Flag of Liberia

What the flag looks like

Eleven horizontal stripes alternating red and white, with a blue square canton in the upper hoist bearing a single white five-pointed star.

What it means

The eleven stripes stand for the signatories of Liberia's Declaration of Independence; the lone star represents Liberia as Africa's first independent republic.

How to remember it

Liberia is the 'Lone Star' flag: US-style red and white stripes but only eleven of them, and a single white star in the blue square.

Fun facts

• Liberia was founded by the American Colonization Society as a home for freed African Americans, and its capital Monrovia is named after US President James Monroe.
• Liberia runs one of the world's largest ship registries, so many ocean-going ships fly its flag.

Liberia at a glance

Capital

Monrovia

Region

Western Africa

Population

5.6 million

Area

111,369 km²

Languages

English

Currency

Liberian dollar ($)

Flag adopted

1847

Flags often confused with Liberia

• United States: Liberia and the United States both have red and white stripes with a blue canton. Liberia's canton holds just one large white star; the US canton holds 50 small stars.
• Malaysia: Liberia and Malaysia both have red and white stripes with a blue canton. Liberia has a single white star; Malaysia has a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star.
• Togo: Liberia and Togo both have horizontal stripes and a square canton with one white star. Liberia is red and white with a blue canton; Togo is green and yellow with a red canton.
• Chile: Chile and Liberia both have one white star in a blue square in the corner. Chile has just two bands, white over red; Liberia has eleven red and white stripes.