Historical Flags of Ethiopia
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Before the rectangular flag was created,
Ethiopia flew three colored pennants.
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Flag of Ethiopia
(1897–1914)
A year after Ethiopia decisively defended
itself from Italian colonization at the Battle
of Adwa, Menelik II on 6 October 1897
ordered the three pennants combined in a
rectangular tricolor from top to bottom of
red, yellow, and green with the first letter of
his own name (the Amharic letter "ም") on
the central stripe.
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Flag of the Ethiopian Empire
(1914–1936)
In 1914, the flag was reversed to its
current flag. The flag's tri-colour scheme
has existed since the early 19th century,
and the colours green, yellow, and red,
have carried special importance since at
least the early 17th century. The red was
then at the top.
Prior to 1996 (and to some extent even
today), the 'plain' flag was commonly seen
across the nation and the world.
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The Imperial Flag of Ethiopia
with the Lion of Judah
(1941–1974)
It remains popular with the Rastafari
movement and people loyal to
Emperor Haile Selassie I.
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War Ensign of the Imperial Ethiopian Navy
(1955–1974)
Based upon the Blue Ensign.
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Flag of Ethiopia (1974–1975)
modified after Haile Selassie's overthrow
by removing the crown from the lion's
head and by changing the cross finial to a
spear point.
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The Imperial Flag (i.e., royal flag) often featured the emblem of a Lion of Judah, a
crowned lion carrying a cross centred in the banner's yellow midsection. The flag is
understood to be a link between the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the
peoples, and the nation that was united. The processional cross carried by the lion
was the former flag or symbol of Ethiopia, and has likewise been in use since at
least the early 17th century.
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War Ensign of the Imperial Ethiopian Navy
(1974–1975).
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The official flag under the Derg
(1975–1987)
Essentially the Imperial flag without the
lion. It was seen more than the state flag.
During the Derg regime, a number of
different emblems were experimented with.
However, the basic colour schematic has
remained constant. Even after declaring
itself a Communist regime, the Derg did not
dare to tamper with the colours' layout, but
simply removed and changed the imperial
emblem after Haile Selassie I's overthrow.
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The state flag under the Derg
(1975–1987)
Rarely seen, and a forerunner to the flag
introduced in 1987.
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The flag of the People's Democratic
Republic of Ethiopia (1987–1991)
introduced the current ratio of 1:2
An alternative emblem featuring a five
pointed star and rays over a cogwheel
surrounded by a wreath of leaves was a
featured emblem.
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The flag of the Transitional Government of
Ethiopia (1991–1996). It is the same as the
1975–1987 official flag, except for the ratio.
It's still widely accepted by majority of
Ethiopians and the Ethiopian Orthodox
Tewahedo Church also uses the flag, the
Green, Yellow and Red as an official symbol
of the church. Many still believe that this
flag should and will be the official flag of the
country.
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The state flag of the Transitional
Government of Ethiopia, adopted on 28
May 1992.
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The flag of the Federal Democratic
Republic of Ethiopia from 6 February to
31 October 1996. Its central disc is
smaller and brighter than in the current
flag.
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The current flag.
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Alternative depictions of the Imperial Flag of Ethiopia
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The lion is the old emblem of the emperor,
and was part of the first Ethiopian flag
hoisted on 06 October 1897, but then the
order of the colours were red over yellow
over green.
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The Ethiopia tricolour, with the Lion of
Judah on one side and St George slaying the
dragon on the other, each encircled by the
collar of the Order of Solomon's Seal, in
each corner of the standard the badge of the
order (a Star of David with a cross).
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On his appointment to the Order of the
Garter in 1954 the Emperor ordered the
Imperial Flag of Ethiopia be adorned with
the collar of the Order of Solomon's Seal
with each corner of the standard the
badge of he order (a Star of David with a
cross) representing him as "Emperor of
Ethiopia" and "The Conquering Lion of the
Tribe of Judah."
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At the College of Arms (UK) website, an
article on Haile Selassie I says:
"On his appointment to the Order of the
Garter in 1954 the Emperor at first asked
that he be allotted two stalls in St George's
Chapel, one for him as Emperor of Ethiopia,
and the other for him as The Conquering
Lion of the Tribe of Judah."
"A compromise was reached and he
accepted one stall but with the banner
hanging above it having different devices on
either side to represent his dual status."
It would be interesting to find out what
those devices were. However, it may be
similar argument to why the old Ethiopian
flag had two sides, one with a lion and one
with the dragon. ~ Nathan Lamm and
Santiago Dotor, 20 May 2004
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Regional Flags of Ethiopia
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Ethiopia is currently split into nine different Regions. The Afar Region, the Harari Region, the Gambela Region, the Oromia Region,
the Somali Region, the Tigray Region, the Benishangul-Gumuz Region, the Amhara Region, and the Southern Nations, Nationalities,
and Peoples' Region, each with their own flag.
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Afar Region
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Amhara Region
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Benishangul-Gumuz Region
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Gambela Region
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Harari Region
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Oromia Region
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Somali Region
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Southern Nations, Nationalities and
Peoples Region
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Tigray Region
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Nothing is hidden from God's view!...
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