Flag of Madagascar
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| Use | National flag and ensign |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 2:3 |
| Adopted | 14 October 1958 |
| Design | A horizontal bicolour of red and green with a white vertical band on the hoist side |
Variant flag of Madagascar
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| Use | Presidential standard |
| Proportion | 2:3 |
The flag of Madagascar was adopted on 14 October 1958, two years before the independence of that nation, as Madagascar prepared for a referendum on its status in the French Community.
The colors of the flag represent Madagascar's history, yearning for independence, and traditional classes. Red and white were the colors of the Merina kingdom, which succumbed to France in 1896. They were used in the flag of the last Merina monarch, Queen Ranavalona III. They may indicate the ethnic origins of the Malagasy people in Southeast Asia, and are shared by the flag of Indonesia. Green was the color of the Hova, the largest class of peasant commoners, who played a significant role in anti-French agitation and the independence movement.
2:3 Flag of the Merina people
2:3 Flag of the Chief of Army Staff in the rank of Brigade General
2:3 Flag of the Chief of Army Staff in the rank of Divisional General
1:2 Pennant of the Chief of the Naval Air Force Staff in the rank of Commodore or below
1:2 Pennant of the Chief of the Naval Air Force Staff in the rank of Rear Admiral
1:2 Pennant of the Chief of the Naval Air Force Staff in the rank of Vice Admiral
1:2 Pennant of the Commander of a Naval Group
1:2 Pennant of the Commander of a Naval Base
1:20 Masthead pennant
2:3 
Flag of the Merina Kingdom, c. 1787–1885
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