The top stripe on Mauritius's national flag is red. The flag has four equal horizontal bands arranged from top to bottom as red, blue, yellow, and green.
Mauritius is often known by the nickname “The Four Bands,” or “Les Quatre Bandes.” The national flag was adopted on 12 March 1968, the day Mauritius became independent from the United Kingdom. It was recorded at the College of Arms in London earlier that year, on 9 January 1968.
The colors have both symbolic and historical interpretations. Red represents the struggle for freedom and independence, blue refers to the Indian Ocean surrounding the island, yellow represents the light of freedom or independence, and green evokes agriculture and the island's greenery throughout the year. The design was created by schoolteacher Gurudutt Moher, whose contribution was recognized posthumously in 2018.
The biggest visual trap is confusing the national flag with Mauritian civil, government, or naval ensigns. Those official maritime flags use different layouts and emblems. The national flag itself is the plain four-band design, with red firmly at the top.