Flag of the Republic of the Congo

What the flag looks like

Divided diagonally by a yellow band from the lower hoist to the upper fly, with a green triangle in the upper hoist and a red triangle in the lower fly.

What it means

Green represents the forests and hope for the future, yellow friendship and the nation's natural wealth, and red the struggle for independence.

How to remember it

Congo-Brazzaville is a plain green-yellow-red diagonal with no star, unlike the sky-blue, starred flag of DR Congo across the river.

Fun facts

• The flag was first adopted in 1959; from 1970 to 1991 the People's Republic of the Congo used a red flag with a star, wreath and hammer and hoe, and the original returned in 1991.
• Brazzaville and Kinshasa face each other across the Congo River, making them the closest pair of capital cities in the world apart from Rome and Vatican City.

Republic of the Congo at a glance

Capital

Brazzaville

Region

Middle Africa

Population

6.3 million

Area

342,000 km²

Languages

French, Kikongo, Lingala

Currency

Central African CFA franc (FCFA)

Flag adopted

1991

Flags often confused with the Republic of the Congo

• DR Congo: DR Congo and the Republic of the Congo both have a rising diagonal band. DR Congo is sky blue with a red band and a yellow star; the Republic of the Congo is green, yellow and red with no star.
• Tanzania: The Republic of the Congo and Tanzania both have a green upper triangle and a diagonal band. Congo's band is plain yellow with red below; Tanzania's band is black edged in yellow, with blue below.