| Colors | HEX Code | RGB | CMYK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | #019EDA | 1, 158, 218 | 100, 28, 0, 15 |
| Yellow | #FAD201 | 250, 210, 1 | 0, 16, 100, 2 |
| Green | #20603D | 32, 96, 61 | 67, 0, 36, 62 |
The flag of Rwanda has three unequal horizontal stripes. The top stripe is light blue. The middle stripe is yellow, and the bottom stripe is green. On the upper fly corner, there is a yellow sun with 24 rays.
Meaning of the Flag of Rwanda
The light blue color represents happiness and peace. The yellow color represents economic development. The green color is for the hope of prosperity. The yellow sun with 24 rays represents enlightenment and a new beginning for the country.
History of the flag of Rwanda
Rwanda was the home of three major ethnicities, who are the Hutus, Tutsis, and Twa. In 1890, Rwanda became part of German East Africa along with Burundi. During WWI, both Rwanda and Burundi were occupied by the Belgian forces. The Belgian rule led to serious divisions among the Rwandan society. The tension between Hutus and Tutsis escalated in 1959. Rwanda became independent in 1962, and the Pan-African colors were used in the design of the vertically-striped flag, with a black “R” on the middle stripe to represent Rwanda . The independence in Rwanda did not bring peace and political stability. The ethnic struggle between the Hutus and Tutsis went on, until the 1994 Genocide happened and the majority of the Tutsis lost their lives in the genocide. After the bloody events, the flag was changed to represent unity of the country and promote peace. The new flag was hoisted in 2001, and is still in use today.