Rhodesia Flag

Description

The Rhodesia flag is available from Flags Online in full-size and desk formats, printed on both sides and made to last outdoors.

About the Rhodesia Flag

The Rhodesia flag most commonly pictured today – green, white and green, with a coat of arms in the centre – only came into use in 1968, well after the territory itself had already broken from Britain. It belongs to a state that no longer exists: Rhodesia was the unrecognised, self-governing territory that declared independence in 1965 and was eventually succeeded by Zimbabwe in 1980. The flag is now a historical rather than a current national symbol, and it remains a contested one, still used today by some as a political and ideological symbol unrelated to its original governmental purpose.

Colours and Symbolism

Green was chosen to represent the country’s agricultural land and vegetation, and white for its rivers, waterfalls and the shared aspiration to fairness across the population, though the flag was flown by a government that in practice restricted political power to the white minority. At the centre sits the Rhodesian coat of arms, granted decades earlier, featuring a shield with a lion holding a pick-axe above a representation of the Zimbabwe Bird, a soapstone carving associated with the Great Zimbabwe ruins, flanked by two sable antelope and topped by a further lion.

History of the Rhodesia Flag

When the Rhodesian government issued its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from Britain in November 1965, it initially kept flying a light blue ensign carrying the coat of arms in the fly, similar in style to other British-linked ensigns of the period. The green-white-green design, adopted as the Rhodesia flag on 11 November 1968, the third anniversary of the declaration, replaced the blue ensign as the territory sought a flag that looked less tied to Britain. It continued in use even after Rhodesia declared itself a republic in 1970, and remained the flag flown until 1979, when a transitional government introduced a new design ahead of the territory’s eventual transition to independent Zimbabwe in 1980.

Flying and Displaying the Flag

The Rhodesia flag has no official status anywhere today and is not recognised by any current government; where it appears now, it is generally flown by individuals or groups referencing the historical territory rather than by any state authority, and in parts of southern Africa its display can be a sensitive or provocative act given the history of minority rule it represents. Collectors and enthusiasts of historical flags who want an accurate reproduction should look for the specific green-white-green proportions and the detailed coat of arms used from 1968, rather than the plainer blue ensign that came before it, since the two are easily confused but represent different periods.

Rhodesia Flag Sizes and Pricing

• 180 x 120cm — R860
• 22 x 15cm Desk Flag (10 units) — R800
• 10 x 15cm Desk Flag (10 units) — R650
• 90 x 60cm — R400

Material and Construction

Made from 100% polyester bunting material and digitally printed on both sides. Hemmed all around with two rows of stitching and finished with a polyester webbing heading. Rope and toggle for hoisting included.

Supplied in packs of 10. Printed on both sides onto polyester and supplied with a black plastic stick and removable base — take the base off and it doubles as a hand waving flag.

Ordering and Delivery

Every Rhodesia flag is printed to order and dispatched from our Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and Johannesburg branches, with courier delivery nationwide. Bulk and school orders are welcome — contact us for volume pricing on quantities of 10 or more.

Additional information