Flag of Malawi

The national flag of Malawi was officially adopted on 6 July 1964 when the colony of Nyasaland became independent from British rule and renamed itself Malawi.

The first flag of independent Malawi was adopted on 6 July 1964. A rising sun against a black field is also present in the coat of arms of Malawi and in the flag it officially represents the dawn of hope and freedom for the continent of Africa (when the flag was created, more countries in Africa were gaining independence from European rule). The black represents the indigenous people of the continent, the red symbolises the blood of their struggle, and the green represents nature. The flag resembles the Pan-African flag designed by the Universal Negro Improvement Association, which was founded and led by Jamaican pan-Africanist leader Marcus Garvey, with the red and black bands reversed and a red sun at the top. It also resembles the flag of the now-defunct Republic of Biafra and the national flag of Afghanistan used from 1974 to 1992.