Central African Republic flag picture
Read the arrangement first. Red crosses all four horizontal bands. The star belongs in the blue area beside the pole, rather than in the red stripe.
This drawing uses a documented 2:3 proportion. Its precise star coordinates and digital shades are illustration choices; see construction and proportions.
Flag of the Central African Republic
| Country | Central African Republic |
|---|---|
| Adopted | December 1, 1958 |
| Designer | Barthélemy Boganda |
| Horizontal bands | Blue · white · green · yellow Top to bottom; equal heights. |
| Central stripe | Red Vertical and continuous from top to bottom. |
| Emblem | One yellow five-pointed star In the upper-left blue area. |
| Proportions | 2:3 shown; 3:5 also documented Height:width. Neither ratio is specified in the cited constitutional description. |
| Independence | August 13, 1960 A different milestone from the flag’s adoption. |
| National Day | December 1 Proclamation of the Republic in 1958. |
The flag combines four horizontal bands with a central red stripe and one yellow star. The embassy explains the colors through both African unity and the region’s historical connections.
Regional interpretation summarized from the embassy’s national-symbols page.
What is the flag of the Central African Republic?
The flag of the Central African Republic has four equal horizontal bands—blue, white, green, and yellow—crossed by a central red stripe. A yellow five-pointed star sits in the upper-left blue area. Introduced in 1958, the design combines a distinctive striped arrangement with the country’s founding political ideals.
The flag is easiest to recognize by its structure: four bands run across the field, while a fifth runs through their center. It is therefore different from the vertical tricolors used by several nearby countries. The star is offset toward the hoist, the edge attached to a pole.
The national design is described in Article 1 of the 2023 constitutional text. That description establishes the arrangement and five-pointed yellow star; it does not provide a complete dimensioned manufacturing drawing.
The yellow star
The star is the flag’s single emblem. It has five outward points and sits in the blue upper-left area, away from the central red stripe. The embassy associates it with a path toward freedom and emancipation.
Its yellow repeats the lowest band’s color. This gives the design a small bright feature at the top and a broad yellow foundation below. That observation describes the composition, rather than assigning an additional official meaning.
A star, a state coat of arms, and a ruler’s personal standard are different kinds of symbols. The plain national flag does not carry the complete coat of arms or an imperial eagle.
Colors and digital specifications
The following values reproduce the palette used in this page’s illustrations. They follow a widely used digital flag rendering. They should not be described as legally prescribed Hex values.
| Color | Hex | RGB | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | #003082 |
0, 48, 130 | Upper horizontal band |
| White | #FFFFFF |
255, 255, 255 | Second horizontal band |
| Green | #289728 |
40, 151, 40 | Third horizontal band |
| Yellow | #FFCE00 |
255, 206, 0 | Bottom band and star |
| Red | #D21034 |
210, 16, 52 | Central vertical stripe |
Flag references do not all use the same shades. Flags of the World records differences among flag albums and Olympic manuals. An event organizer’s approved palette is evidence for that event; it is not automatically a national statutory standard.
On a screen, preserve solid color areas and a clean star outline. For physical production, obtain the purchaser’s approved artwork and material sample. A color seen in a photograph may also be affected by lighting, exposure, fading, or the fabric itself.
Symbolism and meaning
The embassy connects blue, white, and red with France, and green, yellow, and red with Pan-African colors. It also gives the following regional interpretation. These explanations concern the flag’s historical symbolism; they are not a set of geometric instructions.
References to neighboring territories make sense in the context of Boganda’s regional-unity project. They should not be read as a claim that today’s Central African Republic includes those countries. Nor should an interpretation be transferred to another flag simply because it uses the same colors.
Construction and proportions
Two overall proportions appear in published flag references: 2:3 and 3:5, stated as height:width. The constitutional description cited above does not settle that difference. The main drawing here uses 2:3, with four equal-height bands and a red stripe of matching thickness.
| Element | Relationship | 900 × 600 example |
|---|---|---|
| Overall height | H | 600 units |
| Overall width | 1.5 × H | 900 units |
| Each horizontal band | H ÷ 4 | 150 units high |
| Red stripe | H ÷ 4 | 150 units wide |
| Red stripe’s left edge | (W − H/4) ÷ 2 | x = 375 |
| Red stripe’s right edge | Left edge + H/4 | x = 525 |
| Star center used here | 0.14 W; H/8 | x = 126; y = 75 |
| Star outer radius used here | 0.1125 H | 67.5 units |
A practical drawing sequence
- Draw the rectangular field at the selected overall proportion.
- Divide its height into four equal parts.
- Fill those parts blue, white, green, and yellow from top to bottom.
- Place a continuous red stripe across the vertical centerline.
- Add a regular yellow five-pointed star wholly inside the upper-left blue area.
- Scale the completed drawing uniformly whenever it is resized.
In the 3:5 example below, the height remains 600 units while the width becomes 1,000. The horizontal bands therefore remain 150 units high. Keeping the red stripe 150 units wide preserves its relationship to those bands; stretching the entire 900-unit drawing sideways would change that relationship.
Published construction sheets also distinguish interpretive drawing choices from government specifications.
History: a flag introduced before independence
Before 1958
Ubangi-Shari and the colonial setting
The territory was known as Ubangi-Shari and belonged to French Equatorial Africa. The French tricolor preceded the national design. The African Studies Centre Leiden places Boganda’s emergence in the context of colonial exploitation and the growth of an African nationalist movement.
1958
December 1: proclamation and a new flag
Boganda presented the flag to the legislative assembly on December 1, when Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic. The date marks the founding republican moment, before full independence. The embassy’s national-day account commemorates that proclamation.
1959
Boganda dies before independence
Boganda died on March 29, 1959. His parliamentary biography records the end of his service on that date. The flag thus outlived its designer before the country’s transition to full independence was complete.
1960
August 13: independence
Full independence followed on August 13, 1960. The flag already existed, so a page that labels 1960 as the introduction of this design confuses two different events. The distinction is useful when reading older captions or comparing national anniversaries.
1976–1979
The empire retains the national design
The state became the Central African Empire in December 1976. Its national flag remained unchanged. A separate imperial standard associated with Bokassa used an eagle-and-sun design; it should not replace the national flag in a historical timeline. The specialist record distinguishes them.
1979
Republican government returns
The monarchy ended in September 1979 and the republican name returned. The existing national design continued across that transition. Political chronology and flag-design chronology therefore do not produce identical lists of changes.
2023
The constitutional description continues
Article 1 of the 2023 constitutional text retains the familiar bands, central red stripe, and yellow star. A later constitutional description is legal recognition of the design; it does not make 2023 its original adoption year.
The reported crescent project of 1976
A proposed change associated with Bokassa’s 1976 turn toward Libya included a crescent. The vexillological discussion separates contemporary announcements and proposed artwork from the unchanged flag described by the imperial constitution. It also contains conflicting early accounts of the project.
Accordingly, a crescent-bearing reconstruction should be labeled as a reported proposal, with its source and uncertainty stated. It should not be placed among adopted national flags without evidence. No speculative reconstruction is presented as official artwork here.
Barthélemy Boganda and the design
Boganda approached nationhood through a wider regional vision. The French National Assembly’s biography describes his work for African unity and his proposals for a larger political association. His background included religious service, representation of Ubangi-Shari in the French parliament, and leadership in local politics.
That career helps explain why the flag’s symbolism reaches beyond a simple inventory of the country’s landscape. It belongs to the political arguments surrounding the end of colonial rule and the possibilities of cooperation among neighboring territories.
The parliamentary record lists his service beginning in 1946 and ending with his death in 1959. Describe him as the founding leader and flag designer; avoid wording that implies he governed the fully independent state after August 1960.
Reproduction and manufacture
A reliable production brief must say which artwork, proportion, color reference, and material sample the purchaser has approved. The educational drawings here explain the design; they do not establish a national schedule of fabric types, official sizes, dye tolerances, or stitching requirements.
Specify the finished result
- State height and width explicitly, with the measurement units.
- Confirm the chosen ratio before cutting or printing.
- Keep the red stripe centered and the horizontal bands equal.
- Approve a full-color proof with the star clearly visible.
- Agree on the attachment method, hems, and finished dimensions.
Avoid common reproduction errors
- Do not replace the yellow star with white or red.
- Do not move the star into the central red stripe.
- Do not add a coat of arms to the plain national design.
- Do not crop the flag simply to fill a square card.
- Do not describe an approximate screen color as a legal textile standard.
For a 60-centimeter-high 2:3 illustration, the corresponding width is 90 centimeters and each horizontal band is 15 centimeters high. These are calculated examples. The same arithmetic works at another size; it does not make the resulting dimensions an official size category.
Identification: Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic
Similar colors can obscure a different arrangement. Compare the direction of the bands, the number of colors, and the star’s position. Those features remain useful even when a photograph is small or its colors are imperfect.
| Country | Band arrangement | Star | Quick distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central African Republic | Four horizontal bands crossed by vertical red | Yellow, upper-left blue area | Crossing stripe and five-color palette |
| Cameroon | Green, red, yellow; vertical | Yellow, centered in red | No horizontal blue or white bands |
| Chad | Blue, yellow, red; vertical | None | No star and no crossing stripe |
Display, orientation and respectful handling
In the usual front view, the hoist is at the left and the star sits in the upper-left blue area. The opposite side of the same cloth naturally shows a mirrored arrangement. A star appearing on the right is therefore not, by itself, evidence of an incorrect flag.
Practical care
- Use a clean, legible representation with the complete design visible.
- Check the attachment side before mounting the flag.
- Keep the star and colored bands unobstructed in educational displays.
- Replace artwork that has become distorted, cropped, or unreadable.
Official ceremonies
- Obtain the host authority’s instructions for position and precedence.
- Confirm any requirements for vertical hanging or a group of flags.
- Check current notices before lowering a flag in mourning.
- Do not import another country’s folding or funeral rules.
The practical suggestions above are general care guidance. They are not presented as a complete Central African legal flag code.
December 1 and the proclamation of the Republic
December 1 is the national observance associated with the Republic’s proclamation in 1958. Its connection with the flag’s introduction makes it central to the flag’s story. The embassy’s commemorative message identifies the founding event; it should not be confused with the later August independence anniversary.
Half-mast and national mourning
A documented example followed the Mpoko River boating disaster in April 2024. Radio Ndeke Luka reported three days of national mourning beginning April 22, with flags lowered during that period, and carried an excerpt of the decree read by the presidential spokesperson.
| Period | Occasion | Reported instruction |
|---|---|---|
| April 22–24, 2024 | Mourning after the Mpoko River disaster | National mourning with flags lowered |
For an actual ceremony, read the notice that applies to its dates and location. This example does not establish the flag’s precise height on a mast, a permanent calendar, or the rules for every institution. Read the contemporary report and decree excerpt.
Flag pictures and diagrams
Original GKBook vector illustrations. Construction measurements and comparative views are explained in the article; the gallery contains drawings rather than documentary photographs.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Central African Republic flag look like?
It has four equal horizontal bands, blue, white, green, and yellow from top to bottom, crossed by a centered vertical red stripe. A yellow five-pointed star occupies the upper-left blue area. The crossing red stripe is an important identification feature.
When was the flag adopted?
The flag dates to December 1, 1958, when the Republic was proclaimed. That date precedes full independence on August 13, 1960. Keep the two milestones separate: the creation of the national design and independence are connected historical events, but they are not the same anniversary.
Who designed the flag?
The design is credited to Barthélemy Boganda, who presented it to the legislative assembly in 1958. He was a founding political leader and advocate of regional African unity. He died in 1959, before the country became fully independent the following year.
Does the flag have four colors or five?
It has five colors: blue, white, green, yellow, and red. Four form the horizontal bands; red forms the vertical stripe. The star is yellow, so it repeats an existing color rather than adding a sixth. Count the palette separately from the number of bands.
What does the yellow star mean?
The embassy describes the star as a guide toward freedom and emancipation. Its position in the blue upper-left area is part of the national design. The star is a symbolic emblem; it is not presented here as a count of provinces or administrative regions.
Why do explanations mention Congo, Chad and Gabon?
The embassy gives a regional interpretation connected with Boganda’s wider African-unity aspirations. Blue relates to Congo, white to Chad, green to Gabon, and yellow to the Central African Republic. These associations describe a historical vision; they do not turn the flag into a present-day territorial map.
Is the flag’s ratio 2:3 or 3:5?
Both proportions are documented in flag references, stated here as height:width. The main illustration uses 2:3. The cited constitutional description specifies the arrangement and colors without an overall ratio. For a commissioned official flag, obtain the required specification rather than assuming this drawing is a manufacturing standard.
How wide is the central red stripe?
The construction used here makes its width equal to the height of one horizontal band: one quarter of the flag’s total height. On a 600-unit-high drawing, that is 150 units. Center the stripe across the width; do not make it one quarter of the total width.
Are the published Hex colors official legal standards?
The Hex values on this page define its digital illustrations. They are not claimed as statutory color standards. Vexillological references and event manuals contain differing color specifications. Screen appearance, printing systems, and textile samples should therefore be checked against the particular authority or commission involved.
Did the national flag change during the Central African Empire?
The national design continued during the empire of 1976–1979. A separate imperial standard is a different symbol and should not be substituted for the national flag. A timeline of political regimes therefore needs to distinguish a change in government from a change in flag design.
Was a crescent added to the flag in 1976?
A crescent-bearing project was reported in 1976, but it should not be presented as an established replacement national flag. The specialist record distinguishes announcements and proposed artwork from the design retained in the imperial constitutional description. The national flag shown here has a star and no crescent.
When is the Central African Republic’s National Day?
National Day is December 1, commemorating the proclamation of the Republic in 1958. The flag’s introduction belongs to that same historical moment. Independence on August 13, 1960 is a separate milestone. This article does not invent an additional annual Flag Day observance.
Why can the star appear on the right in a photograph?
A photograph may show the reverse of the flag. Viewed through or from the other side of the same cloth, the star appears at the upper right while remaining near the hoist. Identify the pole side and viewing direction before deciding that an image is incorrect.
Does the national flag include the coat of arms?
The national design described here has a yellow star, colored bands, and a central red stripe. It does not include the complete coat of arms. The state’s armorial emblem is a separate composition; combining it with a flag image creates something different from the plain national design.
When are flags flown at half-mast?
Follow the applicable official notice and its stated period and scope. A documented example is the national mourning of April 22–24, 2024 after the Mpoko River disaster, when flags were ordered lowered. That historical instruction does not establish a recurring annual date or a complete ceremonial code.
How is this flag different from Cameroon’s?
Cameroon has three vertical bands and a yellow star in the central red band. The Central African Republic has four horizontal bands crossed by red, with its star in the upper-left blue area. Compare the arrangement and star position before relying on a shared color palette.
How is this flag different from Chad’s?
Chad’s flag has three vertical bands: blue, yellow, and red, with no star. The Central African Republic adds white and green, uses horizontal background bands, and places a star at upper left. Its central red stripe crosses the other bands instead of forming the fly-end panel.
Can I stretch the flag to fit a square image?
Preserve the proportions of the artwork you choose. To use it inside a square card, leave surrounding space instead of stretching the flag or cutting off the star. Resizing every coordinate by the same factor preserves the relationships; resizing width and height independently changes them.
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