View source for Flag of Seychelles

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{{EngvarB|date=June 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025|cs1-dates=l}}
{{Infobox Flag
| Name = Republic of Seychelles
| Image = Flag of Seychelles.svg
| Image_size = 250px
| Use = 111111
| Symbol = {{FIAV|normal}}
| Proportion = 1:2
| Adoption = {{start date and age|1996|01|08|df=y}}
| Design = Five oblique bands of blue, yellow, red, white, and green radiating from the bottom of the hoist side.
| Designer = Philip Uzice<ref>[https://www.nation.sc/archive/259290/the-man-behind-the-seychelles-flag The man behind the Seychelles flag]</ref>
| Image2 = Flag of the President of Seychelles.svg
| Alt2 = 
| Noborder2 = <!-- Leave blank for rectangular flag; for non-rectangular flag, type "yes". -->
| Nickname2 = 
| Morenicks2 = 
| Use2 = President's flag
| Symbol2 = <!-- |Use2="6-digit FIAV usage code" is required. -->
| Proportion2 = 
| Adoption2 = 
| Relinquished2 = 
| Design2 = 
| Designer2 = }}
[[File:Flag of Seychelles.jpg|thumb|Flying flag of Seychelles]]

The [[national flag]] of [[Seychelles]] ({{Lang|fr|drapeau national des Seychelles}}) was adopted on 8 January 1996.<ref>{{cite book|author=DK Publishing|title=Complete Flags of the World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1yahq8im86kC&pg=PA105|year=2009|publisher=DK Publishing|isbn=978-0-7566-5486-3|page=105}}</ref> The current flag is the third used by the country since its independence from the United Kingdom on 29 June 1976.<ref>{{cite web|title=Seychelles flag|url=http://www.worldflags101.com/s/seychelles-flag.aspx|website=World Flags|access-date=15 September 2014|archive-date=21 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221190012/http://www.worldflags101.com/s/seychelles-flag.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> The colours used in the current flag are the official colours of two of the country's major political parties: the [[Seychelles People's United Party]] and the [[Seychelles Democratic Party]].

== Description ==
This unique flag consists of five different oblique coloured bands (blue, yellow, red, white, and green) starting from one end and diverging towards the other end.<ref name="mfa">{{Cite web |url=http://www.mfa.gov.sc/uploads/files/filepath_39.pdf |title=New National Symbols of the Republic of Seychelles – Republic of Seychelles Ministry of Foreign Affairs |access-date=2014-09-15 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054045/http://www.mfa.gov.sc/uploads/files/filepath_39.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="MairBeckley2012">{{cite book|author1=Lyn Mair|author2=Lynnath Beckley|title=Seychelles|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AD3xB-OC09oC&pg=PA23|year=2012|publisher=Bradt Travel Guides|isbn=978-1-84162-406-8|page=23}}</ref> The bands symbolise a dynamic new country moving into the future. The colour blue depicts the sky and the sea that surrounds the Seychelles.<ref name="FlagDB">{{Cite web|title=The Flag of the Seychelles|url=https://www.flagdb.com/seychelles |access-date=2024-05-10|website=flagdb.com|language=en}}</ref> Yellow is for the sun which gives light and life, red symbolises the people and their determination to work for the future in unity and love, while the white band represents social justice and harmony. The green depicts the land and natural environment.<ref name="mfa"/><ref name="Brittanica" />

=== Colours ===
The red, white and green are the same shades used as the official colours by the [[United Seychelles]] political party, while the blue and yellow represent the [[Seychelles Democratic Party]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-24 |title=Flags, Symbols & Currency of Seychelles |url=https://www.worldatlas.com/flags/seychelles |access-date=2025-08-28 |website=WorldAtlas |language=en-US}}</ref> which was in charge of the country from 1970 to 1977.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Democratic Party - Peace, Progress, Prosperity |url=http://dpseychelles.org/history.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060815233319/http://dpseychelles.org/history.php |archive-date=2006-08-15 |access-date=2025-08-28 |website=dpseychelles.org}}</ref>
{| class=wikitable width=60% style="text-align:center;"
|-
! [[File:Flag of Seychelles.svg|40px]]<br>Color scheme
! style="background:#002F6C; width:100px; color:white;"| Blue
! style="background:#FED141; width:100px; color:black;"| Yellow
! style="background:#D22730; width:100px; color:white;" | Red
! style="background:#FFFFFF; width:100px; color:black;" | White
! style="background:#007A33; width:100px; color:white;" | Green
|-
| [[Pantone]] || 294 || 122 || 1795 || – || 356
|-
|[[RAL color standard|RAL]]|| 5010 || 1016 || 3028 || 9016 || 6029
|-
| [[CMYK]] || 100-55-0-47 || 0-14-66-1 || 0-84-84-16 || 0-0-0-0 || 100-0-53-52
|-
|[[Web colors|HEX]]
|#002F6C
|#FED141
|#D92323
|#FFFFFF
|#007A33
|-
|[[RGB color model|RGB]]
|0-61-136
|252-217-85
|215-35-35
|255-255-255
|0-123-58
|}

{{gallery
|height=250
|width=450
|File:Flag of Seychelles (construction sheet).svg|Flag construction sheet
}}

== History ==
The original flag was adopted after independence on 29 June 1976. It had alternating blue and red triangles. The flag was very similar to the [[Australasian United Steam Navigation Company]]'s flag, whose ships regularly visited the islands of Seychelles in the early 20th century.<ref name="Brittanica">{{cite web|last1=Smith|first1=Whitney|title=flag of Seychelles|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1355503/flag-of-Seychelles|website=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=15 September 2014}}</ref>

In 1977, when president [[James Mancham]] was overthrown by [[France-Albert René]], the old flag was abolished and the red, white and green flag based on the flag of the [[Seychelles People's United Party]] came into use, which had a distinct wavy white stripe. The only significant difference between the national flag and SPUP's flag was the depiction of the sun in the party's flag which was not used in the country's flag. When the party lost the majority in the elections, other parties demanded a change in the flag which led to a parliamentary approval of a new proposed design.<ref name="Brittanica" />

=== 1903–1976 ===
<gallery>
File:Flag of Seychelles (1903–1961).svg|{{center|Flag from 1903 to 1961<br>{{age in years, months, weeks and days|year1=1903|year2=1961}} of use<br>Badge designed by [[Charles George Gordon|Major-General Charles George Gordon]]. Prior to 1903, Seychelles was administered as a dependency of Mauritius}}
File:Flag of Seychelles (1961–1976).svg|{{center|Flag from 1961 to 1976<br>{{age in years, months, weeks and days|year1=1961|year2=1976}} of use<br>Badge designed by Mrs. Patricia McEwen of Toronto, Canada}}
File:Flag of the Governor of Seychelles (1903–1961).svg|{{center|Governor's flag from 1903 to 1961}}
File:Flag of the Governor of Seychelles (1961–1976).svg|{{center|Governor's flag from 1961 to 1976}}
</gallery>

=== 1976–1996 ===
<gallery>
File:Flag of Seychelles (1976–1977).svg|{{center|Flag from 1976 to 1977<br>{{age in years, months, weeks and days|year1=1976|year2=1977}} of use}}
File:Flag of Seychelles (1977–1996).svg|{{center|Flag from 1977 to 1996<br>{{age in years, months, weeks and days|year1=1977|year2=1996}} of use}}
Flag of the President of Seychelles (1976–1977).svg|{{center|President's flag from 1976 to 1977}}
Flag of the President of Seychelles (1977–1996).svg{{center|President's flag from 1977 to 1996}}
</gallery>

== See also ==
*[[Flag of the Central African Republic]]
*[[Flag of Mauritius]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{FOTW|id=sc|title=Seychelles}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070620120119/http://helicopterseychelles.com/history_of_seychelles_flags.html A history of Seychelles flags]

{{Seychelles topics}}
{{Africa topic|Flag of|title=[[Flags of Africa]]}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Seychelles, Flag of the}}

[[Category:National symbols of Seychelles|Flag]]
[[Category:Flags of Africa]]
[[Category:Rainbow flags]]
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1976]]
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1977]]
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1996]]
[[Category:National flags|Seychelles]]