South Africa

About the flag

South Africa’s flag is the only national flag with a horizontal “Y” shape and six prominent colors, adopted in 1994 to mark the birth of a democratic South Africa. Designed by Frederick Brownell, it replaced apartheid-era flags. The “Y” symbolizes the convergence of diverse peoples into one nation—think “Y for unity”—and the colors nod to the ANC (black, green, gold) and earlier Dutch/British heritage (red, white, blue), echoing the “Rainbow Nation.” Quick eliminators: Algeria’s flag centers a red crescent and star; Uganda features a crested crane; Djibouti has a white triangle with a red star. Remember: the bold, unifying “Y” points you to South Africa.