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Formerly named the Gold
Coast (after the gold discoveries made by European explorers), Ghana was a British colony from 1874 until independence was
proclaimed on the 6th of March 1957.
Upon independence the Gold Coast
officially changed its name to Ghana, after an ancient west African
empire.
Ghana was the first modern
African state to achieve independence from colonial rule and it is
believed they looked to Ethiopia, the oldest independent African
state, for inspiration when considering their flag design.
Ghana became the
first African country of many to choose green, yellow and red, which have come
to be known as the pan-African colours.
Ghana first adopted its
current flag on the 6th of March 1957; it was replaced from 1964 to
1966 by a different tricolour (based on the flag of a Ghana political
party), but was reinstated on the 28th of February 1966. |
