Flag of Cameroon
Three equal vertical bands of green, red and yellow, with a yellow five-pointed star in the centre of the red band.
What the flag means
Article 1 of the constitution describes the flag as green, red and yellow in three equal vertical stripes but gives no meanings. The usual explanation is that green stands for the forests of the south, yellow for the northern savanna and the sun, and red for unity, which the star also represents.
History
The French-administered territory adopted a plain green, red and yellow tricolour by law in October 1957. When British Southern Cameroons joined it in 1961 to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon, two yellow stars were added to the green band for the two federated states. After the federation gave way to a unitary state in 1972, the two stars were replaced by a single star on the red band, officially hoisted on 20 May 1975.
Cameroon was the second African state, after Ghana, to adopt the pan-African colours.
Earlier flags of Cameroon
- 1957–1961Plain vertical tricolour of green, red and yellow
- 1961–1975Same tricolour with two yellow stars on the green band
Flags that look like this one
Mali is a plain green, yellow, red vertical tricolour. Senegal adds a green star in the middle. Guinea reverses the order to red, yellow, green. Cameroon is green, red, yellow with a yellow star in the centre.
Flags of Cameroon's neighbours
Sources
- Wikipedia: Flag of Cameroon
- Flags of the World: Cameroon
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Read how we research flags in our editorial policy, or report a mistake.
