Flag of Suriname - Flag Before 1975

Flag Before 1975

The pre-independence flag adopted in 1959 consisted of five colored stars connected by an ellipse. The colored stars represented the major ethnic groups that comprise the Surinamese population: the original Amerindians, the colonizing Europeans, the Africans brought in as slaves to work in plantations and the Hindus, Javanese and Chinese who came as indentured workers to replace the Africans who escaped slavery and settled in the hinterland. The ellipse represented the harmonious relationship amongst the groups. There was also a flag for use by the Governor, based on the national flag.

• National Flag 1959-1975

• Standard of the Governor

• Standard of the Prime Minister, 1975-1988

• Presidential Standard