Flag of Bahrain

What the flag of Bahrain looks like

The flag of Bahrain has two colors. A white band runs along the hoist (the side nearest the flagpole), and the rest of the flag is red. The boundary between them is not a straight line but a serrated edge made of five white triangles pointing toward the fly. The flag has a width-to-height ratio of 3:5.

It has no emblem or inscription. The simple design makes it easy to confuse with the flag of Qatar, which also has a white band with a zigzag edge on a darker field. The Bahrain flag emoji shows the same layout in small size.

Bahrain flag meaning and symbolism

The red field is the traditional color of the Gulf Arab states, and red flags were used across the region for centuries. The white stripe was added later in agreements with Britain so that the flags of friendly Gulf states could be told apart from the plain red flags of pirates and rebels.

The five white triangles are said to stand for the five pillars of Islam: the declaration of faith, prayer, charity, fasting during Ramadan and the pilgrimage to Mecca. The red is often said to represent the sacrifice of the people and, in the traditional view, the Kharijite red banners from which the Gulf flags are descended. These explanations are traditional and are not all stated in the law.

History of the Bahrain flag

Bahrain's flag was plain red for much of its history. After agreements with Britain in the early 19th century, a white border or stripe was added to red flags in the Gulf. The serrated white band at the hoist was added in 1932.

In 1972, soon after independence, the number of points was changed to eight. The flag stayed that way for around three decades. When Bahrain became a kingdom in 2002 under Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the flag was changed again to the current version, with five white points in place of eight, to show the five pillars of Islam.

Bahrain gained independence from Britain on 15 August 1971 and celebrates its National Day on 16 December.

Bahrain flag vs Qatar flag

The flags of Bahrain and Qatar are the most commonly confused in the Gulf. Both are red or maroon with a white serrated band at the hoist. The main differences are:

• Bahrain's red is brighter, while Qatar's is a dark maroon.
• Bahrain's edge has 5 points, Qatar's has 9.
• Bahrain's ratio is 3:5, while Qatar's is much longer, at 11:28.

The similarity comes from a shared history of British treaties with the Gulf sheikhdoms. Other flags in the region, such as that of Kuwait, use different arrangements of the Pan-Arab colors.