Malawi's national flag shows a rising sun with 31 rays. The red sun is centred on the black stripe of the country's black-red-green triband.
The flag was first adopted on July 6, 1964, when Nyasaland became independent from British rule and took the name Malawi. Its rising sun represents the dawn of hope and freedom for Africa, reflecting the wave of decolonisation taking place across the continent. Black represents Africa's people, red represents the blood of the struggle, and green represents nature.
The 31 rays belong to the original design, which remains the current flag. Malawi briefly changed its flag in 2010: the sun became a full white sun with 45 rays, and the stripe order was altered. Public opposition followed, and the original flag was re-adopted on May 28, 2012.
That short-lived replacement explains why 45 can appear in historical references. For the current national flag, however, the canonical answer is 31.