Flag of Central African Republic
The desire for harmony and cooperation between the Central African Republic and its former colonizer, France, as well as for African unity, is expressed in the unusual design of this flag which was adopted on 1 December 1958, two years before the country gained independence. The drawing of the flag was created by Barthélemy Boganda, the foremost president of the independent land of Oubangui-Chari, who thought that "France and Africa must march together". Its colors symbolize ideals, including freedom (blue), equality and purity (white), hope (green) and tolerance (yellow). The red, crossing the other four colors, represents both national heroes and unity. The colors of France and the Pan-African movement, with its ideal of African unity, are both present. The five-pointed gold start in the blue of the canton expresses further the hope of African unity. The ratio of the flag is 3:5.
