Flag: Malawi

Three stripes and a rising sun: Africa's people, struggle and hope. The flag has a black band on top, red in the middle and green at the bottom, with a red half-sun and its rays rising out of the black band. Black stands for the people of Africa, red for the blood of those who died for African freedom, and green for Malawi's ever-green nature. The rising sun was chosen in 1964, when Malawi became independent from Britain, to mean the dawn of hope and freedom for the whole continent.

Malawi briefly flew a different flag. In 2010 the government swapped the order to red, black and green and replaced the rising sun with a full white sun in the centre, saying the country had now “risen”. The change was unpopular, and in 2012 the original design came back, which is the one the emoji shows. If you see a Malawi flag with a white sun in an older photo, that is why.

Malawi itself is a landlocked country between Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania, known for Lake Malawi, which runs along most of its eastern border, and for its tourism nickname “the Warm Heart of Africa”. Its capital is Lilongwe; English and Chichewa are the main languages.

What does it mean when someone sends 🇲🇼?

It means Malawi: the person, the place or the topic. Often it sits in a profile name or bio to say “I'm Malawian” or “I live in Malawi”, sometimes next to a second flag for a family with two countries. In posts it tags Malawian news, music, food or football. Around 6 July it is the stamp on Independence Day greetings. The tone is usually pride or belonging; it carries no hidden slang meaning.