Flag of Zambia

Republic of Zambia

Use	National flag and ensign
Proportion	2:3
Adopted	24 October 1964; 60 years ago (1964-10-24) (modified in 1996)
Design	A green field with an orange coloured eagle in flight over a rectangular block of three vertical stripes coloured from left to right in red, black and orange
Designed by	Gabriel Ellison

The national flag of Zambia was adopted upon independence on 24 October 1964, by the first Republican President Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda. Before that, Zambia was the British protectorate of Northern Rhodesia and used a defaced Blue Ensign as its flag.^[1]

The current flag is used as both national flag^[2] and ensign.^[3] It is green with an orange-coloured African fish eagle in flight over a rectangular block of three vertical stripes, coloured, from left to right: red, black and orange. The placement of the eagle and block of stripes at the flag's fly is notable as most emblems and devices on flags are placed at centre or at the hoist. Green stands for the nation's agriculture and lush flora,^[4] red for the nation's struggle for freedom,^[4] black for the Zambian people and all black Africans,^[4] and orange for the land's copper,^[4] natural resources in general, and mineral wealth. Additionally, the eagle flying above the coloured stripes is intended to represent freedom and the people's ability to rise above the nation's problems.^[4]

The Zambian flag was slightly modified in 1996. The shade of green used in the 1964 flag was replaced with brighter and lighter green and the eagle was slightly altered so as to be more like the one used in the Zambian coat of arms.^[5]