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People's Republic of Congo (1969 - 1991)

République Populaire du Congo

Last modified: 2022-10-22 by bruce berry
Keywords: congo | brazzaville | star: 5 points (yellow) | hammer | hoe | palm leaves |
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[National flag and ensign] 2:3~  Image by Zeljko Heimer, 26 May 2001

See also:


People's Republic of Congo flag (1969-1991)

Following a Marxist revolution in 1964, a one party state was established in the Republic of Congo  (Congo-Brazzaville) in December 1969 and the country was renamed the People’s Republic of  Congo and a new flag based on the that of the former Soviet Union was adopted.  At the National Conference for the Restoration of Democracy held in 1991, multiparty democracy was restored and it was also decided to re-adopt the original flag, arms and national anthem.
Bruce Berry, 12 Mar 2011

The People's Republic constitution adopted a new flag on the 30 December 1969.  The flag was Soviet-inspired but still used the same three colours as found on the previous flag.  The hammer and hoe were a variation of the hammer and sickle, and the yellow star represented the leading role of the one legal party.  The red symbolised the blood shed by the anti-colonialist fighters in the struggle for independence. Following the end of the one party regime, a new constitution went in force on the 10 June 1991 and the original flag was restored.
Dov Gutterman, 11 Jan 1999

The adoption date of the new flag was 30 December 1969, the same day as the new constitution. The flag, the constitution and the "People's Republic" name came into force on 01 January 1970.

The red flag is a copy of the Parti Congolais du travail  (PCT) ( the Congolese Labour Party).
Jean-Francois Blanc, 01 Dec 1999


Army flag

image by Jaume Ollé, 08 Dec 1995

The parade flag of the Army of the People's Republic of Congo adopted on 01 January 1970 was a variation of the national flag with the name of the country inscribed in gold beneath the emblem. 
Jaume Ollé, 08 Dec 1995


Unusual variant

image by BlinxCat, 02 May 2022

An usual variant showing two palm trees behind the hammer and sickle on the flag of the former USSR appeared on a contemporary Spanish flag chart labeled as Congo (República Popular de).
Esteban Rivera and BlinxCat, 02 May 2022