Africa

Flag of Liberia

Liberia is Africa's oldest republic, founded in 1847 by free Black Americans and formerly enslaved people who returned from the United States with the support of the American Colonization Society. This unusual history means Liberia's capital Monrovia is named after US President James Monroe, and the country's flag closely resembles the American flag. Liberia experienced devastating civil wars from 1989 to 2003 but has since made significant progress in rebuilding its institutions.

CapitalMonrovia
RegionAfrica
Current flag since1847
Main coloursRed, White, Blue
Populationabout 5.4 million
Areaabout 111,000 km²
Flags in history3

Population and area are rounded.

What the flag of Liberia means

Liberia's flag shows its historic ties to the United States: the country was founded by the American Colonization Society as a home for freed African Americans. The eleven stripes stand for the eleven signatories of the 1847 declaration of independence, and the single white star, the Lone Star, for Liberia as the first independent republic in Africa.

How to recognise it

Similar to the US flag: 11 red-white stripes and a blue canton, but with only ONE white star.

Did you know?

Liberia was founded in 1822 by freed American slaves and has the oldest rubber plantation in the world.

Easily confused with

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

United States

Flag history of Liberia

Every flag that has flown over Liberia, from today back through time.

1847–present

Flag of Liberia

Adopted in 1847 when Liberia — founded by freed American slaves — declared independence. It mirrors the US Stars and Stripes but has 11 stripes for the signers of its Declaration and a single white star for Africa's then-only republic.

1827–1847

Colonial flag (with cross)

Used while Liberia was a colony of the American Colonization Society, it copied the US flag but placed a white Christian cross in the canton instead of stars.

1834–1857

Republic of Maryland

A colony of freed African-Americans on the West African coast that governed itself before joining Liberia.

Related historical states

Empires, kingdoms and republics that once covered part of Liberia.

1854–1857

Republic of Maryland

An independent state of freed American slaves founded by the Maryland State Colonization Society at Cape Palmas, with a US-style flag, before it merged into neighbouring Liberia.