Africa

Flag of Rwanda

Rwanda is a small, densely populated landlocked country in Central Africa that has undergone an extraordinary transformation following the 1994 genocide, in which approximately 800,000 people were killed in 100 days — one of history's swiftest mass atrocities. In the decades since, Rwanda has achieved remarkable political stability, rapid economic growth, and progressive environmental policies. Kigali, the capital, is consistently rated one of Africa's cleanest, safest, and most organised cities.

CapitalKigali
RegionAfrica
Current flag since2001
Main coloursBlue, Yellow, Green
Populationabout 14 million
Areaabout 26,000 km²
GeographyLandlocked
Flags in history3

Population and area are rounded.

What the flag of Rwanda means

Light blue stands for happiness and peace, yellow for economic development, and green for hope and prosperity. The golden sun with 24 rays stands for enlightenment. The flag was adopted in 2001 to replace the red-yellow-green tricolour with a black letter R, which had become associated with the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

More about the flag

The current flag was designed by the artist Alphonse Kirimobenecyo and adopted on 25 October 2001, together with a new national anthem and coat of arms, as part of an effort to build national unity after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Rwanda, known as the land of a thousand hills, has its capital at Kigali.

How to recognise it

Horizontal light blue-yellow-green with a sun in the upper right corner.

Did you know?

Rwanda has one of the highest percentages of women in parliament in the world, over 60%.

Easily confused with

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

Botswana

Ethiopia

Flag history of Rwanda

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

2001–present

Flag of Rwanda

Completely redesigned in 2001 to break association with the old regime and the 1994 genocide: blue over yellow over green with a golden sun. Blue is peace, yellow economic development, green prosperity.

1961–2001

Original tricolour with 'R'

A red-yellow-green tricolour with a black capital "R" added to distinguish it from Guinea's identical flag. It flew through independence and the 1994 genocide before being replaced.

1961–1962

Kingdom of Rwanda (transition)

In the transition to independence (1961–62), Rwanda flew a red-yellow-green vertical tricolor bearing a large black letter "R" — added to tell it apart from the near-identical flag of Guinea. The "R" flag was used until the 2001 redesign.

Related historical states

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

1961

Kingdom of Rwanda

On the eve of independence Rwanda was briefly a monarchy under the mwami; this red-yellow-green tricolour flew for months in 1961 before a referendum abolished the monarchy.

Neighbouring countries

Rwanda shares a land border with 4 countries: Burundi, the DR Congo, Tanzania and Uganda.

Other flags in blue, yellow and green

2 other national flags use the same main colours as Rwanda's.

Gabon

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Play Globalio and learn Rwanda's flag