2002–present
Flag of the Comoros
Hoisted in 2002, with four horizontal stripes and a green hoist triangle bearing a crescent and four stars. The four stripes and four stars each represent the islands, including French-administered Mayotte.
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Africa
Flag of the Comoros
Comoros is a small archipelago nation in the Indian Ocean between northern Madagascar and the coast of Mozambique, consisting of three main volcanic islands. It is one of the world's smallest and least developed nations and has experienced remarkable political instability since gaining independence from France in 1975. The Comoros islands are a major global producer of ylang-ylang, an essential oil widely used in the fragrance and cosmetics industry.
- CapitalMoroni
- RegionAfrica
- Current flag since2002
- Main coloursGreen, White, Red, Blue, Yellow
- Populationabout 800,000
- Areaabout 2,200 km²
- GeographyIsland nation
- Flags in history6
Population and area are rounded.
What the flag of the Comoros means
The four stripes and four stars stand for the four main islands of the archipelago: yellow for Mohéli, white for Mayotte, red for Anjouan and blue for Grande Comore. Mayotte voted to remain French but is still claimed by the Comoros. The green triangle with its white crescent stands for Islam. The current flag was adopted with a new constitution in 2001.
More about the flag
The Comoros is an archipelago between Mozambique and Madagascar that became independent from France in 1975. It has changed its flag several times since independence, and most of its designs have shown a crescent and four stars for the islands. Mayotte, the fourth island in the stars and the white stripe, voted to remain French and became an overseas department of France in 2011.
How to recognise it
Four horizontal stripes of yellow, white, red and blue, with a green triangle at the hoist holding a white crescent and four stars.
Did you know?
Comoros is the world's largest producer of ylang-ylang, a flower used in perfumes.
Flag history of the Comoros
Every flag that has flown over the Comoros, from today back through time.
2001–2002
Transitional flag
A short-lived transitional flag during the constitutional reform that created the Union of the Comoros.
1996–2001
Crescent-and-inscription flag
A green flag with a large central crescent enclosing four stars, flanked by Arabic text reading "Allah" and "Muhammad," emphasizing the islands' Islamic character.
1992–1996
Bordered green flag
A green flag with the crescent and four stars in a vertical white hoist band. The four stars represent Grande Comore, Anjouan, Mohéli, and Mayotte.
1978–1992
Federal Islamic Republic flag
After the 1978 mercenary-backed coup, the green flag was redesigned with the crescent, four stars, and an Arabic inscription.
1975–1978
First independence flag
The first flag after the 1975 unilateral independence: a plain green field with a white crescent and four stars, reflecting the islands' Islamic identity. The Comoros went on to change its flag more often than almost any nation.
Related historical states
Empires, kingdoms and republics that once covered part of the Comoros.
1997–1998
Mohéli
The small island declared independence from the Comoros in 1997; its yellow-and-red flag recalls the banner of 19th-century Queen Djoumbé Fatima.
1963–1975
Comoros (autonomous)
The green flag with a white crescent and four stars for the four islands was flown while the Comoros was an autonomous French territory, before its unilateral declaration of independence in 1975.
Regional flags of the Comoros
The 3 states, provinces and regions of the Comoros with their own flags.
Grande Comore (Ngazidja)
Anjouan (Ndzuwani)
Mohéli (Mwali)Other flags in green, white, red, blue and yellow
3 other national flags use the same main colours as the Comoros'.
Play Globalio and learn the Comoros' flag
Central African Republic
Namibia
Seychelles