Comoros Flag

The national flag of the Union of the Comoros is a distinctive and symbolic banner featuring four horizontal stripes of yellow, white, red, and blue. A prominent green isosceles triangle extends from the hoist side, containing a white crescent moon and four five-pointed white stars aligned vertically. This design, adopted in 2001, represents the nation's Islamic faith and its four main islands: Grande Comore (Ngazidja), Mohéli (Mwali), Anjouan (Ndzuwani), and Mayotte (Maore).

The flag's layout is unique, with the triangle and crescent creating a strong visual anchor on the hoist side, while the four colored stripes flow horizontally. The specific arrangement of the stripes and the vertical alignment of the stars within the crescent are key identifying features of the Comorian flag. Its color palette is both vibrant and meaningful, each hue carrying significant cultural and historical weight.

As a relatively recent design in the world of vexillology, the flag effectively consolidates the complex political and geographical identity of the Comorian archipelago into a single, cohesive emblem. It is a direct successor to several previous flags, each reflecting the nation's evolving political status.

The four horizontal stripes represent the four main islands of the archipelago. Yellow symbolizes Mohéli, white represents Mayotte (claimed by Comoros but administered by France), red stands for Anjouan, and blue signifies Grande Comore. The green triangle represents Islam, the dominant religion of the country.

The white crescent moon and the four white stars within the triangle are central symbols. The crescent is a traditional symbol of Islam. The four stars directly correspond to the four stripes and the four islands, emphasizing unity and the archipelago's composition. Their alignment within the horns of the crescent reinforces the connection between the nation's faith and its constituent parts.

The current flag was adopted on December 23, 2001, following the approval of a new constitution that created the Union of the Comoros. This design succeeded a flag used from 1996 to 2001, which itself replaced the flag of the Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros (adopted in 1992). The evolution of the flag mirrors the country's political changes, from independence in 1975 through periods of secessionist conflict and efforts to establish a stable union.

The 2001 design, created under the administration of President Azali Assoumani, was intended to provide a lasting symbol of unity for all four islands. It simplified and standardized the symbolic representation of the islands that had been present, in varying forms, on previous flags since independence.