Flag of Angola – Colors, Meaning, History ??

The national flag of Angola was first used on November 11, 1975. It is split horizontally with a red stripe on the upper part and a black line on the lower part. Although the flag got its colors from the ruling party, over time, the meaning and significance of the colors have changed to the people of Angola.

History of the Flag of Angola

Angola is a country with deep historical roots. This country has experienced the invasion of the Dutch, the Portuguese, and German immigrants. Before its colonization by the Portuguese, the country was home to the Kingdom of Kongo. At the height of its power, this Kingdom controlled an area of about 90,000sq miles, which started from the River Congo to Luanda, the capital of Angola. In 1390, the Kingdom had its flag, which featured the colors white and red. The white made up the background whereas at the center of the flag was a red-colored X mark.

In 1575 when the Portuguese invaded the country, the flag of the Kingdom of Kongo ceased from its use. The new flag had green and red-colored stripes with the vertical green line making up a third of the flag, and the remaining two-thirds were red. The Portuguese lesser national insignia appeared between where the two colors meet. This flag was used in the Portuguese Angola nation, which was established after the Portuguese helped the Kingdom of Kongo defeat the Jagas.

During the 1960s to 1970s, a majority of the African and Asian countries were fighting for independence. The success of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam inspired many of the colonized territories to fight for freedom. The Vietnam front had a flag that consisted of horizontal stripes of red over a light blue line. At the center of the flag was a yellow-colored five-point star. This flag inspired the design of the flag that was used by the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA).

The MPLA was among the groups that fought against the Portuguese invasion in 1961. They had a bicolored flag with red and black horizontal stripes. At the center was a five-pointed star that referenced the MPLA’s connections to communism. When the National Liberation Front of Angola joined the MPLA to fight against the Portuguese, the group took on a different flag. This new flag consisted of white and yellow colors that were separated with a red stripe. The right line started from the top right-hand side to the bottom left. At the center of the flag was a white five-pointed star. In 1975, Portugal withdrew from the country. The MPLA also had to hold guerilla war against other groups in the country. On November 11, 1975, it had succeeded in winning victory for Angola. The MPLA became internationally recognized as the leading party in the People’s Republic of Angola. Immediately after the declaration of independence in November 1975, a civil war broke out in Angola.

However, in 1966, before Independence, United Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) was formed. Later, UNITA joined with MPLA and FNLA in the fight for freedom. This new partnership led to the development of a new flag, which consisted of the tricolor red-green-red. At the center were a cockerel and a rising red sun. In 1967, a new banner for the country was proposed. This new flag was similar to the original, with the only difference being a smaller Portuguese coat of arms located at the lower right-hand side. In 1974, however, as the Portuguese continued to withdraw from Angola, a new flag was adopted, which consisted of red and black colors that were horizontally placed. At the center of the flag was a yellow half-gear, a machete, and a five-pointed star. This flag officially became the flag of Angola in 1975.

The new flag was adopted from the design of the original MPLA flag. The red symbolized socialism whereas black symbolized Africa, while the insignia at the center represented communism. After the Portuguese left Angola, the country was engaged in the civil war, which ended in 2002. A new flag was then proposed in a bid to celebrate the end of the civil war. The proposed flag consisted of horizontally placed blue, white, and red stripes. At the center of the flag was a yellow sun design that was adopted from the Tchitundo-Hulu caves. However, this flag was never adopted.

What is the meaning behind the colors of the Flag of Angola?

Colors
The precise meaning of the colors is:

Black: The African continent
Red: The bloodshed as the country fought for independence

Alternatively, black and red also symbolize freedom and death.

Emblem
The half-gear symbol represents the hard-working people of Angola, whereas the machete symbolizes peasantry, and the five-pointed star symbolizes socialism. Moreover, the color yellow of the insignia represents the country’s mineral riches. Yet, to some, the yellow five-pointed star represents internationalism and progress, while the five points of the star symbolize justice, freedom, development, and democracy.

Shape
The flag of Angola is a rectangular shape with a proportion of 2:3 in terms of length and width. The red and black stripes are equally proportioned. The Constitution of the country recognizes the flag, the national anthem, and the insignia as the symbols of the republic. So far, no specifications for the size of the emblem have been publicized.

Interesting Facts about the Angola Flag

The country has suffered from civil war for 27 years since its independence. The proposed flag of 2003 that consisted of blue and white stripes with a yellow sun in the middle was considered by some as a more optimistic flag. The flag was also meant to be a reminder of the country’s ancient heritage. However, the flag was never adopted.
The current flag was inspired by the design of the Soviet Union. The cogwheel and machete resemble the hammer and sickle that were present in the flag of the Soviet Union. In 1975 when the flag was designed, the country was under a Marxist government. However, the country shifted from a one-party Marxist Leninist to a multi-party state under the 1992 constitution.
Before 1975, the flag was used for the military by the MPLA and represented those who fought to free the country from Portugal.
The flag of Angola has remained unchanged since 1975.

Do you know any other interesting facts about the flag of Angola? Share your thoughts below.