View source for Flag of Djibouti

{{Use British English|date=February 2026}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2026}}

{{short description|none}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox Flag
| Name = Republic of Djibouti
| Nickname = {{lang|so|Calanka Qaranka}}<br>{{lang|aa|Agat sigmabili}}<br>{{lang|ar|علم الوطني}}<br>{{lang|fr|Drapeau national}}<br>('National Flag')
| Image = Flag of Djibouti.svg
| Use = 111111
| Symbol = {{FIAV|111111}} {{FIAV|normal}} {{FIAV|Mirror}}
| Proportion = 2:3
| Adoption = {{start date and age|1977|06|27}}
| Design = A horizontal [[bicolour (flag)|bicolour]] of light blue and light green, with a white isosceles triangle at the hoist bearing a [[red star]] in its centre.
}}
The [[national flag]] of [[Djibouti]]{{efn|{{langx|so|Calanka Jabuuti}}; {{langx|ar|علم جيبوتي}}; {{langx|fr|Drapeau de Djibouti}}}} is a horizontal flag bicolour with equal bands of light blue and light green, with a white, equilateral triangle at the hoist. In the centre of the triangle is a red star.<ref name="Kamath"/> The flag combines the basic layout and colours from the flag of the [[Front de Libération de la Côte des Somalis]]. The light blue represents the sky and the sea, as well as the [[Somalis]], green represents the everlasting green of the earth, as well as the [[Afar people|Afars]], white represents the colour of peace and the five-pointed [[red star]] represents unity, the blood shed by the martyrs of independence, as well as [[Djibouti]] being one of the five regions inhabited by the [[Somali people]].

==History==
Beginning in the mid-19th century before the establishment of the [[French Somaliland]], other flags were used as the flag of the [[Ottoman Empire]], [[Tadjoura#Sultans|Sultanate of Tajoura]] and as well religious flags.<ref name=Brittanica>{{cite web|title=flag of Djibouti|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1355169/flag-of-Djibouti|website=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=15 September 2014}}</ref> During  the [[French Somaliland]] and [[French Territory of the Afars and the Issas]], the only ensign used was the [[Flag of France|tricolour]]. The flag was created and designed by the [[Front de Libération de la Côte des Somalis|Front for the Liberation of the Somali Coast]] (FLCS) as the party official flag in the 1960s, which was a guerrilla group who fought for the independence of Djibouti from France. With the help of ''Ligue Populaire Africaine pour l'Indépendance'' (LPAI) to independence in 1977.<ref name=Brittanica/> The Djiboutian flag was raised for the first time upon independence on 27 June 1977,<ref name=Brittanica/> by the head of police [[Yacin Yabeh Galeb]]. It is today flown on many governmental buildings.

==Characteristics==
Specifically, this flag consists of two horizontal bands sky blue and green, and a white isosceles triangle located on the side of the pole. In the middle of the triangle, a red five-pointed star appears.

The meaning of this flag is also found in the national anthem of Djibouti, with some differences:
* {{legend|#6AB2E7|'''Sky blue''': "symbolises [[Bab el-Mandeb]] and the [[Gulf of Tadjourah]], however the national anthem references the blue of the sky."}}
* {{legend|#12AD2B|'''Green''': "symbolises the earth, expressed by the eternal green of the earth."}}
* {{legend|#D7141A|'''Red''': "symbolises the blood shed by the martyrs of independence."}}
* {{legend|#FFFFFF|'''White''': "symbolic white of peace"}}

In the middle of the triangle, a red five-pointed star symbolises national unity.<ref name="Kamath">{{cite book|author=Anjali Kamath|title=Flag Book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F5HxLS-NKLIC&pg=PT19|publisher=Popular Prakashan|isbn=978-81-7991-512-7|page=19}}</ref>

==Historical flags==
[[File:Djibouti Flag flying near the Sea.png|thumb|right|The national flag of Djibouti flying near the sea.]]
The following are the flags historically used in the territory of present-day Djibouti:

<gallery>
Flag of Adal Sultanate.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of the [[Adal Sultanate]] (1415–1577)
Flag of Ottoman Empire (1517-1793).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} [[Flag of the Ottoman Empire]] (1577–1793), used when [[Habesh Eyalet]] included part of present-day Djibouti.
Flag of the Ottoman Empire (eight pointed star).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1793–1844).
Flag of the Ottoman Empire.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844–1883).
Flag of Muhammad Ali.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of the [[Khedivate of Egypt]] (1874–1881), used when the [[Khedivate's Somali Coast]] included part of present-day Djibouti.
Flag of Egypt (1882-1922).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of the Khedivate of Egypt (1881–1883).
Flag of France.svg|{{FIAV|historical}} [[Flag of France]], used between 1896 and 1977, as [[French Somaliland]] is the predecessor to today's Djibouti.
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[History of Djibouti]]
*[[Djibouti (anthem)]]
*[[Djibouti (country)]]
*[[Djibouti (city)]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20260118090337/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/djibouti/ CIA World Factbook - Djibouti]
*{{FOTW|id=dj|title=Djibouti}}

{{Djibouti topics}}
{{Arab Flags}}
{{Africa topic|Flag of|title=[[Flags of Africa]]}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Djibouti, Flag of}}
[[Category:Flags of Africa]]
[[Category:National symbols of Djibouti|Flag]]
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1977]]
[[Category:National flags|Djibouti]]
[[Category:Quadcolor flags]]
[[Category:Flags with stars]]
[[Category:Flags with blue, green and white]]