Flag of Yemen

The flag of Yemen consists of three colors: red, white and black. The length-to-width ratio is 2 to 3. The flag was adopted on May 22, 1990. The design of the Yemeni flag is similar to the design of the flag of the German Empire between 1871 and 1918, but in an inverted form. It is also considered identical to the flag of Libya in 1969-1972. Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Sudan have created flags similar to the current flag of Yemen. 

Meaning of the colors of the Yemeni flag

The flag was officially adopted on May 22, 1990, the day when the two parts of Yemen united under one flag. Therefore, the colors were chosen to tell the story of the struggle and express the suffering of the people:

• red indicates national unity and the blood of the martyrs, which was shed during the long period of struggle to achieve freedom and independence;
• black indicates the painful and dark past and the difficult days that Yemen and its people have experienced in the past;
• white color expresses hope, optimism and a bright future for Yemen. 

The history of the Yemeni flag

Until 1990, Yemen was divided into North Yemen and South Yemen, each with its own flag.

The flag of Yemen in the northern part

After the declaration of independence of the northern part of Yemen and its separation from the Ottoman Empire, the Yemeni Mutawakkilite Kingdom was established with a flag on a red background with 5 white stars and a saber. This was between 1927 and 1962, and starting from that date, a revolution broke out in the northern part with the support of Egypt, leading to the creation of the Yemeni Arab Republic and a new flag: three horizontal lines of red, white and black and a green star in the middle of a white stripe.

The flag of Yemen in the southern part

In 1967, nationalist forces similar to those in the north succeeded in the southern part of Yemen and were able to overthrow British rule and proclaim a republic. Southern Yemen existed until it officially became the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen on November 30, 1967, and its flag also had the same three colors: red, white and black, but with a blue triangle on the left side of the flag, similar to the flag of the Czech Republic, and a red star in the middle of the triangle.

Yemen's flag after unification

In 1990, North and South Yemen were united under one government and the name of the Republic of Yemen. Since the difference between the northern and southern flags was only in symbolism, the unified flag took on the appearance of a red, white, and black tricolor with additional elements such as the star and triangle removed. This flag has remained unchanged to this day.