The state flag of the Central African Republic was officially approved in December 1958 and became a symbol of the country, which after a short time gained independence from the colonial rule of France.
Description and proportions of the CAR flag
The CAR flag, like most of the world's panels, has the shape of a rectangle. Its length and width are related to each other in a ratio of 5: 3. The CAR flag is allowed to be used for any purpose on land. It can be raised by both officials and private individuals, applied by state authorities and public organizations, as well as by the armed forces of the state.
The CAR flag is a cloth divided horizontally into four equal stripes. The lower part of it is yellow, followed by a light green stripe, then white, and a dark blue field is located on top. Vertically, exactly in the middle, the CAR flag is crossed by a red stripe, the width of which is equal to the width of any of the horizontal stripes. In the upper left corner, the panel is decorated with a yellow five-pointed star, the color of which coincides with the shade of the lower stripe of the flag.
The red color on the flag of the CAR reminds of the blood shed by the patriots of the state in the struggle for independence. The blue part of the flag is the sky over the African continent, which is a symbol of freedom. The white stripe traditionally symbolizes peace and the desire for a quiet life, and the green one - the hope of the country's inhabitants for better times and their belief in justice. The yellow part of the flag speaks of the tolerance and willingness of the CAR people to build their future, guided by a star.
The flags of the CAR are also present on the country's coat of arms. Two panels are deployed in the background of the coat of arms, the front of which is a heraldic shield with traditional important symbols for the inhabitants of the Central African Republic depicted on it.
History of the CAR flag
Barthelemy Boganda personally took up the project of the flag of the Central African Republic two years before independence. This man played an important role in the liberation struggle against the colonial rule of France. He believed that despite the years of dependence and exploitation of the African state by the European state, the further fate of these two countries is inextricably linked. He managed to express this connection in the combination of the colors of the CAR flag, which contains both traditional pan-African shades and the historical colors of the French tricolor.
