How many rays does the sun on Namibia's national flag have? Twelve. The golden sun in the flag's blue upper triangle has exactly 12 triangular rays.
Namibia adopted its flag on 21 March 1990, the day the country became independent from South Africa. Its design combines a red diagonal band edged in white with blue and green fields, reflecting national aspirations, natural resources, water and peace.
The 12 rays are commonly explained as representing Namibia's 12 major ethnic groups. The sun itself symbolizes life and energy, while its golden-yellow color is associated with the country's wealth. A frequent mix-up is confusing the rays with the 12-pointed stars or suns found on other national flags.
The design emerged from a national symbols process that received 870 entries. Three Namibian designers—Theo Jankowski, Don Stevenson and Ortrud Clay—combined elements into the final flag, which was approved in 1990.