What do all The Arab Flags Represent?
By: Yaseen Rashed/ Arab America contributing writer
Flags continue to hold significance in the political and social aspects of public life in the Arab world. Below are the 22 Arab recognized Arab country’s flags. Each flag’s color, symbol, and design alludes to a greater meaning for these societies an cultures.
Algeria
The Algerian flag is distinct in how it’s designed. Split right down the middle, there’s a green and white side centered with a red crescent and star. The white symbolized the peace and unity Algeria was built upon. The green symbolizes wealth and prosperity for the country. Lastly, the star and crescent is a prominent symbol of Islam and the red is a tribute to all the martyrs who fought for independence against French colonization.
Bahrain
The Flag of Bahrain is also unique in the way it’s designed as its iconic zigzag patterns makes it stand out. The 5 little triangles symbolize the 5 pillars of Islam. The white signifies the emphasis on peace the country was built on and the red symbolizes the Kharijite sect of the Islamic religion. Although commonly mistaken for Qatar’s flag, the main difference is that Bahrain has a lighter red color and fewer triangles
Comoros
This flag has 4 distinct stripes representing the 4 islands of Comoros. The yellow is for Mohéli, the white is for Mayotte, the red is for Anjouan, and lastly, the blue is for Grande Comore. The 4 stars near the crescent are also supposed to symbolize these 4 islands. Lastly, the crescent symbolizes the dominant religion in the country, being Islam.
Djibouti
The light blue in the flag symbolizes the sky and sea as well as referring to the background color of its neighbor, Somalia. The white triangle is a symbol of equality and the color signifies peace. The red star is a symbol of unity for the country which came as a symbol for freedom during independence. Lastly, the green represents the everlasting earth.
Egypt
The Egyptian flag consists of 3 horizontal stripes and an eagle in the middle. The red in the flag represents the struggle against the British occupation of Egypt (the period before 1952). The white symbolizes the advent of the 1952 Revolution which ended the monarchy without bloodshed. And lastly, the black stands for the end of the oppression of the people of Egypt at the hands of the Monarchy and British colonialism (the period after 1952). The eagle in the middle represents the power and authority of the Egyptian government.
Iraq
The Iraqi flag is comprised of three stripes of red, white, and black; these colors are mainly representative of “pan-Arab thought.” The red symbolizes the courage and struggles of the nation. The white represents the purity of the country and the black signifies both the oppression and triumph of the Islamic tradition. Lastly, the Takbir (God is greater) is written across the middle in green to emphasize the presence of Islamic tradition.
Jordan
The Jordanian flag is a culmination of colors to honor the various historical changes the country has undergone. The black, white and green bands represent the Arab Abbasid, Umayyad and Fatimid dynasties, while the red triangle joining the bands represents the Hashemite dynasty. Lastly, the seven-pointed Islamic star set in the center of the triangle represents the unity of Arab peoples in Jordan.
Kuwait
The Kuwaiti flag is comprised of 4 traditional colors. The black represents the defeat and victory over the enemies of the country. The green symbolizes the fertility of the land. The white is representative of the purity of the country and lastly, the red is symbolic of the enemy’s bloodshed.
Lebanon
The Lebanese flag is unique in its color schemes, especially in the region. The two red stripes represent the bloodshed for the liberation of the country. The middle white band symbolizes purity and the snow on the mountains. The green cedar tree is representative of eternity, steadiness, happiness, and prosperity.
Libya
The Libyan flag is comprised of 3 stripes that are representative of the pan-African movement. The red was instituted to symbolize the blood of the martyrs during the independence movement from Italy. The red serves as a reminder of the trying times the nation has been through, and the green symbolizes the country’s independence and prosperity of the nation. Lastly, the white crescent and star represent Islam, the dominant religion in the country.
Mauritania
Mauritania’s flag is comprised of 3 colors, the red being added only 2 years ago. The red symbolizes the efforts and sacrifices that the people of Mauritania will keep consenting, to the price of their blood, to defend their territory. The green represents prosperity and the land of Mauritania and lastly, the golden crescent and star symbolize Islam as the country’s religion.
Morocco
The Moroccan flag is comprised of only two colors, red and green. The red background represents hardiness, bravery, strength, and valor, while the green represents love, joy, wisdom, peace, and hope. The green also represents the color of Islam and the 5 branches on the star represent the pillars of Islam, the country’s dominant religion.
Oman
The Omani flag is made of 3 colors: white, red, and green. The white represents purity, and peace of the nation while the green represents the fertility of the land. The red, which is commonly found on flags in this region, is representative of the battles the Omani people fought against foreign invaders. Lastly, at the top left corner, there’s the national emblem, The khanjar or “dagger” a representation of Omani culture.
Palestine
The Palestinian flag is iconic across the entire Arab world as it is derived from the pan-Arab colors and symbolizes a greater struggle of independence. The flag represents the country’s heritage and history of the land. The red section represents the Khawarij movement and the black stripe stands for Muhammad at the Rashidun Caliphate. The white stands for the Ummayad Caliphate, and lastly, the green stripe represents the Fatimid Caliphate.
Qatar
Qatar’s flag is distinct from white and maroon colors as well as 9 triangles. The white in the flag represents peace and security while the maroon represents the bloodshed the country has gone through in many wars its fought. Lastly, the 9 triangles symbolize Qatar being the 9th reconciled emirate in the region.
Saudi Arabia
The Saudi flag is comprised of only two colors. The green was made to represent Islam, as its believed green was the prophet’s favorite color. The white Arabic writings are known as the shahada or whiteness and it translates to “There is no God but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.” Lastly, the sword at the bottom is the nation’s emblem representing the battles the country fought for independence.
Somalia
The Somalian flag is also comprised of only 2 colors being light blue and white. The blue was derived from the United Nations flag and represents the sky and sea. The large white star in the middle symbolizes the unity of the Somali race found in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and the former associated British and Italian colonies.
Sudan
The Sudanese flag is made up of 3 stripes of the 4 pan Arab colors. The red stripe is symbolic of the struggle for independence and the sacrifices of the nation’s martyrs. The white represents light, peace, and optimism for the county and the black is symbolic of the nation itself, since “Sudan” in Arabic means black. Lastly, the green is a symbol of Islam, prosperity, and agriculture.
Syria
The Syrian flag, like many others in the region, is representative of the pan Arab movement. The red represents the Hashemite dynasty and the blood that was shed during independence. The white signifies the Umayyad dynasty and also represents the future as a bright and peaceful prospect. The Fatimid dynasty is represented by the green color and the stars represent the pan Arab unity between Syria and Egypt. The Abbasid dynasty and oppression are represented by the black color.
Tunisia
The Tunisian is unique as it’s only made up of red and white. The red symbolizes the connection between the Ottoman Empire and Tunis as well as the bloodshed in the fight for independence. The white disk in the middle is representative of the sun and peace of the nation and lastly, the red crescent and star signify the country’s dominant religion being Islam. The star’s 5 sides also represent the 5 pillars of Islam.
United Arab Emirates
The UAE follows the tradition of using the pan Arab colors on the national flag; however, the colors carry a unique meaning. The green symbolizes the fertility of the land while the white represents peace, neutrality, and honestly. The black portion of the flag contrary to popular belief does not represent oil, rather it represents the defeat of enemies and the strength of mind. Lastly, the red represents hardiness, bravery, strength, and courage. The vertical red band can also be interpreted as binding all the other meanings together in unity.
Yemen
Yemen’s flag consists of 3 simple stripes and colors. The black stands for the dark days of the past, the country has been through, while the white represents a bright future for the nation. Lastly, the red signifies the blood of the struggle to achieve independence and unity.
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