The Togolese flag as we know it today has gone through a few changes over the years.
German Togoland
![](https://www.togoarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/800px-Flag_of_Deutsch-Togo.jpg)
![](https://www.togoarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/800px-Reichskolonialflagge.svg_.jpg)
The German black-white-red horizontal tricolor, with the coat of arms at the center, was flown until 1914 when the British and French forced Germany out of the region.
British Togoland
![](https://www.togoarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/800px-Flag_of_the_Gold_Coast_1877–1957.jpg)
Under French Rule
In 1956, French Togoland became an “autonomous” republic and a new flag was adopted. Instead of the vertical French blue-white-red flag flown between 1922 to 1956, the new flag featured a plain green field with two five-pointed white stars representing the British and French Togoland and the French tricolor in the top left. The Flag of French Togoland was flown from 1957 to 1958.
![The flag of French Togoland. (1957-1958)](https://www.togoarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/800px-Flag_of_Togo_1957-1958.jpg)
Autonomous Togo
Sometime in 1958, the Togolese flag was amended. This updated flag was used until independence in 1960
![](https://www.togoarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/800px-Flag_of_Togo_1958-1960.jpg)
Independent Togo
![](https://www.togoarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/800px-Flag_of_Togo.jpg)
The national flag of Togo was designed in 1960 by Paul Ahyi during a contest launched by the future republic. It features five equal horizontal stripes of green alternating with yellow with a red canton bearing a white star. Its dimensions are based on the golden rectangle and the five stripes represent the 5 regions of Togo. The red symbolizes the bloodshed in the fight for independence, the green represents agriculture, the yellow the riches of the land and the white star represents hope.