Flag of Malawi facts for kids
The flag of Malawi was first used on July 6, 1964. This was the day Nyasaland became an independent country from Great Britain. It then changed its name to Malawi.
What the Flag Looks Like
The flag has three colored stripes: black, red, and green.
- The black stripe is at the top. It stands for the people of Africa.
- The red stripe is in the middle. It represents the blood shed during the fight for freedom.
- The green stripe is at the bottom. It symbolizes the beautiful nature of Malawi.
On the black stripe, there is a red sun rising. This sun has 31 rays. The rising sun means hope and freedom for all of Africa. The 31 rays show that Malawi was the 31st African country to gain independence.
Malawi's Flag from 2010 to 2012
A new flag for Malawi was introduced on July 29, 2010. The colors were rearranged to match the Pan-African flag. The red stripe was at the top, black in the middle, and green at the bottom.
Instead of the rising sun, there was a white sun in the middle of this flag. This sun had 45 rays. These rays were meant to show the economic growth Malawi had achieved since becoming independent.
The President of Malawi at the time, Bingu wa Mutharika, approved this new flag. However, many people in Malawi did not want the flag to change. They nicknamed it "Bingu's flag" because they felt it was forced upon them. Many thought it was not good for the country.
On May 28, 2012, President Joyce Banda changed the flag back to the original design.
Images for kids
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President Peter Mutharika with flag
See also
In Spanish: Bandera de Malaui para niños