Flag of Burundi
Africa
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Gitega
- Flag adopted
- 1967
- Population
- 12,332,788
- Area
- 27,834 km²
- Languages
- French, Kirundi
- Currency
- Burundian franc (Fr) — BIF
- Demonym
- Burundian
- Government
- presidential republic
- Subregion
- Eastern Africa
- Driving side
- Right
- Timezones
- UTC+02:00
- Independence
- 1962
Religions
- Christian 93.9%
- Muslim 3.4%
- Other 1.3%
- None 1.3%
About This Flag
A white saltire (diagonal cross) dividing the field into four sections — red panels at the top and bottom, and green panels on the hoist and fly sides. At the center sits a white circular disk containing three red six-pointed stars outlined in green, arranged in a triangular pattern.
The red symbolizes the blood shed in the independence struggle, green represents hope and the future, and white stands for peace. The three stars represent the three major ethnic groups — Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa — as well as the three words of the national motto: 'Unite, Travail, Progres' (Unity, Work, Progress).
Adopted on March 28, 1967, the flag replaced an earlier version that included a drum and sorghum plant.
What the colors & design mean
Red commemorates the suffering and blood of the independence struggle. Green represents hope for the future. White symbolizes peace among the people. The three six-pointed stars represent the three ethnic groups (Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa) and the national motto of Unity, Work, and Progress.
Pattern: Diagonal Design
Bordering countries (3)
Fun Facts
- The earlier independence-era flag of Burundi featured a karyenda, a sacred royal drum that was a symbol of the monarchy; it was removed when the republic was established.
- Burundi's stars are six-pointed, which is relatively uncommon on African flags, and their triangular arrangement is meant to evoke balance and equality among the ethnic groups.
- Burundi and Rwanda share nearly identical ethnic compositions and similar colonial histories under German and then Belgian rule, but their flags have completely different designs.
- The saltire design makes Burundi's flag one of the most geometrically distinctive in Africa, as most African flags use horizontal or vertical stripe patterns.
Similar looking flags
These flags share similar colors and patterns:
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