List of flags of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of flags used by the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its antecedents.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Flags of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
National
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
2006–present | Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo | Sky blue flag, adorned with a yellow star in the upper hoist and cut diagonally by a red stripe with yellow fimbriation. |
Standards
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
2006–present | Flag of the president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo | National flag with the addition of the inscription "Le President" |
 |
1971–1997 | Presidential standard of Zaire | [citation needed] |
 |
1936–1960 | Standard of the governor-general of the Belgian Congo | Flag of the Belgian Congo superimposed on the upper hoist of the flag of Belgium |
Sub-national
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
.gif) |
1960–1967 | Flag of Léopoldville | |
 |
1967–2011 | Flag of Kinshasa | |
 |
2011–present | Flag of Kinshasa |
Political flags
| Flag | Date | Party | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
2009–present | Future of Congo |
Rebel groups
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
1967–1996 | Flag of the Party of the People's Revolution | |
 |
2006–present | Flag of the National Congress for the Defence of the People | The design of this flag resembles the flag of Zaire. |
 |
1996–present | Flag of the Allied Democratic Forces | |
 |
2014–present | Flag of Nduma Defense of Congo-Renovated | |
 |
2000–present | Flag of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda | |
 |
2010s–present | Separatist flag of Kivu | |
 |
1987–present | Flag of the Lord's Resistance Army |
Ethnic groups flags
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
?–present | Flag of Batwa (originally it was only represented by Batwa in Rwanda) | |
 |
?–present | Flag of the Bakongo in DMK[clarification needed] |
Historical
National
| Flag | Date | Associated state | Design | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
1876–1879 | International African Association | Blue background emblazoned with a central yellow five-pointed star | The blue background symbolises the Congo River and the yellow star (which is still used) symbolises both unity,[1] and a bright future.[2] It was the only flag used during the entire period of colonial Belgian administration. |
| 1879–1885 | International Association of the Congo | |||
| 1885–1908 | Congo Free State | |||
| 1908–1960 | Belgian Congo | |||
_(1960–1963).svg) |
1960–1963 | First Congolese Republic | An additional six yellow five-pointed stars are added to the hoist | The added stars represent the six state provinces existing at the time of independence from Belgium.[2] |
_(1963–1966).svg) |
1963–1964 | A yellow five-pointed star sitting alongside a red and gold bend sinister on a blue background | The red bend represents the blood of martyrs, and the gold frame represents the riches of the land.[1] | |
| 1964–1966 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | |||
.svg) |
1966–1971 | The red and gold bend sinister was changed to a reduced bend sinister | ||
.svg) |
1971–1997 | Republic of Zaire | Light green emblazoned with a yellow circle containing an arm holding a red torch | Filled with Pan-African colours, the flag has a central emblem which is that of the Popular Movement. The torch symbolises the spirit of revolution and the lives of dead revolutionaries.[3] |
.svg) |
1997–2006 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | ||
Other
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
1895–1908 | Flag of the Batetela Rebels | |
 |
1960–1962 | Flag of South Kasai | |
 |
1960–1963 | Flag of the State of Katanga | |
|
1971–1997 | Flag of the Armed Forces of Zaire | Similar to the Presidential Standard of Zaire |
Flag proposal
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
May 1960 | Anti-Lumumbist proposal for the flag of Congo-Léopoldville |