Introduction
The national flag of Cape Verde is a distinctive banner featuring a deep blue field with three horizontal stripes of white, red, and white near the bottom and a circle of ten yellow five-pointed stars on the hoist side. Adopted in 1992, it marked a significant departure from the flag of the previous single-party state, symbolizing the nation's new democratic path and its geographical and political identity. The design is notable for its asymmetrical composition, with the star circle offset toward the hoist, creating a unique and modern visual identity among world flags.
The flag's color scheme of blue, white, red, and yellow is both vibrant and symbolic, chosen to represent core national values. Its proportions are defined as 2:3, a common ratio that provides a balanced rectangular shape for official display. The precise arrangement of the elements is governed by a detailed construction sheet to ensure uniformity in its reproduction across all contexts.
Meaning & Symbolism
The deep blue field represents the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean that surrounds the Cape Verdean archipelago and the sky above it. The ten yellow five-pointed stars arranged in a circle symbolize the ten main islands of the nation: Santiago, Santo Antão, São Vicente, São Nicolau, Sal, Boa Vista, Maio, Fogo, Brava, and Santa Luzia. The circle formation represents the unity of the island nation and its people.
The three horizontal stripes carry their own significance: the white stripes stand for peace and the red stripe represents the effort and determination of the people. The overall design, with the stripes placed at the flag's bottom, is said to evoke a road of progress and development built upon the foundation of the ocean and the unity of the islands.
History of the Cape Verde Flag
Cape Verde's current flag was officially adopted on September 22, 1992, following the establishment of a multi-party democracy and the abolition of the single-party system aligned with Guinea-Bissau. This adoption replaced the previous flag, which was closely modeled on the banner of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) and featured the pan-African colors of red, yellow, and green with a black star.
The new design was chosen through a national contest and signified a clear break from the political union with Guinea-Bissau, asserting Cape Verde's independent national identity. The change in symbolism, particularly the shift from pan-African colors to a blue field, reflected the country's desire to emphasize its unique geographic character as an Atlantic island state.
Curiosities
- The flag is one of only two national flags (the other being Kosovo's) to feature a map or representation of its territory solely using stars.
- The circle of ten stars is intentionally not centered; it is placed closer to the hoist, which is a relatively uncommon design choice in vexillology.
- The shade of blue is officially defined as a 'dark blue,' but its specific Pantone code is 287 C, and the red is Pantone 186 C.
Download Flag
Download the flag of Cape Verde in high-quality SVG vector format or PNG raster images. SVG files can be scaled to any size without losing quality.
Construction Sheet
The flag's construction is precisely defined. The overall proportions are 2:3 (width to length). The blue field occupies the entire flag. The three horizontal stripes at the bottom have a combined height equal to one-quarter of the flag's width. The stripes are arranged as white-red-white, with the red stripe being twice the height of each white stripe. The circle of ten stars has a diameter equal to one-quarter of the flag's width, and its center is positioned at the intersection of the vertical line marking one-third of the flag's length from the hoist and the horizontal midline of the blue field above the stripes.
Flags Similar to Cape Verde Flag
Kosovo
map/stars on field
United States
circle of stars, but in canton
United Kingdom
blue/red/white
Netherlands
red/white/blue horizontal stripes
Common Misidentifications
Rarely misidentified due to its unique design, but the circle of stars may cause a very distant visual association with the European Union flag from a distance.