Flag of Somalia

The Flag of Somalia (, ), also known as the Somali Flag, is the official flag of the Federal Republic of Somalia. Adopted on October 12, 1954, it was designed by Mohammed Awale Liban the flag was used for the nascent Somali Republic. It was originally conceived and serves as an ethnic flag for the Somali people.
==History==
The flag of Somalia was created in 1954 during the transitional trusteeship period of the nation's history. It was personally designed by the Somali scholar Mohammed Awale Liban, after he had been selected by the Somali labour trade union to come up with a design in preparation for independence.History of the flagMaria Costantino, The Illustrated Flag Handbook, (Gramercy Books: 2001), p.185. The flag was first used in the Trust Territory of Somaliland and the short-lived State of Somaliland, which united on July 1, 1960, to form the Somali Republic.
==Characteristics==
As an ethnic flag, the five-pointed white Star of Unity in its center represents the areas where the Somali ethnic group has traditionally resided, namely Djibouti, Somaliland (former British occupied land), the Ogaden region in Ethiopia, the North Eastern Province in Kenya, and southern Somalia (former Italian colony).
The Somali flag's light blue backdrop was originally influenced by the flag of the United Nations, in recognition of the UN's role in Somalia's transition to independence during the trusteeship period. However, it now officially denotes the sky as well as the Indian Ocean, which flanks the country.
The flag's blazon, or heraldic description, is: Azure, a mullet Argent.
==Construction==
The flag of Somalia can be faithfully reproduced using the following construction plan:
==Historical flags==
The following are the flags historically used in the territory of present-day Somalia:
File:Flag of Adal.png|Flag of the Adal Sultanate (1415–1577)
File:Muzzaffar (Mogadishu area) flag according to 1576 Portuguese map.svg| Flag of the Ajuran Empire (13th century–17th century)
File:Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1453-1844).svg|Flag of Ottoman Zeila (1559–1867)
File:Dervish flag.svg| Flag of the Dervish State (1896–1920) (1903-1950)
File:Flag of British Somaliland 1903-1950.svg|Flag of British Somaliland (1903-1950)
File:Flag of British Somaliland 1950-1960.svg|Flag of British Somaliland (1950–60)
File:Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg|Flag of Italian Somaliland (1861-1946)
==See also==
*Flag of Somaliland
*Soomaaliyeey toosoo
*Qolobaa Calankeed
*History of Somalia
*Bonnie Blue Flag
==Notes==
==References==
*
Flag
Category:Flags of Africa
Category:Flags introduced in 1954
Category:Somali culture
Category:National flags
Category:Flags of Somalia
Category:1954 establishments in Somalia