The Madagascan flag was created on October 14th 1958, as the country was awaiting its independence from the french empire.

The colours used on the flag are said to represent the history of the country and traditional classes. Red and white were used as they were the colours of the Kingdom of Merina, which fell to the French in 1896. These two colours were used in the flag of the last Merina Monarch, Queen Ranavalona III.

These two colours may indicate the origins of the Madagascan people in southern Asia. As these colours are also used by Indonesia.

The colour green is used in the flag to remember the Hova, the peasant classes, that played the important role in the independence movement and in anti-french protests.