The national flag of Senegal (drapeau national du Sénégal) is a tricolour consisting of three vertical green, yellow and red bands charged with a five-pointed green star at the centre. Adopted in 1960 to replace the flag of the Mali Federation, it has been the flag of the Republic of Senegal since the country gained independence that year. It has a width-to-length ratio of approximately 2 to 3.
The Senegalese flag features three colors in a tricolor design. There is also a green five-pointed star centered on the flag. Much symbolism and many connotations are beholden to the stripes and singular star of the Senegalese flag.
Historical Context
Senegal was one of the oldest French colonies in Africa, and it was a place where leading intellectuals such as Léopold Senghor hoped to combine both European and African values. They consequently looked to the simple design of the French Tricolor as an inspiration for the flag of Senegal when the nation achieved autonomous status in 1958.
Under French colonial rule over Senegal, the authorities forbade the colony from using its own distinctive colonial flag because they were worried that this could increase nationalistic sentiment and lead to calls for independence. With the rise of the decolonization movement in Africa, the French were obliged to grant limited autonomy to Senegal as a self-governing republic within the French Community.
In 1958, when Senegal was part of the French Empire, the region was represented by a green flag with a yellow star in the center.
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This influence was clear when Senegal linked with the Sudanese Republic (now Mali) in the Mali Federation on April 4, 1959, and adopted a vertical tricolour of green-yellow-red with a central representation in black of a human figure known as the kanaga. Independence followed on August 20, 1960, but the federation ended and Senegal became a separate country with its own flag in September. Senegal retained the green-yellow-red flag but substituted a green star for the kanaga.
In 1959, the nation combined with French Soudan to form the Mali Federation. A new flag was adopted, which features green, yellow and red bands with a human figure in the center. The federation gained its independence from France in 1960. However, the federation separated in August, and the new nation of Senegal retained the flag with the exception of the removal of the human figure and the addition of the five-pointed star.
The French tricolor was the original flag of Senegal. This flag flew over the nation until the new flag was adopted in 1960.
Evolution of the Senegalese Flag:
| Period | Flag | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Before 1958 | French Tricolor | Flag of French colony Senegal |
| 1958-1959 | Green flag with yellow star | Flag of French Senegal |
| 1959-1960 | Green-yellow-red tricolor with kanaga | Flag of Mali Federation |
| Since 1960 | Green-yellow-red tricolor with green star | Current flag of Senegal |
Symbolism of the Colors and Star
Much symbolism and many connotations are beholden to the stripes and singular star of the Senegalese flag. From a national perspective, green is highly symbolic within all of the country's primary religions. The first color is green, which is said to be the color of Islam, which is practiced by approximately 94% of the population.
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The Senegalese government offers exegesis for the presence of yellow and red as well, yellow being "the symbol of wealth; it represents the product of work, for a nation whose main priority is the progress of economy, which will allow the increase of the cultural level, the second national priority." Additionally, yellow is denoted as "the colour of arts, literature, and intellect", primarily because literature teachers in Senegal are known to wear yellow blouses. The color yellow is also featured on the flag, and it is a symbol of wealth and the progress of the nation’s economy.
The color red is a symbol of both life and sacrifice of the nation, as well as the national determination to fight underdevelopment. Red recalls the independence struggle, life, and socialism.
Green, yellow and red are the colours of the Pan-Africanist movement. That pattern was replicated on Senegal's flag as a sign of unity among African countries. These colors are also commonly associated with Pan-Africanism.
The three colors are also representative of the three political parties that merges to form the Senegalese Progressist Union.
The quinary points of the star are said to either "recall the human ideogram which was displayed in the middle of the flag of the former Mali Federation" or an adoption of the Serer cosmogonical and religious star Yooniir ― the symbol of the universe in Serer spirituality and cosmogony, which also symbolises "good fortune and destiny" in the Serer worldview. The symbol is represented by a black 5 pointed star which also spiritually and/or metaphorically denotes "the Black man standing head held high, hands raised representing work and prayer.
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Revealing the color symbolism of the Senegalese flag
Comparison with Other Flags
The flag of Cameroon is very similar to that of Senegal, but it swaps the order of the red and yellow stripes and uses a smaller yellow star instead.
Our national flag of Senegal is constructed in America using nylon, a durable and weather-resistant material. The tricolor and star are digitally printed for accuracy and bright, vivid colors. This Senegalese flag has a strong canvas header and brass grommets for simple attachment to one of our outdoor flagpoles. We offer this flag in sizes 2’ x 3’, 3’ x 5’, 4’ x 6’, 5’ x 8’, and 6’ x 10’.
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