Angola’s flag, adopted at independence on 11 November 1975, is a red‑over‑black horizontal bicolour charged with a yellow emblem of half gear, machete, and star. Red commemorates sacrifices in liberation; black represents Africa; the gear denotes industry; the machete agricultural labour and armed struggle; the star progress and solidarity. A 2:3 ratio and emblem construction are standardised; proposed redesigns have not been enacted.
The Angolan flag translates liberation‑era symbolism into a constitutional state emblem.
Adoption
and antecedents. On 11 November 1975, at independence from Portugal, Angola adopted a red‑over‑black bicolour bearing a yellow emblem of half gear, machete, and star, drawing from MPLA iconography reinterpreted as national. The bicolour recalls sacrifice (red) and the African continent (black).
Emblem. The half gear represents industrial workers and development; the machete recalls rural labour and the armed struggle; the star connotes progress and international solidarity. The emblem’s geometry and relative sizes are prescribed to ensure manufacturing consistency.
Standards and protocol
Typical ratio 2:3; the emblem is centred, its diameter proportioned to flag height. Protocol governs respectful treatment, order of precedence, and half‑masting. Desecration is prohibited.
Reform debates. A redesign proposed in the early 2000s—blue field with sun and Southern Cross—was not adopted; the 1975 design remains in force, signalling continuity amid political evolution.
Public use. The flag flies across ministries, forces, and missions; it anchors ceremonies on Independence Day and other national observances, and serves as a visual shorthand of Angola abroad.
Thus the Angolan banner retains liberation symbology while operating under precise legal standards.