The Republic of Burundi

The National Flag of Burundi

The national flag of Burundi is a white saltire cross, with the top and bottom fields in red, and left and right fields in green. The white represents purity, the red represents the struggle for independence, and the green symbolises hope.

The first version of the flag featured a Karyenda drum in the central white disc, with a sorghum plant.

When the monarchy ended, the drum was dropped. The drum was seen as an obvious symbol of the monarchy. However, the sorghum plant remained.

Then, finally, March 28, 1967, the current flag was adopted. The sorghum plant was removed, and replaced with 3 six point red stars. The stars stand for "unity, work, and progress." Words taken from the national motto. They also stand for the 3 tribes that make up the population of Burundi. The Hutu's, the Twa, and the Tutsi.

In Burundi, a second flag has been used. A simple blue flag, with a gold disc in the middle. In the gold disc, is a map of Burundi. This flag is termed the Unity flag, and was brought in on the back of a referendum declaring a hope by the nation to call an end to ethnic hatred.