Country flag
Benin Flag
Benin’s national flag is a green, yellow and red tricolour. From the hoist, a vertical green panel occupies two-fifths of the length; the remaining area...
Where is Benin?
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Zoomed location
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About Benin and its flag
Benin’s national flag is a green, yellow and red tricolour. From the hoist, a vertical green panel occupies two-fifths of the length; the remaining area is divided into equal yellow-over-red horizontal bands. Law No. 90-020 defines it as the national emblem.
Flag design and meaning
The green band begins at the hoist and extends over the flag’s full height and two-fifths of its length. The remaining three-fifths is split into two equal horizontal areas: yellow above and red below. The statutory description includes no central emblem or other charge.
- Green: The Government’s explanation, drawn from the national anthem, associates green with hope for democratic renewal.
- Red: The national anthem and the Government’s flag page associate red with the courage of the ancestors.
- Yellow: The Government explains yellow as a prompt to preserve the country’s richest treasures.
History and adoption
The Government of Benin describes this flag as adopted on 16 November 1959 and first used on 1 August 1960. It was set aside in 1975 during the Marxist period, then returned to use from 1 August 1990. Law No. 90-020, dated 27 July 1990, repealed the 1976 flag order and defines the present green, yellow and red emblem.
How to recognise this flag
- Identify the full-height green stripe at the hoist; it is wider than either of the two horizontal colour areas beside it.
- To the right of green, yellow is always on top and red below.
- The national flag has no star, coat of arms, or other central emblem.
Benin flag quiz context
On Name The Flag, the Benin flag is currently grouped as hard difficulty for quiz progression.
Players may also want to compare it with Mali, Senegal, Guinea and Cameroon, which can appear as plausible flag distractors.
Explore more country flags
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