Benin

The national flag of Benin consists of two horizontal yellow and red bands on the fly side and a green vertical band at the hoist. Adopted in 1959 to replace the French Tricolor, it was the flag of the Republic of Dahomey until 1975, when the People’s Republic of Benin was established. The new regime renamed the country and changed the flag to a green field with a red star in the canton. This version was utilized until the regime collapsed in 1990, coinciding with the Revolutions of 1989. The new government promptly restored the original pre-1975 flag. The colors of the flag carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. Green represents the hope of a new democracy; red represents the courage of the ancestors; and yellow is for the treasures of the nation.