Madagascar Flag Colors, Meaning & History

Madagascar flag
Color Palette
ColorsHEX CodeRGBCMYK
Red#F83D32248, 61, 500, 75, 80, 3
White#FFFFFF255, 255, 2550, 0, 0, 0
Green#007E3A0, 126, 58100, 0, 54, 51

The flag of Madagascar has a white vertical stripe on the hoist side, with two horizontal stripes of red and green. The upper stripe is red, while the bottom stripe is green.

Meaning of the Flag of Madagascar

The red and white are the traditional colors of the Malagasy rulers and the Merina kingdom. Red represents sovereignty. White is for purity, and green stands for the coastal regions and hope. Green also represents the Hova, the largest peasant class who played a significant role in the anti-French independence movement.

History of the Flag of Madagascar

Madagascar was ruled by different dynasties that used red, white, or both in banners that represent their rule. Before French colonization, it was ruled by the Merina. The rulers of the Merina used white or red flags, with their names written on the flags. When it became a French colony in the 1880s the national symbols were not used anymore. Madagascar sought independence after WWII, but the attempt was unsuccessful. In the 1950s, the French colonies started to gain autonomous rule, and Madagascar was one of these colonies. In 1958, the flag was designed and officially adopted, When Madagascar gained full independence in 1960, the flag remained the same, and has not been changed since then.