flag of South Sudan

When Sudan became independent on Jan. 1, 1956, the predominantly animist and Christian peoples living in the south of the new country had no regional symbols, while the dominant Muslims in the country’s north and centre displayed banners with Islamic symbolism. Prior to independence the British (who had ruled jointly with the Egyptians) had arranged for appropriate local symbols for the regions in Sudan, but the new government in independent Sudan opposed the use of these symbols as being contrary to fostering national unity.

From the outset the southern Sudanese felt discriminated against by the Islamic north. The southerners fought a protracted and bloody civil war to gain their independence, culminating in a peace agreement in 2005 that included a referendum on independence in the south. That referendum was passed overwhelmingly in January 2011, and South Sudan became independent on July 9. In the 1990s, during their struggle with the north, the southern Sudanese had created a banner of independence, which became the new national flag hoisted for the first time as South Sudan became independent on July 9, 2011.

This flag has six colours. The black recalls the black African ancestry of the South Sudanese and the traditional name of their land, derived from the Arabic bilād al-sūdān (“land of the blacks”). The white in the flag is a symbol of peace and goodwill for all. Red stands for the blood and sacrifice of heroes and martyrs through the ages. Green symbolizes agriculture, forests, natural wealth, and prosperity as well as progress. The blue triangle represents the everlasting Nile River system, which flows through the land and provides sustenance. Yellow is a symbol of hope and determination for all the people.