Africa

Flag of the DR Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the second-largest country in Africa and home to the Congo Rainforest, the world's second-largest tropical rainforest, sometimes called the 'lungs of Africa.' The country has extraordinary mineral wealth, including the majority of the world's cobalt reserves along with significant coltan, diamonds, and gold, though this has been a persistent source of conflict. Kinshasa is one of the most populous cities in Africa.

CapitalKinshasa
RegionAfrica
Current flag since2006
Main coloursBlue, Red, Yellow
Populationabout 102 million
Areaabout 2,345,000 km²
Flags in history6

Population and area are rounded.

What the flag of the DR Congo means

Sky blue represents peace, red the blood of the country's martyrs, yellow its wealth and the star a radiant future. The current flag, adopted in 2006, is based on the one used from 1963 to 1971. The country has changed its flag several times since independence in 1960, including the green Zaire flag with a hand holding a torch, used from 1971 to 1997.

How to recognise it

Blue with a diagonal red stripe edged in yellow and a yellow star in the upper left.

Did you know?

The DR Congo contains the world's second-largest tropical rainforest, after the Amazon.

Easily confused with

The DR Congo's flag is often mixed up with these. Learn to tell them apart:

Republic of the Congo

Angola

Flag history of the DR Congo

Every flag that has flown over the DR Congo, from today back through time.

2006–present

Flag of the DR Congo

The 2006 constitution confirmed a sky-blue flag with a yellow star and a red, yellow-bordered diagonal stripe. Blue stands for peace, red for the blood of martyrs, and yellow for the country's wealth.

1997–2006

Return to blue (Kabila)

After Laurent-Désiré Kabila overthrew Mobutu, the country reverted to a 1960s-style blue flag with a single star and red diagonal, in a deeper royal blue.

1971–1997

Zaire

Mobutu Sese Seko renamed the country Zaire and adopted a green flag with a yellow disc bearing a hand holding a flaming torch, symbolizing revolution and "authenticité".

1963–1971

Blue flag with red diagonal

A large yellow star in the upper hoist and a yellow-edged red diagonal across the blue field — the design later revived as the basis of the modern flag.

1960–1963

Independence flag

At independence from Belgium in 1960, the flag was blue with one large yellow star and six small stars for the founding provinces of the new state.

Secessionist states of the Congo Crisis:

1960–1963

State of Katanga

The mineral-rich Katanga province seceded under Moïse Tshombe days after Congo's 1960 independence, backed by Belgian mining interests. Its flag bore three red croisettes (copper-cross currency). UN forces ended the secession in 1963.

1960–1962

South Kasai

The diamond-rich South Kasai region also seceded in 1960 under Albert Kalonji, flying a flag with a hand holding the region's mineral wealth. It was reconquered by the central government in 1962.

1964–1965

Maquis of Fizi

A Lumumbist rebel 'people's republic' in the eastern Congo's Simba rebellion, briefly aided by Che Guevara.

Related historical states

Empires, kingdoms and republics that once covered part of the DR Congo.

1960–1963

State of Katanga

Moïse Tshombe's mineral-rich province seceded days after Congo's independence, triggering a UN war; its flag's three red croisettes are traditional Katangese copper crosses.

1960–1962

South Kasai

A diamond-rich Congolese region that broke away alongside Katanga, flying a red-and-green flag with a gold 'V' for victory before the central government reconquered it.

1960–1963

Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)

The newly independent Congo flew a blue flag with a large yellow star and six small stars for its provinces, through the chaotic Congo Crisis that followed Belgian withdrawal in 1960.

1971–1997

Zaire

Under Mobutu Sese Seko's 'authenticity' campaign, the country was renamed Zaire and flew a green flag with a hand bearing a flaming torch, until his overthrow restored the name Congo.

Neighbouring countries

The DR Congo shares a land border with 9 countries: Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

Angola