Democratic Republic of the Congo Flag Colors, Meaning & History

Democratic Republic of the Congo flag
Color Palette
ColorsHEX CodeRGBCMYK
Sky Blue#007FFF0, 127, 255100, 50, 0, 0
Yellow#F7D618247, 214, 240, 13, 90, 3
Red#CE1021206, 16, 330, 92, 84, 19

The flag of the Democratic Republic of Congo has a sky blue field, cut diagonally by a red stripe that is bordered by a thin yellow frame. A yellow, five-pointed star adorns the upper hoist corner.

Meaning of the Democratic Republic of Congo Flag

The blue color of the flag is a symbol of peace. The red color represents the bloodshed by the country’s martyrs who fought for independence. The yellow color signifies the wealth of the country. The star is a symbol of the country’s future. 

History of the Democratic Republic of Congo Flag

Congo was led by King Leopold II of Belgium between the years of 1877 to 1908. The rule of King Leopold II was a time of slavery for the Congolese, so Belgium took the area from King Leopold II, and the country became the “Belgian Congo.” Before independence, the flag had a blue field with a yellow star in the center. In 1960, the Congo became an independent state, and the current flag was adopted. The flag remained in use until the country’s name was changed to Zaire in 1971. The Flag of Zaire had a green field, with a yellow disk, and an arm with a torch featured on the yellow disc. After the defeat of the dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, the country became “The Democratic Republic of Congo.”. The flag has been changed three times between 1997-2006. In 2006, the blue color was made lighter, and the flag of 1960 became official again.