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Sierra Leone

Last modified: 2024-10-19 by rob raeside
Keywords: sierra leone |
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2:3 | image by Zoltan Horvath, 26 September 2024


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Description of the Flag

Green over white over blue tricolour. It may be noted that the shades of both green and blue are lighter then one might expect (if one consider that British very
dark blue
is to be expected as the "normal" blue shade here). Source: Album des Pavillons (2000)

This tricolour flag is probably derived from the coat of arms, which were granted in 1960.  The flag was adopted in 1961. The green in the coat of arms is symbolic of the hilly mountains, white and blue are for waves (i.e. sea). Smith (1975) agrees, adding that the white in the flag stands for unity and justice (cf. the national motto). Smith also calls the shades of the colours "leaf green" and "cobalt blue".
Željko Heimer
, 15 January 2003


Legal Description

The flag was last confirmed by Chapter One, Article 3(1) of the Constitution (Act No. 6 of 1991) dated 1 October 1991 as follows:
3. (1)
a. The Flag of which the design is described in paragraph (b) hereof is hereby declared to be the National Flag of Sierra Leone.
b. The design of the Flag shall be from the top of the Flag to the bottom thereof, three horizontal stripes of green, white and blue.
c. The normal size of the Flag for official use shall be in the proportion of nine units across to six units down.

Christopher Southworth, 25 April 2009


Colour specifications

The Constitution defines the national flag, but there is no illustration or color specification:
https://www.parliament.gov.sl/images/pdf/THE-CONSTITUTION-OF-SIERRA-LEONE-1991.pdf
I haven’t found any legislation on colors of national flag.
Zoltan Horvath, 26 September 2024

The protocol manual for the London 2012 Olympics (Flags and Anthems Manual London 2012) provides recommendations for national flag designs. Each NOC was sent an image of the flag, including the PMS shades, for their approval by LOCOG. Once this was obtained, LOCOG produced a 60 x 90 cm version of the flag for further approval. So, while these specs may not be the official, government, version of each flag, they are certainly what the NOC believed the flag to be.
For Sierra Leone: PMS 361 green, 292 blue. The vertical flag is simply the horizontal version turned 90 degrees anti-clockwise.
Ian Sumner, 11 October 2012

There is no official source that gives the exact colors of the national flag; those listed below are all approximate colors from the documented sources.

The Album des Pavillons 1990 [pay98] (Corr. No. 29.) gives approximate colors in Pantone and CMYK systems:
Green: Pantone 361c, CMYK 75-0-90-0
Blue: Pantone 300c, CMYK 100-45-0-0

The Flag Manual - Beijing 2008 gives Pantone colors: PMS 292 (blue), and PMS 361 (green).

The Album des Pavillons 2000 [pay00] (Corr. No. 5.) gives approximate colors in Pantone and CMYK systems:
Green: Pantone 361c, CMYK 75-0-90-0
Blue: Pantone 300c, CMYK 100-45-0-0

The Album des Pavillons 2023 specifies the colors of the flags in three color systems:
Blue: Pantone 300c, CMYK 88-57-0-0, RGB 0-103-193
Green: Pantone 361c, CMYK 78-0-100-0, RGB 18-173-43

Vexilla Mundi gives colors in Pantone system: PMS 377C (green), PMS White, and PMS 279C (blue).

Wikipedia illustrates the flag, and construction details, and gives Hexadecimal color values: Green: #1eb53a, White: #ffffff, and Blue: #0072c6.

Flag Color Codes gives the following color values:
Green: Hex # 1EB53A, RGB 30-181-58, CMYK 68-0-100-0, Pantone 361, RAL 6038
White: Hex #FFFFFF, RGB 255-255-255, CMYK 0-0-0-0, Pantone N/A, RAL N/A
Blue: Hex #0072C6, RGB 0-114-198, CMYK 55-13-0-0, Pantone 292, RAL 5015

Zoltan Horvath, 26 September 2024


Coat of arms

Sierra Leone coat of arms image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 27 May 2008

At least three flags depict the coat of arms of Sierra Leone in some form: UN Special Court for Sierra LeoneAmbassador and Queen Elizabeth's personal flag, 1961-1971. The image above is based on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Coat_of_arms_of_Sierra_Leone.png and http://Vector-Images.com.
António Martins-Tuválkin, 27 May 2008

The coat of arms of Sierra Leone are described as:

Shield: Vert a lion passant Or armed and langued Gules standing on a base Argent, two bars wavy Azure, and a chief indented of four points Argent, three flaming torches Sable, its flames Gules

Supporters: Two lions rampant Or, armed and langued Gules, each supporting a palm-tree proper

Compartment: A grassy ground Vert

Motto: UNITY, FREEDOM, JUSTICE
Zoltan Horvath, 26 September 2024


Naval Ensign of Sierra Leone

1:2 |   image by Zoltan Horvath, 26 September 2024

The Sierra Leone Navy is an arm of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces that is responsible sea patrol of Sierra Leone's territorial waters. In 2002 it was merged with the other service branches. Today the naval force has about 500 personnel and operates several small patrol craft and barges. Their primary responsibility is to protect and safeguard the territorial integrity of Sierra Leone's sea. Sierra Leone naval officers are trained by British forces. They received financial support from Britain and China.

Images of flag:
https://cocorioko.net
https://www.mod.gov.sl/images/navy-maritime3.JPG
Zoltan Horvath, 26 September 2024

A white flag with the national flag in canton, lacking the red cross is presented in Album des Pavillons (2000). Neither Smith (1975) nor Crampton (1990) show this flag - both reporting the national flag for all purposes. But maybe this was changed between 1975 and 1990.
Željko Heimer, 15 January 2003


Jack

The national flag is used as Jack.
https://shipshub.com/navy/186-1.html#lg=1&slide=0
Zoltan Horvath, 26 September 2024


Aircraft Marking

Air force roundel & fin flash 1973-

    images by Nozomi Kariyasu, 27 August 2024

Green-white-blue roundel. National flag is painted on the fin.

Željko Heimer, 15 January 2003