# flag of Malawi

> national flag of the Republic of Malawi

**Wikidata**: [Q103001](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q103001)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Malawi)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/flag-of-malawi

## Summary
The flag of Malawi is the national flag of the Republic of Malawi, officially established on July 6, 1964. It is classified as a horizontal triband and Pan-African flag, featuring a design of black, red, and green stripes with a red rising sun on the black field. Although it was dissolved or abolished on July 29, 2010, it remains a digitally documented entity with a significant presence across global knowledge systems and multilingual encyclopedias.

## Key Facts
*   **Entity Type:** National flag of the Republic of Malawi; an instance of the "national flag" class.
*   **Adoption and Termination:** The flag has an inception date of July 6, 1964, and a recorded dissolved, abolished, or demolished date of July 29, 2010.
*   **Design Specifications:** It is a horizontal triband with an aspect ratio of 3:2.
*   **Colors:** The flag utilizes the colors black, red, and green.
*   **Symbolism:** The flag is described as depicting a "field" (tierced per fess) and specifically features a "sunrise" and a red "Sun."
*   **Genre:** It is categorized by genre as both a "horizontal triband" and a "Pan-African flag."
*   **Identifiers:**
    *   **BabelNet ID:** 03222626n
    *   **Freebase ID:** /m/02c1tq
    *   **Flags of the World ID:** mw
    *   **OSM Name Suggestion Index ID:** malawi-e5dc93
    *   **Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID:** topic/flag-of-Malawi (contributed by Whitney Smith)
    *   **Unicode Character:** 🇲🇼
    *   **Google Play Store ID:** Malawis_flagg_og_våpen
    *   **Fandom Article ID:** flags:Malawi
*   **Jurisdiction:** The flag applies to the jurisdiction of Malawi.
*   **Online Presence:** It has a Wikipedia sitelink count of 67, spanning languages such as English, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Tumbuka.
*   **Lexical ID:** Malawi_-_nationalflag
*   **Multilingual Aliases:** Includes Malawi flag (English), Bandera de Malawi (Spanish), Malawische Flagge (German), Flagge von Malawi (German), マラウイの旗 (Japanese), and 말라위 국기 (Korean).

## FAQs
**What does the design of the flag of Malawi represent?**
The flag is a horizontal triband of black, red, and green, classified as a Pan-African flag. It specifically depicts a red rising sun centered on a black field, and the entire field is described heraldically as "tierced per fess."

**When was the flag of Malawi in use?**
This specific flag design was established on July 6, 1964. According to official records, it was dissolved or abolished on July 29, 2010, indicating a change in the national flag standard during that period.

**Where is the flag of Malawi documented in databases?**
The entity is widely cataloged with identifiers including the Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID "topic/flag-of-Malawi," the Flags of the World ID "mw," and the BabelNet ID "03222626n." It also appears in the OpenStreetMap Name Suggestion Index and as a specific Unicode character (🇲🇼).

**How extensively is the flag covered on Wikipedia?**
The flag of Malawi has a sitelink count of 67, meaning it has dedicated Wikipedia articles in 67 different languages. These range from major global languages like French and Spanish to regional languages such as Tumbuka and Bamanankan.

**What are the technical dimensions of the flag?**
The flag is defined with an aspect ratio (width to height) of 3:2.

## Why It Matters
The flag of Malawi serves as a critical visual identifier for the nation's sovereignty and identity, particularly during the period from 1964 to 2010. Its classification as a Pan-African flag connects Malawi to a broader history of solidarity and liberation movements across the African continent, utilizing the symbolic colors of black, red, and green. The specific inclusion of a red rising sun on a black field offers a distinct heraldic representation that distinguishes it within the family of triband flags. In the digital realm, the flag's persistence across numerous knowledge bases—from academic authorities like Britannica to community platforms like Fandom and OpenStreetMap—ensures that the visual and historical data associated with this version of the Malawian flag remains accessible and interoperable. This extensive documentation preserves the flag's legacy despite its formal abolition, allowing researchers and systems to accurately reference the state symbol used during a significant era of Malawi's history.

## Notable For
*   **Pan-African Classification:** It is formally recognized within the "Pan-African flag" genre, aligning it with a specific political and cultural movement.
*   **Complex Depiction:** The flag is notable for depicting both a "sunrise" and a specific "Sun" entity, a detail captured in structured knowledge graphs.
*   **High Sitelink Count:** With 67 Wikipedia sitelinks, it has a higher-than-average presence on the internet compared to many other national flags, indicating strong global documentation.
*   **Britannica Contribution:** The entry is attributed to vexillologist Whitney Smith in the Encyclopædia Britannica Online, adding a layer of academic credibility to its record.
*   **Digital Cross-Platform Presence:** It is one of the few national flags with a specific, recorded ID in the Google Play Store ("Malawis_flagg_og_våpen"), likely associated with a mobile application.
*   **Unicode Inclusion:** It is represented by a specific Unicode emoji (🇲🇼), facilitating its use in modern digital communication.

## Body

### Definition and Classification
The entity "flag of Malawi" is formally defined as the national flag of the Republic of Malawi. In structured knowledge systems, it is classified as an instance of a "national flag," which serves as its primary ontological category. Beyond this broad class, it is further defined by its genre as both a "horizontal triband" and a "Pan-African flag." This dual classification situates the flag within a specific vexillological tradition (tribands) and a specific political-cultural context (Pan-Africanism). The flag applies directly to the jurisdiction of Malawi and is identified by the lexical ID "Malawi_-_nationalflag."

### Design and Visual Characteristics
The flag's visual composition is detailed through several structural properties. It is constructed as a horizontal triband with a defined aspect ratio of 3:2. The color palette consists exclusively of black, red, and green. In terms of heraldic and symbolic depiction, the field is described as "tierced per fess" (divided horizontally into three parts). Specific elements depicted on the flag include a "sunrise" and a "Sun," with the Sun explicitly qualified as red in the data. This combination of a rising sun against the black stripe is a defining visual characteristic that separates it from other triband designs.

### Chronology and Historical Status
The flag of Malawi is bound by two critical temporal markers. It has an inception date of July 6, 1964, which aligns with the period of independence for many African nations. However, the entity also possesses a property for "dissolved, abolished or demolished date," which is recorded as July 29, 2010. This indicates that this specific design was officially replaced or retired on that date. The existence of these precise dates allows the entity to be accurately placed within a historical timeline of national symbols.

### Global Documentation and Multilingual Presence
The flag of Malawi demonstrates a significant footprint in global information ecosystems. It holds a sitelink count of 67, reflecting Wikipedia articles in 67 distinct languages. This linguistic coverage is extensive, including major international languages (English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic), regional African languages (Tumbuka, Somali, Yoruba), and constructed or regional dialects (Simple English, Lojban, Catalan). The entity also maintains a dedicated category on Wikimedia Commons ("National flag of Malawi") and a specific image file hosted on the platform. This broad multilingual documentation underscores the flag's recognition and the priority placed on documenting this national symbol across diverse cultures.

### Database Identifiers and Digital Ecosystem
The flag is deeply integrated into the digital landscape through a wide array of persistent identifiers and platform-specific IDs:
*   **Academic and Authority IDs:** It is listed in the Encyclopædia Britannica Online under the ID "topic/flag-of-Malawi," with the entry credited to Whitney Smith. It also carries a BabelNet ID (03222626n) and a legacy Freebase ID (/m/02c1tq).
*   **Geospatial and Mapping Data:** The flag is linked to the OpenStreetMap (OSM) Name Suggestion Index via the ID "malawi-e5dc93," facilitating its use in mapping and location-based services.
*   **Mobile and App Ecosystems:** A specific identifier exists in the Google Play Store ("Malawis_flagg_og_våpen"), suggesting the presence of a mobile application related to the flag or national coat of arms.
*   **Gaming and Fandom:** It is documented on Fandom with the article ID "flags:Malawi."
*   **Character Encoding:** The flag is represented in the Unicode standard as the emoji character 🇲🇼.
*   **Vexillology Resources:** It is cataloged in the "Flags of the World" database with the ID "mw."

### Nomenclature and Aliases
The entity is referred to by a variety of names across different languages and contexts. Standard English aliases include "Malawi flag." In Spanish, it is known as "Bandera de Malawi." German aliases include both "Malawische Flagge" and "Flagge von Malawi." East Asian languages provide the aliases "マラウイの旗" (Japanese) and "말라위 국기" (Korean). These aliases are mapped to the central entity, ensuring that searches in these languages resolve to the correct knowledge entry.

## References

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