Namibia's flag went up for the first time on March 21, 1990, the day the country became independent. Behind that date lay German colonial rule from the late 19th century, then South African administration under a League of Nations mandate after the First World War, and a long liberation struggle led principally by the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO). The United Nations pressed the case for Namibian sovereignty with sanctions and diplomacy, and the handover itself was UN-supervised.
The flag came out of a national competition run in preparation for independence. A special committee sifted more than 800 entries before settling on the winning design.
Reading the flag
A red band edged in white runs from the lower hoist corner to the upper fly corner, cutting the field into two triangles. The upper triangle is blue and carries a golden sun with twelve triangular rays. The lower one is green.
Blue is the Namibian sky and the Atlantic, which forms the country's western boundary. Red is the Namibian people, their struggles and their resilience. White is peace and unity. Green is vegetation and farmland. The sun stands for life and energy. The flag flies at a ratio of 2:3, and construction sheets fix the angles and dimensions for official reproduction.
The palette overlaps with the pan-African colors used across the continent, and the design carries the mark of the liberation movement that fought for independence, though the arrangement is Namibia's own.
Where it flies
The flag flies over government buildings, at Namibian embassies and high commissions, and on national holidays such as Independence Day. Protocol holds that it should not touch the ground, and it is flown from sunrise to sunset unless it is lit at night. Military versions carry distinguishing emblems for different branches or ranks. The flag also appears in the Namibian coat of arms and in the presidential standard.
References
[1] Government of Namibia. http://www.gov.na
[2] United Nations Archives on Namibia. https://archives.un.org
[3] Smith, Whitney. "Flags Through the Ages". Boston: McGraw-Hill, 1975.