Africa

Flag of Mozambique

Mozambique is a country in southeastern Africa with a long Indian Ocean coastline of 2,470 kilometres. It gained independence from Portugal in 1975 after a decade-long independence war, followed by a civil war lasting until 1992. Mozambique has significant natural gas reserves off its northern coast, attracting major international energy investment, and is known for its vibrant music, cuisine, and the historic island of Mozambique, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

CapitalMaputo
RegionAfrica
Current flag since1983
Main coloursGreen, White, Black, Yellow, Red
Populationabout 33 million
Areaabout 799,000 km²
Flags in history3

Population and area are rounded.

What the flag of Mozambique means

Mozambique's is one of the few national flags to show a modern rifle. The AK-47 stands for defence and vigilance, the hoe for agriculture and the open book for education, and the yellow star for Marxism and internationalism. Green is the land, black the African continent, yellow the mineral wealth, white peace and red the struggle for independence. It was adopted in 1983, based on the FRELIMO flag.

More about the flag

Mozambique became independent from Portugal on 25 June 1975, and its flag was adopted in 1983. In 2005 a public competition offered new designs without the AK-47 rifle, but parliament kept the existing flag. Mozambique is one of the few countries outside the former British Empire to join the Commonwealth, which it did in 1995.

How to recognise it

Horizontal green-black-yellow edged in white, with a red triangle at the hoist bearing a star, a Kalashnikov rifle, a hoe and a book.

Did you know?

Mozambique has the only national flag with a modern assault rifle on it (an AK-47).

Easily confused with

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

Angola

Flag history of Mozambique

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

1983–present

Flag of Mozambique

Adopted in 1983, this is the only national flag in the world to depict a modern assault rifle: a bayoneted AK-47 crossed with a hoe over an open book, atop a gold star.