Flag of Qatar

The flag of Qatar consists of two colors (burgundy and white) connected by 9 horizontal triangles with a white base. The burgundy color occupies about two-thirds of the flag's area, the rest is white. The flag of Qatar was officially approved on July 9, 1971.

What does the symbolism of the Qatari flag mean?

The white color of the Qatar flag corresponds to the color of the land on the Qatar Peninsula, which consists of bright white limestone, while the burgundy color symbolizes the coral reefs that surround the shores of the peninsula. The shape of the flag, which is more elongated than any other Arab or international flags, was designed for greater visibility at sea. In the culture of the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula, the color red in maritime symbols represents coral reefs seen by sea fishermen and pearls underwater. The Red Sea was named so because of the ancient flags of Kuwait, the Emirates, and Bahrain, which were red and white. Contrary to popular belief, the white color of the Qatari flag symbolizes land, not peace, while the burgundy color symbolizes the sea, not the blood spilled in war. It is said that the people of Qatar once dyed their flags red with dye from the island of Bin Ghannam, known as the Purple Island. Due to prolonged exposure to the sun, the dye colors faded to burgundy.

The triangles on the flag of Qatar symbolize waves. These symbols are found on the flags of Qatar and Bahrain because of their location in shallow waters and help in navigating these waters. The triangular shape on the flags is formed due to the refraction of small waves on the beaches and the presence of a current parallel to the shore. The 9 triangles on Qatar's flag symbolize that Qatar is the ninth country in the Emirates to sign a peace agreement, and the 5 on Bahrain's flag refer to the pillars of Islam. The main symbol of the Qatari flag, from a maritime point of view, is the shore or "security". The burgundy color is the sea, which seems to have no end, and then there is a white beach on which it breaks. The waves are triangular, so the burgundy color seems more extended than white to express the breadth and length of the sea. Most likely, this flag was used as a guide for ships, indicating that they were approaching land. Since there are no large lighthouses or noticeable terrain in the region, it was of great importance for ship navigation.

History of the Qatari flag. How did it change?

The first version of the Qatari flag, adopted in 1916 when the country came under the British protectorate, had two fields - white and bright red. This version of the flag lasted until 1936, after which the flag changed:

• the red color was replaced by burgundy;
• the inscription Qatar in the center of the flag was added in white;
• a rhombus was placed opposite each of the nine triangles.

In 1949, the inscription "Qatar" and the diamonds were removed from the flag, and the flag of Qatar acquired its final appearance. But it was officially approved only on July 9, 1971, when the country gained sovereignty.