List of flags of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

This is a list of flags used by the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its antecedents.

National

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	2006–present	Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo	Sky blue flag, adorned with a yellow star in the upper left canton and cut diagonally by a red stripe with a thin yellow frame.

Standards

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	?–present	Flag of the president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo	National flag with the addition of the inscription "Le President"
	1971–1997	Presidential standard of Zaire
	1936–1960	Standard of the governor-general of the Belgian Congo	Flag of the Belgian Congo superimposed on the top left of the flag of Belgium

Sub-national

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1960–1967	Flag of Léopoldville
	1967–2011	Flag of Kinshasa
	2011–present	Flag of Kinshasa

Political flags

Flag	Date	Party	Description
	2009–Present	Future of Congo

Rebel groups

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	2006–present	Flag of National Congress for the Defence of the People	The design of this flag resembles the flag of Zaire.
	1996–present	Flag of Allied Democratic Forces
	2014–present	Flag of Nduma Defense of Congo-Renovated
	2000–present	Flag of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda
	2010s–present	Separatist flag of Kivu
	1987–present	Flag of the Lord's Resistance Army

Ethnic groups flags

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	?–present	Flag of Batwa (originally it was only represented by Batwa in Rwanda)
	?–present	Flag of the Bakongo in DMK

Historical

National

Flag	Date	Associated state	Design	Notes
	1876–1879	International African Association	Blue background emblazoned with a central yellow five-pointed star	The blue background symbolises the Congo River and the yellow star (which is still used) symbolises both unity, and a bright future. It was the only flag used during the entire period of colonial Belgian administration.
	1879–1885	International Association of the Congo
	1885–1908	Congo Free State
	1908–1960	Belgian Congo
	1960–1963	First Congolese Republic	An additional six yellow five-pointed stars are added to the hoist	The added stars represent the six state provinces existing at the time of independence from Belgium.
	1963–1964		A yellow five-pointed star sitting alongside a red and gold bend sinister on a blue background	The red bend represents the blood of martyrs, and the gold frame represents the riches of the land.
	1964–1966	Democratic Republic of the Congo
	1966–1971		The red and gold bend sinister was changed to a reduced bend sinister
	1971–1997	Republic of Zaire	Light green emblazoned with a yellow circle containing an arm holding a red torch	Filled with Pan-African colours, the flag has a central emblem which is that of the Popular Movement. The torch symbolises the spirit of revolution and the lives of dead revolutionaries.
	1997–2003	Democratic Republic of the Congo
	2003–2006

Other

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1895–1908	Flag of the Batetela Rebels
	1960–1962	Flag of the South Kasai
	1960–1963	Flag of the State of Katanga
	1971–1997	Flag of the Armed Forces of Zaire	Similar to the Presidential Standard of Zaire

Flag Proposal

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	May 1960	Anti-Lumumbist proposal for the flag of Congo-Léopoldville

References

General

• Jott, K.J. (2010). Flags of the World. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7643-3635-5.
• Moore, Edwin; Ross, David (1986). Collins Gem Guides: Flags of the World. Glascow: William Collins, Sons & Co. Ltd. ISBN 0-00-459503-3.
• Znamierowski, Alfred (2003). The World Encyclopedia of Flags (2nd ed.). London: Anness Publishing. ISBN 0-681-60280-5.