Middle East

Yemen 1

Yemen

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The flag of Yemen was adopted on May 22, 1990, the day that North Yemen and South Yemen were unified. The flag is basically the Arab Liberation Flag of 1952, introduced after the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 in which Arab nationalism was a dominant theme. The Arab Liberation Flag of 1952 served as the inspiration for the flags of both North and South Yemen prior to unification, as well as for the current flags of Egypt, Iraq, Sudan and Syria.

According to the official description, the red stands for unity and the bloodshed of martyrs, the white for a bright future, and the black for the supposed dark past. The flag’s design is also similar to that of the flag of the German Empire, albeit inverted. The flag is graphically identical to the flag of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1972.

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Saudi Arabia 4

Saudi Arabia

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Because the shahada is considered holy, the flag is not normally used on T-shirts or other items. Saudi Arabia protested against its inclusion on a planned football to be issued by FIFA, bearing all the flags of the participants of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Saudi officials said that kicking the creed with the foot was completely unacceptable. Similarly, an attempt by the U.S. military to win favour with children of the Khost Province of Afghanistan by distributing footballs adorned with flags, including that of Saudi Arabia, ended in demonstrations.

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Qatar 5

Qatar

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Qatar’s historic flag was plain red, in correspondence with the red banner traditionally used by the Kharjite Muslims. In the 19th century, the country modified its entirely red flag with the addition of a white vertical stripe at the hoist to suit the British directive. After this addition, Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani officially adopted a patterned purple-red and white flag which bore a strong resemblance to its modern derivative. Several additions were made to the Qatari flag in 1932, with the nine-pointed serrated edge, diamonds and the word “Qatar” being integrated in its design. The maroon colour was standardised in 1949. In the 1960s, Sheikh Ali Al Thani removed the wording and diamonds from the flag. The flag was officially adopted on 9 July 1971 and was virtually identical to the 1960s flag, with the exception of the height-to-width proportion.

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Oman 6

Oman

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Until 1975, Oman used the plain red banner of the indigenous people. In 1970, the Sultan introduced a complete new set of national flags. Bands of green and white were added to the fly, and the national emblem, the badge of the Albusaidi Dynasty, was placed in the canton. This depicts crossed swords over a khanjar, a traditional curved dagger. White has been associated historically with the Imam, the religious leader of Oman, and at times the political rival to the ruling Sultan. It also symbolizes peace. Green is traditionally associated with the Jabal al-Akdar, or “Green Mountains,” which lie toward the north of the country. Red is a common color in Gulf state flags. The national emblem is said to date back to the 18th century. A curved dagger is fastened over a pair of crossed swords. An ornate horsebit links the weapons.

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Libya 7

Libya

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The flag of Libya was originally introduced in 1951, following the creation of the Kingdom of Libya. The flag, consisting of the Pan Arab colours, was designed by Omar Faiek Shennib and approved by King Idris Al Senussi who comprised the UN delegation representing the three regions of Cyrenaica, Fezzan, and Tripolitania at UN unification discussions.

The flag fell out of use in 1969, but was subsequently adopted by the National Transitional Council and anti-Gaddafi forces and effectively reinstated as the country’s national flag in article three of the Libyan Draft Constitutional Charter for the Transitional Stage issued on 3 August 2011.

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Lebanon 8

Lebanon

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The flag of Lebanon is formed of two horizontal red stripes enveloping a horizontal white stripe. The white stripe is twice the height ( width ) of the red ones (ratio 1:2:1). The green cedar (Lebanon Cedar) in the middle touches each of the red stripes and its width is one third of the width of the flag.

The presence and position of the Cedar in the middle of the flag is directly inspired by the mountains of Lebanon cedar (Cedrus libani). The Cedar is a symbol of holiness, eternity and peace. As an emblem of longevity, the cedar of Lebanon has its origin in many biblical references.

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Jordan 10

Jordan

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The flag of Jordan, officially adopted on 16 April 1928, is based on the 1917 flag of the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I. The flag consists of horizontal black, white, and green bands that are connected by a red chevron. The colors stand are the Pan-Arab Colors, representing the Abbasid (black band), Umayyad (white band), and Fatimid (green band) caliphates. The red chevron is for the Hashemite dynasty, and the Arab Revolt.

In addition to the bands and chevron, a white star with seven points is featured on the hoist side of the red chevron. The star stands for the unity of the Arab people. Its seven-pointed star refers to the seven verses of Al-Fatiha. The seven points represent faith in one God, humanity, humility, national spirit, virtue, social justice, and aspiration.

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