Zimbabwe: flag and coat of arms of the country

The Republic of Zimbabwe is a state in South Africa, a former colony of Britain. It is a country with a turbulent historical past and incredible natural beauty. What does the flag and coat of arms of Zimbabwe depict? What symbols do they carry? Let's find the answers in the article.

Zimbabwe: flag

The canvas of the state flag is divided into seven horizontal strips. All bands have the same width, their colors are traditional for African countries and have a symbolic meaning for Zimbabwe. The flag starts and ends with a green stripe. It symbolizes fertile land and orientation to agriculture.

Near the green stripes are the yellow, symbolizing the natural minerals, which abound in the country. After the yellow stripes, the red ones follow. This is the color of blood that the people of the country shed, winning freedom and independence. In the center is a black strip, symbolizing the local population.

Near the shaft is a triangle. Its white color is a symbol of peace and tranquility. On the triangle is a figure of a bird made of soapstone. The image repeats the silhouettes of the figurine found on the ruins of an ancient temple in Greater Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe bird is the national emblem of the state.

The red star - a symbol of socialism - is located behind the Great Bird.

History of the flag of Zimbabwe

The flag was approved in 1980. Before that time, Zimbabwe had experienced many historical events, and official symbols were changing. When the country was a British colony, the canvas of the flag was blue. In the left corner was a sign of Britain, and in the center was the coat of arms of the colony of Zimbabwe. The flag for a long time (from 1927 to 1968) was almost the same, only the image of the emblem on it changed, and in 1964 the canvas became blue.

The country becomes part of Southern Rhodesia. Three equal vertical stripes appear on the flag: two green lines and one white line between them. On the white strip there was an image of the Rhodesian coat of arms.

In 1979, the flag is radically changing. On the right side of the canvas are three horizontal lines: red, white and green. Near the shaft on a black vertical strip there is an image of a statuette of Zimbabwe Bird. The flag approaches the modern view. A year later, other stripes, a white triangle, a red star appear on it, and the final version of the flag of the country is established, which is still in effect.

Zimbabwe's coat of arms

The state emblem of Zimbabwe is full of symbols. The heraldic shield of green color supports kudu antelope, symbolizing different ethnic groups of the country and their unity. Antelopes are standing on a mound dotted with the main crops that are grown in the country.

Above the shield of arms there is a hoe and machine gun - symbols of labor and struggle for peaceful existence. Still higher is a figure of a bird made of soapstone and a red star.

The green color of the shield means the fertility and wealth of the state's lands. In the lower part of it, stones are depicted - these are the ruins of Greater Zimbabwe. The upper part shows alternating wavy white and blue stripes, as a symbol of the Victoria Falls - the national pride of the state.

Under the coat of arms, a white ribbon with a motto that contains the basic concept of the composition of the coat of arms and the political orientation of the country is included: "Unity, freedom, work".