Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe
Adopted	April 18, 1980
Designed by	Committee headed by Mr Richard Hove
Proportions	1:2

Not to be confused with Zambia. For the brief state, see "Zimbabwe Rhodesia".

Flag of Zimbabwe consists of seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle.

Symbolism

Officially, the meanings of the colours on the flag are as follows:

• Green: the agriculture and rural areas of Zimbabwe
• Yellow: the wealth of minerals in the country
• Red: the blood shed during the war of the liberation
• Black: the heritage and ethnicity of the native Africans of Zimbabwe
• White: peace

The stone-carved Zimbabwe Bird is the national emblem of Zimbabwe and represents the long history of the country.

The colours of the flag of Zimbabwe are based on those of the flag of the ruling party, the Zimbabwe African National Union (Patriotic Front) (ZANU(PF)).

History

Ever since 1965 (unofficially) and 1980 (officially), Zimbabwe has always been a colony of the United Kingdom, first being under the British South Africa Company, and under its' own name of Southern Rhodesia, and at one point, merged with Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

1890-1964

1923-1953

1953-1964

1964-1968 / 1979-1980

Rhodesia,1968-1979

Zimbabwe Rhodesia, 1979-1980

In 1965, the country unilaterally proclaimed its independence from the United Kingdom, and three years later adopted a new flag. On March 2, 1970, the country was declared a republic. However, it had little to no recognition. The republic was first under the name of Rhodesia, and in 1979, Zimbabwe Rhodesia, in which at the same year would also adopt a new flag.

Zimbabwe Rhodesia would then meet its' end at 1980, first reverting to British rule for a couple of days, and then would become another republic (Zimbabwe) which would have no affiliation to Zimbabwe Rhodesia. Oh, and that republic would have its' own flag adopted in the same day, at the same year (April 18, 1980).