The flag of South Sudan was adopted following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended the Second Sudanese Civil War.^[1] A different version of the flag was previously used as the flag of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement. The flag of South Sudan predates the country, as the flag was adopted in 2005, while the country became independent in 2011.^[2][3]

Quick Facts Use, Proportion ...

South Sudan

Use	National flag
Proportion	1:2
Adopted	9 July 2005; 18 years ago (2005-07-09) 9 July 2011; 12 years ago (2011-07-09) (as national flag) 25 August 2023; 7 months ago (2023-08-25) (colors standardized)
Design	A horizontal tricolour of black, red, and green, fimbriated with white stripes; with a sky-blue equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bearing a yellow star
Designed by	Samuel Ajak
Use	Less commonly used version (sky-blue equilateral triangle with tilted star)
Proportion	1:2

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When Sudan became independent in 1956, the predominantly Christian and Animist people living in the south of the country had no regional symbols, while the already dominant Muslim north displayed Islamic symbols on the national flag. Before independence, the British government had arranged for appropriate local symbols for the regions in Sudan, but the new government in independent Sudan had opposed the use of these symbols as being counterproductive to fostering national unity.^{[citation needed]}

From the outset, the southern Sudanese felt discriminated against by the Islamic north. The southerners fought the Second Sudanese Civil War to gain their independence, followed by a peace agreement in 2005 that included a referendum on independence in the south. The referendum passed with overwhelming support in 2011, and South Sudan became officially independent on 9 July. In the 1990s, during their struggle with the north, the southern Sudanese had created a banner of independence, which would become the new national flag. The flag was designed by Samuel Ajak, who was an artist and brigadier general for the Sudan People's Liberation Army under revolutionary leader John Garang.^[4] Though the flag was never actually defined in detail, which led to many misunderstanding regarding its official colours or the rotation of the star on it.

The flag bears similarities with the flags of Sudan and Kenya. It shares the black, white, red, and green of the Sudanese flag (although the colours' symbolism are different), in addition to having a chevron along the hoist. The horizontal black, white, red, and green bands of the flag share the same design as the Kenyan flag, and the Pan-African symbolism thereof. Another difference between the flags of Sudan and South Sudan is that there is a yellow star inside the blue triangle (like the flag of the Belgian Congo), representing the unity of South Sudan.^{[5][circular reference]}

The Flag of South Sudan is still disputed about whether the star is tilted to the right slightly or whether it is upright as of 2024. The fixed and tilted stars were both used at John Garang's Funeral in 2005. Both of these designs are commonly used and the light blue also has designs with tilted stars and fixed stars respectively.^{[citation needed]}

The flag of South Sudan with a deep-blue coloured triangle is often used. On August 25, 2023,^[6] the country's Media Authority released an advisory discouraging the use of such flag variant. It is illegal in South Sudan to distribute an incorrect reproduction of the flag.^[7]

The South Sudanese government specifies that the colours of the flag are there to represent these descriptions of South Sudan:^[2][8]

• Black: Represents the people of South Sudan.
• Red: Represents blood that was shed for the independence of the country.
• Green: Represents the country's agricultural, natural wealth, land, as well as progress.^[4]
• White: Represents peace.
• Blue: Represents waters of the Nile River, a source of life.
• Yellow: Represents unity (of the states), hope, and determination for all people.^[4]

South Sudan has ten states, two administrative areas and one area with special administrative status. The ten states have adopted state flags.^[10]

• Coat of arms of South Sudan
• List of South Sudanese flags
• South Sudan Oyee!