Qatar Flag Meaning

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

1. 19th Century: Qatar used a plain red flag, similar to other Gulf states.
2. 1916: Qatar became a British protectorate, and a serrated white stripe was added to distinguish it.
3. 1949: The red dye changed to maroon due to the local climate’s effect on pigments, becoming the flag’s permanent color.
4. 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.