Last modified: 2004-12-29 by zeljko heimer
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by Mark Sensen
Flag adopted 10 November 1958, coat of arms adopted 23 December 1993.
National colours of Guinea are red, yellow and green. They are displayed vertically, in three equally wide stripes. They are the same as those of Ghana (which are displayed horizontally). Their adoption symbolizes "the continuity of the human emancipation movement". In a speech, Sékou Touré [first president from independence to his death - 1958-1984] explained the meaning of the colours.
"Red: the colour of blood, symbol of our anti-colonialist martyrs. It is the sweat that runs over the ivory body of farmers, factory workers and other active workers. It is the wish for progress. Therefore red matches perfectly the first word of our motto: "Travail" (Work).
Yellow: the colour of Guinean gold and African sun. It is the source of energy, generosity and equality for all men to which he gives light equally. Therefore yellow matches perfectly with the second word of our motto: "Justice".
Green: the colour of the African vegetation. 85% of the population are farmers living in the countryside, which is ever covered with a green coat. Green symbolizes prosperity which will surely arise from the wide wealth of soil and subsoil, and the difficult life of the countryside masses in our country. Therefore, green will confirm the meaning of the third word of the motto: "Solidarite'" (Solidarity)"
Bernard Charles. Guinée - L'Atlas des Voyages. Éditions Rencontre. Lausanne. 1963. 223 p.
located by Dov Gutterman, 28 March 1999 from http://www.guinee.net/bibliotheque/general/bcharles/edlq.html#flagmotto, translated by Ivan Sache, 29 March 1999.
by Zeljko Heimer
The flag of the president was the same as the national flag, with the coat of arms in the yellow field. The colours of the coat of arms seems to be different when used on the flag:
This flag was probably abandoned in 1984 when the COA was changed, after the deat of the
president Sekou Toure. The elephant was removed, and the COA showing rifle and sword was introduced.
On Dec 23rd 1993 Guinean government decided to remove the rifle and sword from the COA.
It the vertically partitioned field of red and green was at the same time removed and the new COA is voided.
Ivan Sache, Nozomi Kariyasu, Dylan Crawfoot, 19 June 2000
Juan Manuel Gabino, 5 September 2000
|1984 coat of arms from [cra90].||1993 coat of arms from the Government site.|