Flag of Somalia

The flag of Somalia (Somali: Calanka Soomaaliyeed, Arabic: علم الصومال), also known as the Somali flag, was adopted on October 12, 1954, and was designed by Mohammed Awale Liban. The flag was initially used within the Trust Territory of Somaliland[1] before being adopted by the short-lived State of Somaliland and the Somali Republic. It is an ethnic flag for the Somali people; the flag's five-pointed star represents the five regions in which Somalis reside.[2]

Federal Republic of Somalia
UseNational flag and ensign Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag
Proportion2:3
AdoptedOctober 12, 1954
DesignA single white five-pointed star centered on a cyan field.
Designed byMohammed Awale Liban
UseAlternate color
Proportion2:3

History
Somali Flag at the Independence Celebrations for State of Somaliland (now Republic of Somaliland) on 26 June 1960

Beginning in the mid-19th century, areas in the Horn of Africa populated by Somalis were divided among Ethiopia, France, Britain, and Italy. The flag of Somalia was created in 1954 for the transitional trusteeship period of the nation's history. It was personally designed by the Somali scholar Mohammed Awale Liban, who was from the northern eastern side of Somalia after being selected to come up with a design in preparation for independence.[3][4] The flag was also used in the short-lived independent State of Somaliland between 26 June 1960 and 1 July 1960.

In Somaliland

Public display of the Somali flag is strictly prohibited in Somaliland.[5][6]

Characteristics

As an ethnic flag, the five-pointed white Star of Unity in its center represents the areas where the Somali ethnic group form the majority: Djibouti, Somaliland (former British protectorate), the Somali region in Ethiopia, the North Eastern Province in Kenya, and Somalia (Italian Somaliland).[7][8] However, the flag does not represent all the Somali regions anymore, going from an ethnic flag to the national flag of Somalia only. It now officially denotes the sky as well as the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel and the Somali Sea, which flank the country.[9]

  • Somali woman wearing a Somali flag dress.
    Somali woman wearing a Somali flag dress.
  • Somali women at a Khatumo State launch ceremony wearing the Somali flag.
    Somali women at a Khatumo State launch ceremony wearing the Somali flag.

Construction

The flag of Somalia can be reproduced using the following construction plan:

Construction sheet

Colours scheme
Blue White
RGB 65/143/222255/255/255
Hexadecimal #418FDE#FFFFFF
CMYK 71/36/0/130/0/0/0

Historical flags

The following are the flags historically used in the territory of present-day Somalia:[10]

Pre-colonial states
  • Flag of the Ajuran Empire (13th century–17th century)
    Flag of the Ajuran Empire (13th century–17th century)
  • Flag of the Adal Sultanate (1415–1577)
    Flag of the Adal Sultanate (1415–1577)
  • Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1559–1793)
    Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1559–1793)
  • Flag of the Omani Empire (1700–1856)
    Flag of the Omani Empire (1700–1856)
  • Religious banner of the Isaaq Sultanate derived from an Adal Sultanate flag (1700s–1884)
    Religious banner of the Isaaq Sultanate derived from an Adal Sultanate flag (1700s–1884)
  • Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1793–1844)
    Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1793–1844)
  • Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844–1884)
    Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844–1884)
  • Flag of the Khedivate of Egypt (1874–1881)
    Flag of the Khedivate of Egypt (1874–1881)
  • Flag of the Khedivate of Egypt (1881–1884)
    Flag of the Khedivate of Egypt (1881–1884)

Italian Somalia

British Somaliland

Subnational flags

Federal member states

See also

Notes
  1. "Somalia". www.fotw.info.
  2. "Somali Embassy in Belgium – Somali Flag". 2014-06-11. Archived from the original on 2021-11-28. Retrieved 2021-11-28.
  3. History of the flag
  4. Maria Costantino, The Illustrated Flag Handbook, (Gramercy Books: 2001), p.185.
  5. "Somaliland's Horn Stars band arrested over Somali flag". BBC News. 28 September 2015.
  6. "Africa Live: Banned Nigerian athletes hold protest in Tokyo".
  7. Znamierowski, Alfred (1999). The World Encyclopedia of Flags. p. 222. ISBN 0-7548-0167-5.
  8. Talocci, Mauro (1982). Smith, Whitney (ed.). Guide to the Flags of the World. p. 131. ISBN 0-688-01141-1.
  9. "The World Factbook – Somalia". Central Intelligence Agency. Archived from the original on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  10. "Somalia". www.worldstatesmen.org.

References
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