View source for Flag of Burkina Faso

{{Infobox National flag
| Name = Burkina Faso
| Article = 
| Type = 
| Image = Flag of Burkina Faso.svg
| Nickname = 
| Morenicks = 
| Use = 111000
| Symbol = 
| Proportion = 2:3
| Adoption = August 4, 1984
| Design = A Horizontal bicolor of red and green with a yellow star in the center
| Designer = 
}}
[[File:Flag of Upper Volta.svg|right|thumb|Upper Volta flag]]
The '''[[flag]] of [[Burkina Faso]]''' is formed by two equal horizontal bands of [[red]] (top) and [[green]], with a [[yellow]] five-pointed [[star]] resting in the center.<ref>{{cite web
  | title = Flag of Burkina Faso
  | work = [[The World Factbook]]
  | publisher = [[CIA]]
  | url = https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/flags/uv-flag.html
  | accessdate =2008-07-15 }}
</ref> The flag was adopted on 4 August 1984.  The colours are the popular [[Pan-African colours]] of the [[flag of Ethiopia|Ethiopia]], reflecting both a break with the country’s colonial past and its unity with other African ex-colonies. The red is also said to symbolize the revolution and the green the abundance of agricultural and natural riches. The yellow star placed over the red and green stripes is the guiding light of the revolution.  The flag was adopted following the coup of 1983 which brought [[Thomas Sankara]] to power.<ref name="WS">{{cite book
  | last = Smith
  | first = Whitney
  | authorlink = Whitney Smith
  | title = Flag Lore Of All Nations
  | publisher = Millbrook Press
  | year = 2002
  | pages = 21
  | url = http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=EFhAUbH6ra0C
  | isbn =0761317538 }}</ref>   

==National coat of arms==
The current coat of arms of Burkina Faso feature a shield with the national flag colors, with a scroll bearing the name "BURKINA FASO" accompanied by two stallions on each side, with an open book at the bottom. A lower banner bears the national motto in French: "Unity - Progress - Justice".

==Prior national flags and coat of arms==
The original flag of [[Burkina Faso#Upper Volta|Upper Volta]], adopted at independence, contained three horizontal stripes of black, white, and red. These colours represented the three major tributaries of the [[Volta River]], which flows south through the country: the [[Black Volta]], the [[White Volta]] and the [[Red Volta]].

From 1984 until 1997, the official Burkina Faso coat of arms used a revolutionary central crest featuring a [[scythe]] crossed with a Soviet [[AK-47]] assault rifle, along with an open book symbolising the importance of education and the study of revolutionary principles.  A lower banner declared in French, "Motherland or Death, We Shall Overcome".

==See also==
*[[Flag of Upper Volta]]
==References==
<References />
==External links==
*{{FOTW|id=bf|title=Burkina Faso}}

{{Africa topic|Flag of|title=[[Flags of Africa]]}}
{{Burkina Faso topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burkina Faso, Flag of}}
[[Category:National symbols of Burkina Faso|Flag]]
[[Category:National flags]]


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[[af:Vlag van Burkina Faso]]
[[am:የቡርኪና ፋሶ ሰንደቅ ዓላማ]]
[[ar:علم بوركينا فاسو]]
[[ast:Bandera de Burkina Fasu]]
[[az:Burkina Faso bayrağı]]
[[be:Сцяг Буркіна-Фасо]]
[[be-x-old:Сьцяг Буркіна-Фасо]]
[[bs:Zastava Burkine Faso]]
[[bg:Национално знаме на Буркина Фасо]]
[[ca:Bandera de Burkina Faso]]
[[cs:Vlajka Burkiny Faso]]
[[cy:Baner Burkina Faso]]
[[da:Burkina Fasos flag]]
[[de:Flagge Burkina Fasos]]
[[et:Burkina Faso lipp]]
[[el:Σημαία της Μπουρκίνα Φάσο]]
[[es:Bandera de Burkina Faso]]
[[fa:پرچم بورکینافاسو]]
[[fr:Drapeau du Burkina Faso]]
[[ko:부르키나파소의 국기]]
[[hi:बर्कीना फासो का ध्वज]]
[[hr:Zastava Burkine Faso]]
[[bpy:বুর্কিনা ফাসোর ফিরালহান]]
[[id:Bendera Burkina Faso]]
[[it:Bandiera del Burkina Faso]]
[[he:דגל בורקינה פאסו]]
[[sw:Bendera ya Burkina Faso]]
[[lv:Burkinafaso karogs]]
[[lt:Burkina Faso vėliava]]
[[hu:Burkina Faso zászlaja]]
[[mk:Знаме на Буркина Фасо]]
[[ms:Bendera Burkina Faso]]
[[nl:Vlag van Burkina Faso]]
[[ja:ブルキナファソの国旗]]
[[no:Burkina Fasos flagg]]
[[pl:Flaga Burkina Faso]]
[[pt:Bandeira de Burkina Faso]]
[[ro:Drapelul Burkinei Faso]]
[[ru:Флаг Буркина Фасо]]
[[sco:Banner o Burkina Faso]]
[[sk:Vlajka Burkiny]]
[[sr:Застава Буркине Фасо]]
[[sh:Zastava Burkine Faso]]
[[fi:Burkina Fason lippu]]
[[sv:Burkina Fasos flagga]]
[[th:ธงชาติบูร์กินาฟาโซ]]
[[uk:Прапор Буркіна-Фасо]]
[[yo:Àsìá ilẹ̀ Bùrkínà Fasò]]
[[zh:布基纳法索国旗]]