COMOROS, FLAG OF

national flag consisting of a green field (background) with a central white crescent and four stars; there are Arabic inscriptions in two corners. The flag has a width-to-length ratio of approximately 5 to 7. Flag of Comoros (199296). While still a French territory in 1963, Comoros chose a distinctive local flag designed by the French heraldist Suzanne Gauthier. Its green background and its crescent reflected the Islamic majority population. In addition there were four white stars representing the islands in the archipelagoGrande Comore (Njazidja), Mohli (Mwali), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Mayotte. Soon after independence was proclaimed on July 6, 1975, a new national flag was hoisted. It had a red stripe at the top (for socialism) with the white stars and crescents in the hoist corner, flanked along the bottom edge by a green stripe. When that government was overthrown in 1978, a variation of the first flag was adopted. The crescent was larger and its horns faced toward the lower fly corner of the flag; the four stars fell within the horns of the crescent, symbolizing Islam embracing the nation. A change of government in 1992 produced another variation on the flag. The stars were still within the horns of the crescent, but they pointed toward the top edge of the flag (see illustration). In the new constitution of October 3, 1996 (approved by referendum October 20), the current flag was established. The horns of the crescent have again been turned, this time toward the fly end of the flag. The symbolism referring to the Islamic character of the nation is reinforced by the addition of Arabic inscriptionsin the upper fly corner (Allah) and in the lower hoist corner (Muhammad). The fourth star in the flag, standing for Mayotte, represents only a territorial claim, since the island continues to be under French control. Although Anjouan and Mohli declared independence from Comoros in 1997a move that was not internationally recognizedno changes were made in the flag design. Whitney Smith