Pan-African Colours: Red, Gold, and Green

Why do so many African flags use the same red, gold, and green? The story of Pan-African colours and how Ethiopia inspired a continent.

The Pan-African colours — red, gold (or yellow), and green — appear on the flags of more than two dozen African nations. Their origin traces to Ethiopia, the only African nation to successfully resist European colonisation. Ethiopia's ancient flag used these colours, making them a symbol of African independence and pride. When Ghana became the first sub-Saharan African nation to achieve independence in 1957, it adopted the Pan-African colours to honour this legacy. Dozens of newly independent nations followed throughout the 1960s.