# flag of Guinea-Bissau

> national flag of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau

**Wikidata**: [Q102953](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q102953)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Guinea-Bissau)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/flag-of-guinea-bissau

## Summary
The flag of Guinea-Bissau is the national flag of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, characterized by a Pan-African design of red, yellow, green, and black. Adopted in 1973, it features a vertical red stripe at the hoist containing a black five-pointed star, and two horizontal stripes of yellow and green. It serves as the primary national symbol for the sovereign state.

## Key Facts
*   **Entity Definition:** Defined as the "national flag of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau."
*   **Adoption Date:** The flag was established in 1973.
*   **Design Genre:** It is classified as a Pan-African flag.
*   **Color Palette:** The design utilizes four specific colors: red, yellow, green, and black.
*   **Geometric Specifications:** The flag has an aspect ratio of 2:1 (width to height).
*   **Structural Layout:**
    *   A "flanche" (vertical band) colored red.
    *   A "field" divided "party per fess" (horizontally) into yellow and green stripes.
    *   A black five-pointed star positioned on the red flanche.
*   **Unicode Representation:** The flag is represented by the Unicode character 🇬🇼.
*   **Jurisdiction:** The flag applies to the jurisdiction of Guinea-Bissau.
*   **Digital Identifiers:**
    *   Freebase ID: `/m/029r6h`
    *   BabelNet ID: `03206116n`
    *   Flags of the World ID: `gw`
    *   Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID: `topic/flag-of-Guinea-Bissau`
    *   OSM Name Suggestion Index ID: `guineabissau-e5dc93`
*   **Wikipedia Presence:** The entity has Wikipedia articles in 67 different languages, including English, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Japanese.

## FAQs
**What are the specific design elements of the flag of Guinea-Bissau?**
The flag features a red vertical band at the hoist containing a black five-pointed star, while the fly side is divided horizontally into a yellow stripe over a green stripe. This composition classifies it as a Pan-African flag.

**How is the flag of Guinea-Bissau identified in global knowledge systems?**
It is cataloged under various persistent identifiers including BabelNet ID `03206116n`, Freebase ID `/m/029r6h`, and the Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID `topic/flag-of-Guinea-Bissau`. It also has a dedicated entry in the Flags of the World database with the ID `gw`.

**What is the aspect ratio of the flag?**
The flag has a defined aspect ratio of 2:1, meaning its width is exactly twice its height.

**Who has documented the flag of Guinea-Bissau?**
The flag has been documented by multiple sources, including Encyclopædia Britannica (with an entry by Whitney Smith) and the Flags of the World organization. It is also indexed in the OpenStreetMap Name Suggestion Index.

## Why It Matters
As the official national flag, this symbol solves the fundamental need for a distinct visual identifier for the Republic of Guinea-Bissau in the international arena. Its adoption in 1973 marked a significant milestone in the nation's history, representing its sovereignty and political identity following its struggle for independence. The design's adherence to the Pan-African color scheme links Guinea-Bissau culturally and politically with other African nations, symbolizing solidarity and shared heritage across the continent. It serves as a crucial element in diplomacy, international representation, and national cohesion.

## Notable For
*   **Pan-African Identity:** It is a distinct example of a Pan-African flag, utilizing the specific color palette (red, yellow, green, black) common to many African nations.
*   **Unique Geometric Composition:** The flag is notable for its specific "party per fess" and "flanche" design structure, combining a vertical hoist with horizontal stripes and a central star.
*   **Extensive Multilingual Documentation:** The flag is documented in 67 different language editions of Wikipedia, indicating high global visibility and recognition.
*   **Unicode Inclusion:** The flag is encoded in the Unicode Standard (🇬🇼), allowing for consistent digital text representation across modern computing platforms.

## Body

### Definition and Classification
The flag of Guinea-Bissau is formally defined as the national flag of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau. It is classified ontologically as an "instance of" a national flag. Its design is explicitly categorized under the genre of "Pan-African flag," aligning it with a broader tradition of African national symbols that utilize specific colors to represent continental unity and liberation.

### Design Specifications and Symbolism
The visual composition of the flag is rigorously defined by its color and geometric properties. The colors specified are red, black, yellow, and green. Structurally, the flag is divided into two main sections:
*   **The Hoist (Flanche):** A vertical red band that contains a black five-pointed star.
*   **The Field:** A horizontal division ("party per fess") comprising a yellow stripe over a green stripe.
The flag's physical proportions are fixed at an aspect ratio of 2:1.

### Historical Context and Adoption
The flag was officially adopted in 1973. This date corresponds with the period of the country's unilateral declaration of independence and subsequent international recognition. The design reflects the political ideologies of the time, heavily influenced by the Pan-African movement.

### Global Knowledge Base Representation
The entity is extensively indexed across major knowledge graphs and encyclopedic platforms, demonstrating its global recognition.
*   **Encyclopedic References:** It possesses an Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID (`topic/flag-of-Guinea-Bissau`), with the entry attributed to Whitney Smith, a noted vexillologist. It is also cataloged in the Flags of the World database with the ID `gw`.
*   **Library and Semantic Web IDs:** The flag is tracked in the Freebase knowledge base (`/m/029r6h`) and BabelNet (`03206116n`).
*   **Digital Mapping:** In the OpenStreetMap ecosystem, it is identified by the Name Suggestion Index ID `guineabissau-e5dc93`.

### Multilingual and Cultural Aliases
The flag is recognized by a wide array of names across different languages and cultures, reflecting its global documentation. Aliases include:
*   **European Languages:** *Bandera de Guinea-Bissáu* (Spanish), *Drapeau de la Guinee-Bissau* (French), *Guineisch-bissauische Flagge* (German).
*   **Asian Languages:** *ギニアビサウの旗* (Japanese), *幾內亞比紹國旗* / *畿內亞比索國旗* (Chinese), *기니비사우 국기* (Korean).
*   **Variants:** Other aliases include *Bandera de Guinea-Bisau* and *Guinea-Bissau flag*.

### Digital and Technical Integration
The flag has a presence in modern digital communication standards and platforms.
*   **Unicode:** It is represented by the regional indicator symbol emoji 🇬🇼.
*   **Wikimedia:** The image is hosted on Wikimedia Commons at `Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg` and is categorized under "Flags of Guinea-Bissau." It has a "sitelink count" of 67, indicating extensive coverage across Wikipedia language editions (ranging from `af` to `zh_yue`).
*   **App Stores:** A unique store ID `Guinea-Bissaus_flagg_og_våpen` suggests specific application software related to the flag.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. BabelNet
3. Name Suggestion Index