Bahrain: History of the national flag

Last modified: 2002-06-14 by ivan sache
Keywords: bahrain | serration | zig-zag | emir |
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• Before 1820
• From 1820 to 1932
• From 1932 to 1972
  • Standard of the Emir
• From 1972 to 2002
  • Standard of the Emir

See also:

• Bahrain: Index of all related pages

Before 1820

by Santiago Dotor

The flag of Bahrain was initially plain red, originating from the color of the Kharidjite Muslim sect.

Jaume Ollé, 27 July 1999

From 1820 to 1932

by Santiago Dotor

In 1820, following the General Maritime Treaty with Britain, a vertical white stripe symbolizing the truce was added at hoist ( but de facto the plain red flag remained in use until 1910).

Jaume Ollé, 27 July 1999

From 1932 to 1972

by Ivan Sache

In 1933, to distinguish the flag from other flags in the area (current Ajman and Dubai flags, ancient Abu Dhabi flag) the stripe was serrated [i.e. limited with a zig-zag border], The specific meaning of the serration is unknown. The serration was made of 28 triangles. Proportion of the flag was 9:13.

Source: Flaggenbuch [neu92]

Jaume Ollé, Nozomi Kariyasu & Ivan Sache, 16 March 2001

Standard of the Emir

by Ivan Sache

Proportion of the flag was 9:13.

Source: Flaggenbuch [neu92]

Ivan Sache, 16 March 2001

From 1972 to 2002

by Zeljko Heimer

Source: Album des Pavillons [pay00]

by Zeljko Heimer

Source: W. Smith [smi80]

The flag was adopted on 19 Augsut 1972.

Standard of the Emir

by Zeljko Heimer

Same as the national flag, but with two white stripes in chief and base. Proportion 3:4.

Source: W. Smith [smi80]

by Jarig Bakker

Barraclough [bar71] stipulates:
The personal Standard of the Emir is white, with a scarlet inset in the fly; the serrated edge has eight white points.

by Jarig Bakker

Pedersen [ped80] has:
Flag of the Emir: mostly proportions 3:4, and the separation between the white bar (not the seam) has always six white points. The colored image has, as a matter of fact, proportions 3:5, and a small white vertical bar to the fly, c. half the width of the white bars along top and bottom.

Jarig Bakker, 10 February 2001