Flag of Rwanda

What the flag looks like

Three horizontal stripes: a wide light blue stripe taking the top half, then yellow and green, with a golden sun of 24 rays in the upper fly.

What it means

Blue stands for happiness and peace, yellow for economic development and green for prosperity; the sun represents enlightenment.

How to remember it

Rwanda shows a golden sun shining in the corner of a big sky-blue band above yellow and green farmland.

Fun facts

• The 2001 flag replaced a red-yellow-green flag with a large black R, which had become associated with the 1994 genocide.
• Rwanda has the world's highest share of women in its national parliament, over 60% of lower-house seats.
• Rwanda banned plastic bags in 2008.

Rwanda at a glance

Capital

Kigali

Region

Eastern Africa

Population

14 million

Area

26,338 km²

Languages

English, French, Kinyarwanda

Currency

Rwandan franc (FRw)

Flag adopted

2001