Civil Flag of the People's Republic of Mozambique (1983)

Situated on the south-east coast of Africa, Mozambique, officially known as the People’s Republic of Mozambique, was a Portuguese colony for four centuries before independence was finally achieved in 1975. 

The current national flag is based on the flag of Frelimo (the Mozambique Liberation Front), the nationalist organisation that led the campaign for Mozambique’s independence against Portuguese colonial rule. 

The Frelimo flag, the same as the current national flag without the emblem at the hoist, was briefly used as the transitional national flag when the leader of Frelimo became the first president of an independent Mozambique in 1975. 

It was replaced that same year and then re-adopted with the addition of an abbreviated version of the state arms in April 1983.

The Symbolic Meaning

Red represents the struggle for independence, green symbolises the land, black represents the African continent and yellow connotes the mineral wealth of Mozambique.

The yellow star resting beneath a simplified version of the state’s arms represents the socialist beliefs of the country.

The book symbolises education, the hoe represents the peasants and agriculture, while the rifle connotes the preparedness of the nation to defend its freedom.