yellow-red became a major source of Pan-African colors. While much of Africa fell under European colonial rule in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Ethiopia exceptionally retained a history of independent statehood. Its defeat of Italy at Adwa in 1896 became a powerful symbol for liberation movements. The colors consequently spread as symbols of African freedom and independence to flags such as Ghana, Senegal, Mali and Cameroon. The central blue disc and star are newer: the present design dates to 1996. Earlier versions used other emblems or no central emblem.

Editorial notes and references

Edited by ABELHA WORKS. The English text translates the administrator-edited Japanese description. Legends should be distinguished from documented history. General reference links do not substantiate every statement in the text.

• Ethiopia — general information on Wikipedia
• Japan MOFA: countries and regions (Japanese)

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