Uganda’s current national flag repeats black, yellow and red in six equal horizontal bands, with a crested crane in a white circle at the center. The bird faces the hoist. [1] [3] The established reference ratio is 2:3. [5]
Specification
Section 2 and Schedule 2, Part I of the National Flag and Armorial Ensigns Act (Chapter 172, 2023 consolidation) establish the name and design. The schedule specifies equal horizontal stripes in the order black, yellow, red, black, yellow, red, and a central white circle containing a crested crane. It gives no numerical ratio, disc diameter or crane drawing coordinates. Older editions identify the Act as Chapter 254. [1]
UNBS lists US 1: 2011, National flag of Uganda — Specification as compulsory. Its full text was not retrieved for this entry; no claim of compliance with its manufacturing requirements is made. [6]
Specimen colors
The values below are the downloaded SVG’s actual fills, not official textile colors or conversions. The legal description uses color names. [1] Reference publications offer differing color recommendations; no definitive Pantone, RAL or physical tolerance is selected here. [5]
#000000 / asset screen value#FCDC04 / asset screen value#D90000 / asset screen value#FFFFFF / asset screen value#9CA69C / asset screen valueConstruction notes
The inspected SVG uses a 900 × 600 canvas and matching viewBox. Overlapping field paths produce six visible bands, each 100 units high. A white circle at (450, 300) has radius 93.5: its 187-unit diameter leaves a 6.5-unit gap to each neighboring yellow band. These disc measurements describe this artwork only. The crane paths show a bird facing left toward the hoist, standing on one leg with the other raised. Its silhouette is asymmetrical. [7]
Flags of the World documents depictions with smaller discs that do not touch the yellow bands. The law does not resolve that variation numerically. This specimen matches the statutory arrangement and cited 2:3 reference proportions; its detailed crane outline and disc size are not presented as statutory geometry. [1] [5]
Historical record
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs dates adoption to 9 October 1962, Uganda’s independence day. [4] The flag Act commenced on the same date. [1] Article 8 of the 1995 Constitution continued the existing national symbols in use; it did not introduce a replacement flag. [2]
Symbolism and attribution
The Office of the Vice President associates black with African peoples, yellow with sunshine and red with African brotherhood. It credits Grace Ibingira with the design and identifies the bird as a grey crowned crane. These are government-published interpretations and attribution. [3]
Usage
This is the current national flag of the Republic, retained under Article 8. [2] The Ministry’s protocol handbook covers national-symbol display in official settings. [4] This record covers the independence design; earlier flags are separate historical designs. Public-domain specimen artwork does not itself establish permission for every use of a national symbol.
Source trail
- ULII: National Flag and Armorial Ensigns Act, Chapter 172 ↗ — commencement, section 2 and Schedule 2, Part I; 2023 consolidation.
- Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, Article 8 ↗ — continuity of national symbols.
- Office of the Vice President: National Symbols ↗ — current design, crane orientation, symbolism and designer attribution.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Protocol Handbook ↗ — section 8.1.0–8.1.1, printed page 33 (PDF page 34): adoption date and display guidance.
- Flags of the World: Uganda ↗ — Album des pavillons ratio, disc variants and differing color references.
- Uganda National Bureau of Standards: standards catalogue ↗ — US 1: 2011 listing and compulsory status; full standard not inspected.
- Wikimedia Commons: source, contributors and rights ↗; retrieved SVG ↗; local specimen provenance ↗.
Sources checked 15 September 2026. Related records: Kenya and Tanzania. Browse national flags or the Flag Index.