🇱🇾

Flag of Libya

Africa

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Quick Facts

Capital
Tripoli
Flag adopted
2011
Population
7,459,000
Area
1,759,540 km²
Languages
Arabic
Currency
Libyan dinar (ل.د) — LYD
Demonym
Libyan
Government
in transition
Subregion
Northern Africa
Driving side
Right
Timezones
UTC+01:00
Independence
1951

Religions

  • Muslim 96.6%
  • Christian 2.7%
  • Buddhist 1%
  • Hindu 1%
  • Jewish 1%
  • folk religion 1%
  • Other 1%
  • Unspecified 1%

About This Flag

Three horizontal bands of red (top), black (center, double width), and green (bottom) with a white crescent and five-pointed star centered on the black band. This flag was the flag of the Kingdom of Libya from 1951 to 1969 and was readopted on February 17, 2011, during the revolution that overthrew Muammar Gaddafi.

It replaced the plain solid green flag that Gaddafi had introduced in 1977, which was the only national flag in the world with a single color and no design. The restored flag reconnects Libya to its pre-Gaddafi identity.

What the colors & design mean

Red recalls the blood of those who fought against Italian colonial occupation. Black represents the dark days of Italian colonialism, particularly in Fezzan. Green symbolizes the prosperity and agriculture of Tripolitania. The white crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam.

red black green white

Pattern: Horizontal Stripes

Bordering countries (6)

🇩🇿 Algeria 🇹🇩 Chad 🇪🇬 Egypt 🇳🇪 Niger 🇸🇩 Sudan 🇹🇳 Tunisia

Fun Facts

  • Libya's solid green flag under Gaddafi (1977-2011) was the only national flag in history with just one color and absolutely no design, emblem, or insignia.
  • The current flag was originally designed for King Idris in 1951 and represents the three historical regions of Libya: Tripolitania, Fezzan, and Cyrenaica.
  • During the 2011 revolution, the old royal flag became a symbol of resistance and was flown by rebels months before Gaddafi's regime officially fell.
  • Libya has the largest proven oil reserves in Africa and the ninth largest in the world.

Similar looking flags

These flags share similar colors and patterns:

🇱🇾 Kenya 🇱🇾 Sudan 🇱🇾 Iraq 🇱🇾 Jordan 🇱🇾 Kuwait

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