Flag of Burundi
A white saltire divides the flag into red triangles at the top and bottom and green triangles at the sides. A white disc in the centre holds three red six-pointed stars outlined in green.
What the flag means
The constitution names the colours without explaining them. Red is usually given as the struggle for independence, green as hope and white as peace. The three stars refer to the national motto, Unity, Work, Progress, and are also linked to the Hutu, Twa and Tutsi peoples.
History
Burundi became independent from Belgium on 1 July 1962 as a kingdom, and its first flag had a karyenda drum in the central disc. When the monarchy was abolished in November 1966 the drum was removed, and a version with a sorghum plant was used for a few months. The three stars were introduced on 28 June 1967. On 27 September 1982 the proportions changed from 2:3 to 3:5.
Earlier flags of Burundi
- 1962–1966Saltire flag of the kingdom, with a karyenda drum in the central disc
- 1966–1967Saltire flag with a sorghum plant in the central disc
Flags of Burundi's neighbours
Sources
- Wikipedia: Flag of Burundi
- Flags of the World: Burundi
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Read how we research flags in our editorial policy, or report a mistake.
