Qatar Flag Meaning
A national flag divided vertically with a broad white band on the hoist and a larger maroon field separated by nine white serrated points. Qatar’s unique flag ratio and color reflect its history and independence.
- Continent
- Asia
- Adopted
- 1971
- Ratio
- 11:28
- Colors
- maroon, white
- Designer
- Evolved from historic flags used under British protection
Symbolism
White Band: Represents peace.
Maroon Field: Represents the bloodshed in Qatar’s wars, as well as the country’s distinctive dye historically produced in the region.
Nine Serrated Points: Symbolize Qatar as the ninth member of the 'reconciled emirates' of the Persian Gulf that signed treaties with Britain in the early 20th century.
History
- 19th Century: Qatar used a plain red flag, similar to other Gulf states.
- 1916: Qatar became a British protectorate, and a serrated white stripe was added to distinguish it.
- 1949: The red dye changed to maroon due to the local climate’s effect on pigments, becoming the flag’s permanent color.
- September 3, 1971: Qatar declared independence and officially adopted its current flag.
Trivia
- Qatar’s flag has the world’s most unusual official ratio: 11:28.
- It is often confused with the flag of Bahrain, but Bahrain’s flag is red, has five points, and a 3:5 ratio.
- The maroon color is historically derived from purple dye made on the Qatari island of Al Khor.
- The flag is one of the few in the world that is significantly longer than it is tall.
- Qatar is the only country whose national flag has more length than double its height.
Related Countries
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A white band on the hoist side separated from a red field by a serrated line with five triangular points, representing peace and the five pillars of Islam, while the red represents the Kharijite sect of Islam that historically dominated the region.
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Iran
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Yemen
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Three horizontal stripes of red, white, and black representing the Pan-Arab colors that symbolize the bloodshed for freedom, bright future and peace, and the dark past of oppression, adopted when North and South Yemen unified into the Republic of Yemen.