National Flag of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe (1975)

São Tomé and Príncipe is an archipelago nation situated off the western coast of the African continent and consists of the islands of São Tomé, Príncipe and some smaller islets.

Portuguese explorers discovered and settled the islands, believed to be uninhabited at the time, in the late 15th century.

The basic design of the flag has its origins in the flag of the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe (MLSTP), a nationalist political party that led the campaign for São Tomé and Príncipe’s independence against Portuguese colonial rule, in the early 1970s .

The national flag was adopted at independence from Portugal on the 12th of July 1975.

São Tomé and Príncipe’s flag displays the pan-African colours of red, yellow and green, which have been adopted by many African ex-colonies and symbolise African independence and unity.

It is believed the colours originated from the flag of Ethiopia, the oldest independent nation in Africa.

The Symbolic Meaning

Red symbolises the blood spilt to attain independence. Green represents the lush vegetation of São Tomé and Príncipe. Yellow symbolises the sun and represents the cocoa industry, an agricultural mainstay of São Tomé and Príncipe’s economy.

The colour of the two stars symbolises the African people and the two five-pointed stars themselves represent the country’s two main islands, São Tomé and Príncipe.