The flag of Angola features two horizontal stripes, one red and one black, with a large emblem in the center. The emblem consists of a gear, machete, and star, all in yellow, superimposed on a partial cogwheel in red. The cogwheel is surrounded by a half circle of eight rays, also in yellow. The red stripe represents the bloodshed during Angola’s struggle for independence, while the black stripe represents the continent of Africa. The gear represents industry and the worker, the machete represents the peasantry, and the star represents socialism and internationalism. The eight rays symbolize the country’s first eight provinces, while the partial cogwheel represents the forward movement of history.