🇸🇸 The colours of South Sudan

South Sudan’s flag features black, red, green, white, blue, and yellow. Each colour stands for a part of the country’s story: its people, the struggle for independence, land and growth, peace, the Nile, and unity. The flag’s design and shades are now strictly regulated.

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

• The blue triangle must be light blue, not dark.
• The yellow star must stand upright, not tilted.
• Each colour on the flag has a government-defined meaning.
• Incorrect flag versions are now illegal in South Sudan.
• The flag was used before independence in 2011.

The colours of the flag of South Sudan

South Sudan’s flag is made up of five horizontal bands in black, white, red, and green, with a blue triangle on the left side containing a yellow star. Each colour has a specific meaning given by the government: black for the people, red for those who died for freedom, green for the country’s farmland and progress, white for peace, blue for the Nile, and yellow for unity and hope. These meanings are officially recognised, and the flag’s design is closely linked to the country’s identity.

How the colours were chosen of South Sudan

The flag was first introduced in 2005, before South Sudan became a country in 2011. It was originally used by a major political movement in the region. Over time, there were disagreements about details like the shade of blue and the angle of the star. In 2023, the government settled these debates by requiring a light blue triangle and an upright yellow star, making other versions illegal.

Official shades and rules of South Sudan

There are no official colour codes set by law, but the government has issued guidance on the correct shades. Only a sky blue triangle and an upright star are allowed on the flag; darker blues or tilted stars are banned. It is against the law to use or distribute flags that do not match these specifications.