🇸🇹 The colours of São Tomé and Príncipe

São Tomé and Príncipe’s flag features green, yellow, red, and black. These colours reflect Pan-African identity, the independence movement, the islands’ natural richness, and the two main islands. Official and popular sources offer different interpretations for each colour’s meaning.

Where no official value is given, the swatch shows the colour family, not the exact shade.

• The flag was adopted on 12 July 1975, the day of independence.
• Two black stars stand for the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe.
• The flag’s colours are Pan-African and used in other ex-Portuguese African flags.
• Yellow is sometimes said to represent cocoa, a key export.
• Desecrating the flag can lead to prison or fines.

The colours of the flag of São Tomé and Príncipe

The flag of São Tomé and Príncipe uses green, yellow, red, and black. Green appears as two horizontal bands at the top and bottom, yellow as a wider band in the centre, and red forms a triangle at the hoist. Two black stars sit on the yellow band. Official explanations say the three main colours are Pan-African and symbolise the independence movement. The red triangle stands for equality, and the black stars represent the two islands. Other sources link green to the islands’ vegetation, yellow to the sun or cocoa, and the stars to the African people of the islands.

How the colours were chosen of São Tomé and Príncipe

The flag’s colours were chosen during the country’s move to independence from Portugal. All proposed designs used the Pan-African colours, reflecting a shared African identity and anti-colonial sentiment. The final flag, designed by Manuel Pinto da Costa, was based on that of the MLSTP, the independence movement. It was adopted in 1975, the day the country became independent. The flag’s design closely resembles those of other former Portuguese colonies in Africa, showing a common heritage.

Official shades and rules of São Tomé and Príncipe

The flag’s proportions and layout are set by law. The green bands are equal in width, with the yellow band in the middle being one and a half times wider. The red triangle at the hoist is isosceles, with its height half its base. The flag’s aspect ratio is 1:2. Desecrating the flag is a criminal offence, with penalties including prison or fines.