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Comoros flag in 1978-1992

by Vincent Morley, 29 Mar 1997

About the flag
Current use?
Atypical depiction in official postage stamp

See also:

Comoros’ historical flags

About the flag

In 13 May 1978 by a coup d’Etat of Bob Denard became to power to old president Abdallah. The flag was officially changed 23 May 1978.
Jaume Ollé, 30 Mar 1997

On 13 May 1978, the French mercenary Robert “Bob” Denard, a.k.a. “Colonel Mustafa Madzihu”, overthrew Soilih and re-established President Abdallah. The new Constitution, dated 1 October 1978, prescribed the Federal and Islamic Republic of Comoros. Red was excluded from the new flag, and the four stars were placed between the two points of the crescent, to symbolize reconciliation, according to Lux-Wurm [lux01].
Ivan Sache, 20 Apr 2002

According to an article in The Flag Bulletin [tfb] 174, in 1978 the field became all green again. The now enlarged and centred crescent still faced the bottom right but the stars were now arranged in a line between its horns.
Stuart Notholt, 22 May 1997

Following an invasion by mercenaries in which President Ali Soilih was killed, a former president, Ahmed Abdallah, was restored. The country was proclaimed an Islamic republic and a new flag was adopted. There appears to be uncertainty about both the shade of green and the proportions of this flag. [smi80] (a work in which colour shades are not very reliable) has a dark green and states that the proportions are approximately 3:5. [cra90] also has dark green; the proportions are not stated but those of the illustration are 1:2. [cra91] has a green that is only slightly darker than normal; the proportions of the illustration are 3:5. [shw94], which uses illustrations prepared by the Flag Institute, has a medium green; proportions are not specified but the illustration is 3:5.
Vincent Morley, 29 Mar 1997

Lux-Wurm [lux01] says it was 2:3, Calvarin [clv02] says 3:5.
Ivan Sache, 20 Apr 2002

Current use?

At http://www.comores-online.com/Comores-infosweb/, the flag seems as that flag used between 1978-1992.
Horváth Zoltán, 27 Jan 2002

Strange indeed. I would propose the theory that this is an archival photo, used in lack of a more recent one (a phenomenon which often causes anachronical vexillological reports).
António Martins, 30 Jan 2002

Atypical depiction in official postage stamp

by Ivan Sache, 20 Apr 2002

Calvarin [clv02] reports an unofficial (or simply erroneous) version of this flag, shown on a Comorian stamp. The flag is 1:2 with a large crescent placed along the hoist and the four stars placed vertically between the points of the crescent.
Ivan Sache, 20 Apr 2002