Liberian sub-national flags (original) (raw)
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- Liberian county flags
- Other subnational flags
- Monrovia
- Paynesville See also:
- Liberia
- Clickable map of Liberian counties External links:
- “Liberia : Counties and districts”, at the English Wikipedia
About Liberian county flags
Counties
| ISO3166-2 | County | created | split from | flagadopted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BM | Bomi | 1984 | Montserrado (?) | 1984 (?) |
| BG | Bong | 1964 | (?) | 1965 |
| GP | Gbarpolu | 2001 | Lofa | 2001 |
| GB | Grand Bassa | 1839 | (original) | 1965 |
| GM | Grand Cape Mount | 1844 | (?) | 1965 |
| GG | Grand Gedeh | 1964 | (?) | 1965 |
| GK | Grand Kru | 1984 | Sinoe (?) | 1984 (?) |
| LO | Lofa | 1964 | (?) | 1965 |
| MG | Margibi | 1985 | Grand Bassa (?) | 1985 (?) |
| MY | Maryland (indep.) Maryland (county) | 1857 | (original) | 1830-18571965 |
| MO | Montserrado | 1839 | (original) | 1965 |
| NI | Nimba | 1964 | (?) | 1965 |
| RI | Rivercess | 1985 | Grand Bassa | 1984 (?) |
| RG | River Gee | 2000 | Grand Gedeh | 2000 |
| SI | Sinoe | 1843 | (?) | 1965 |
Design
image by António Martins, 26 January 2004
Liberian county flag design includes always the national flag design on the upper hoist (about 1/4th size) and the remaining field filled with a particular design. While some show a particular element on the (lower) fly and an otherwise plain field (Bomi, Grand Bassa, Margibi), others use up the space in full. Sometimes the the national flag design on the upper hoist seems to be a part of the design (River Cess, Grand Kru), others it appears to have been added as an afterthought (Nimba, Maryland).Grand Cape Mount is something of an exception, with the national flag design yes on the upper hoist but not touching the border for design reasons.
António Martins, 26 January 2004
The basic motif, with the national flag in canton, is kept — as has happen also with the newer four flags (Bomi, Grand Kru,Margibi and River Cess); the only (partial) exception, Grand Cape Mount, is one of the original lot of nine.
António Martins, 30 August 2008
The book [smi75b] shows, I believe, the same shade of green for all these flags, but Montserradois hard to judge, as it has the green directly against a greyish blue background.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 07 September 2009
Usage
Smith 1975 [smi75b] lists nine county flags (Bong, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape (so spelled!), Grand Gedeh,Lofa, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba and Sinoe) and give this note to the presentation of those flags:
These flags were presented to the Liberian counties by President William V. S. Tubman on 29 November 1965, his seventieth birthday.
What happened with those flags later on? Were they “bunkered” in some county house safe, or hoisted in county official rooms, or whatever? Were they produced uniquely (only this once), or where there made more of such flags (even mass produced?). Were they used later on, say on stamps, tourist publications etc? And, finally, what happened with the flags after the end of President Tubman rule?
Željko Heimer, 05 January 2000 and 18 August 2008
These flags are officially in use but rarely used out of the provincial government headquarters.
Jaume Ollé, 11 January 2000
I think that the related flags were created in 1965 and even if the number of provinces increased since then, it is unlikely, considering the political situation of Liberia, that any additional flags were created after about 1990.
António Martins, 2 April 2003
Reports of recent usage
It is nice to see a confirmation of these elusive flags, but I’d prefer a cloth flag photo, as it would be more real than just a web image nicked from somewhere.
António Martins, 18 September 2006
Does anybody have information on the current status of the Liberian county flags? Have they been used (in cloth) over the last, say 20-30 years? Or only (in transmogrified form) on the internet?
M. Schmöger, 05 March 2007
Photo of county flags, hoisted at the presidential palace, in the official website.
Jan Mertens, 13 August 2009
image located by Martin Karner, 11 February 2025
A photograph of a church in Monrovia shows five subnational flags in use: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php. From left to right these are Margibi, Montserrado, Bomi, Grand Cape Mountand Gbarpolu counties.
Martin Karner and Valentin Poposki, 11 February 2025
A fairly new and very detailed account of Liberian county flags is [kws21], a 2021 article by Steven A. Knowlton, publ. in Raven 28: pp. 57-90.
In 2008 a new series of stamps was issued athttps://www.bombaystamps.com/images3/45393.jpg, covering also the flags of newly created counties, but some of the unchanged flags were shown with significant differences. For Bomi the roundel is shown shifted to the top, and the background is dark red (same as on the lower fly of Montserrado). It seems that a wide variation occurs.
Ant�nio Martins-Tuv�lkin, 12 February 2025
Grand Gedeh
On the website of The Grand Gedeh Association in the Americas Incorporated the flag of the Grand Gedeh county is shown.
Valentin Poposki, 16 June 2006
Nimba
The flag of Nimba county is shown on the website of the UNICCO — United Nimba Citizens’ Council.
Valentin Poposki, 16 June 2006
Montserrado
Here’s an actual image showing the Montserrado County flag from the ForeignPolicy.COMwebsite. The image caption says that «Josephine George-Francis, governor of Montserrado County, sewed the Liberian flag that hangs in her office». The actual usage of county flags seems to be confirmed.
Antonio Gutiérrez, 5 March 2007
Other sub-national flags
Monrovia
image by Tomislav �ipek, 6 August 2018
Very interesting photoshowing the central part of the flag of the City Corporation of Monrovia, Liberia, [at the official weblog].
Valentin Poposki, 15 April 2009
A plain white flag with a large depiction of the city corporation arms centered on it. The arms are quartered Sable and Argent on the I a key Argent, on the II a palm tree issuant from an earthy compartment proper, on the III a different kind of tree likewise, and on the IV an elephant statant trompetant dexter, and on a chief Azure a sun Gules nimbused Argent setting on a sea proper throughout and an estoile faceted Sable and Argent, both offset to the sinister. White scroll reading in black capitals "The City Government of Monrovia" above "The Monrovia City Corporation". This coat of arms seems to be pre-existing to the flag, or at least to its current bearer, judging but the latter�s modern-sounding name.
António Martins, 21 February 2012
Paynesville
image by Tomislav �ipek, 7 August 2018
The flag of Paynesville is white with emblem:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._Cyvette_M._Gibson
Tomislav �ipek, 7 August 2018