Flag

ORIGIN:

The flag reflects the Pan-Arab colours which was first adopted by Syria in March 1920, and last by Sudan which officially hoisted it on the 20th May 1970.

COLOURS:

RED: The red colour stands for the struggles and for martyrs in the Sudan and the great Arab land.

WHITE: The white colour stands for peace, optimism, light and love.

BLACK: The black colour symbolizes the Sudan and the mahdija revolution during which a black flag was used.

GREEN: The green colour represents and symbolizes Islamic prosperity and agriculture.

 During the Anglo-Egyptian condominium there was no flag for Sudan, but the two flags ( and were used at all places. The Egyptian flag changed three times: until 1914 it was red with a crescent and star (as for the Ottoman); during 1914-1923 it was red with three crescents and three stars; and during 1923-1954 it was green with one crescent and three stars. I believe that the condominium finished in 1956 but the blue-yellow-green flag of Sudan was hoisted in 1954. W. Smith's 1975 book has a photo of the two flags with the following text: 'Therefore the flags of these two countries were flown jointly, with the Union Jack always taking precedence - except in the city of Suakin, where Egyptian flag flew alone

Flags of the Mahdi 1881 -

Lado enclave, 1894-1906

The Lado territory was a British possession which the British government rented to the Congo Free State in 1894. It was returned to Sudan in 1910.

The 1924 revolt

The flag of the 1924 revolt is white with the Egyptian flag in canton and the White Nile, Blue Nile and Atbara. The flag is the one of the nationalist movement called "White flag League" very active in the 1920s.
   

 Former flag, 1956-1970

First flag of independent Sudan, blue over yellow over green tricolour was adopted 1 January 1956. Ratio 1:2.

Jaume Ollé, 3-MAR-1996

There was a hijacking of a Sudanese airliner to Stansted airport here in England recently. In one newspaper report there was a colour photo of the airliner on the ground at the airport, and whilst it had the current Sudanese flag (in the "Arab Revolt" colours of red, white, green and black) painted on the fuselage by the cockpit, the "flash" (or what I believe is called the "cheat line") of the airline's livery along the length of the aircraft was clearly in the colours of the old blue over yellow over green flag used from independence in 1956 until 1970.

Anglo-Egyptian condominium