Sao Tome and Principe Flag

Description

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

About the Sao Tome and Principe Flag

The Sao Tome and Principe flag was raised for the first time on 12 July 1975, the day the two-island nation broke free of Portuguese colonial rule. It carries the classic Pan-African palette of green, yellow and red, arranged in three horizontal bands with a pair of black stars set against the central yellow stripe. Like many flags adopted at independence across Africa, it draws a direct line between the country’s landscape, its history, and the ideals its first government hoped to build.

Colours and Symbolism

Each colour on the Sao Tome and Principe flag carries a specific meaning. Green, filling the top and bottom bands, stands for the dense vegetation covering both islands. Yellow, in the wider central band, points to the tropical sun and, by most accounts, to the cocoa plantations that shaped the country’s economy for generations. Red appears in the small triangle at the hoist, representing the struggle for independence and the effort involved in achieving it. The two black stars sit on the yellow band and stand for Sao Tome and Principe themselves, the two main islands that make up the republic, with black also nodding to the African heritage of the population.

History of the Sao Tome and Principe Flag

Before 1975, the islands flew the flag of Portugal, as they had done since colonisation in the late fifteenth century. The design used today was put together in the run-up to independence and formally adopted on the day Portuguese rule ended. Manuel Pinto da Costa, who became the country’s first president, is credited with the design. It has not changed since, which makes it one of the more stable flags to emerge from the wave of African independence movements in the 1970s. Its Pan-African colour scheme links it visually to countries such as Ghana, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, adopted around the same period as a mark of shared political history.

Flying and Displaying the Flag

The Sao Tome and Principe flag is flown at government buildings, ports and during national celebrations such as Independence Day on 12 July. As with most national flags, it should be hoisted right side up, with the hoist-side red triangle closest to the pole, and given the same basic care as any national symbol: kept clean, not allowed to touch the ground, and lowered in poor weather if left outdoors for long periods. Because the design relies on a wide central yellow band and two clearly placed stars, it reads well from a distance, which is one reason it remains a popular choice for display at home or at community events.

Sao Tome and Principe 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 Sao Tome and Principe 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