Africa · Vertical tricolour
How to draw the flag of Mali
The flag of Mali is three equal vertical bands — green, yellow and red from the hoist. It flies at a ratio of 2:3.
Step by step
- Start with the right shape. Mali flies at 2:3 — for every 3 units of width the flag is 2 tall. Sketch that rectangle first; a flag drawn too square is the fastest way to lose layout points.
- Divide the width into three. Mark two guide lines before you fill anything in. Even bands matter more than neat edges — the scorer cares where the colour blocks sit.
- Band 1: green. Fill the first band from the hoist with green. Use the fill tool rather than shading — flat blocks score better than sketchy strokes.
- Band 2: yellow. Fill the second band from the hoist with yellow. Use the fill tool rather than shading — flat blocks score better than sketchy strokes.
- Band 3: red. Fill the third band from the hoist with red. Use the fill tool rather than shading — flat blocks score better than sketchy strokes.
Mali flag colours
The colour codes below are the ones to reach for if you are recreating the flag digitally.
| Colour | Hex | RGB |
|---|---|---|
| Green | #14B53A | rgb(20, 181, 58) |
| Yellow | #FCD116 | rgb(252, 209, 22) |
| Red | #CE1126 | rgb(206, 17, 38) |
Common mistakes
- Watch out for Guinea, Senegal and Cameroon — they are close enough to Mali that people draw the wrong one from memory.
- Colour order is where most people slip. Fix which colour touches the flagpole — that one anchor keeps the rest in place.
A trick for remembering it
Lock in the order — green, yellow then red — starting at the flagpole. Say it out loud once and you will still have it tomorrow.
Flags that look like this one
Side-by-side breakdowns of the pairs people mix up:
Questions about the Mali flag
What colours are on the flag of Mali?
Mali uses 3 colours: green (#14B53A), yellow (#FCD116), red (#CE1126).
What order are the bands on the Mali flag?
Green, then Yellow, then Red — starting at the flagpole and moving to the fly.
What are the proportions of the Mali flag?
It flies at 2:3 (height to width). Drawing it at the wrong shape is one of the quickest ways to lose layout marks in the game.
Which flags look like the Mali flag?
Guinea, Senegal, Cameroon. Colour order is where most people slip. Fix which colour touches the flagpole — that one anchor keeps the rest in place.
How hard is the Mali flag to draw from memory?
PlayVexle rates it 1 out of 5. Flat colour blocks and no fine detail, so most players score in the eighties or nineties.
