Flag of Brunei

What the flag of Brunei looks like

The flag of Brunei has a width-to-height ratio of 1:2 and a bright yellow field. Two diagonal bands cross it from the upper hoist toward the lower fly: a white band and a black band lying side by side. The bands run the whole length of the flag in a slanting line, so they cut the yellow into two triangular parts.

The national crest is placed in the center, on top of the stripes, and is drawn in red. It has a crescent that opens upward, with a ribbon under it, and above it stands a parasol with a flag on its pole. On either side of the crescent are a raised hand and a wing. The crescent carries a line of Arabic text. The red crest, yellow field and the stripes make the flag easy to recognize, and it is quite unlike the flag of its only neighbor, Malaysia.

Brunei flag meaning and symbolism

Yellow is the traditional color of royalty in Malay culture, and on the flag of Brunei it symbolizes the monarchy. The white and black diagonal stripes represent the two most senior ministers, or viziers, of the sultanate, who bear the titles Pengiran Bendahara and Pengiran Pemancha. They were once joint regents and later senior advisors to the Sultan. The white stripe, slightly the wider of the two, stands for the First Minister (Pengiran Bendahara), and the black stripe for the Second Minister (Pengiran Pemancha), who handled foreign affairs.

The elements of the crest all have a meaning. The crescent is the symbol of Islam, the state religion, and the Arabic inscription on it is usually translated as "always in service with God's guidance". The parasol is a sign of the monarchy, and the wings are said to stand for justice, tranquility, prosperity and peace. The two raised hands stand for the benevolence of the government. The ribbon below carries the full name of the country, Brunei Darussalam, in Arabic script, and the phrase means "Brunei, the abode of peace".

History of the Brunei flag

Brunei was a powerful sultanate on Borneo in the 16th century and later lost much of its land. It became a British protectorate in 1888, and a further agreement with the United Kingdom was made in 1906. Before 1906 the sultan and other high officials used their own personal standards. The flag with the diagonal white and black stripes dates to 1906, the year of a pact with the United Kingdom, and its yellow, white and black colors reflected the solidarity of the signatories.

The national crest was added to the center in 1959, after the constitution was proclaimed on 29 September 1959, and this is the flag that is used today. Brunei regained full independence from the United Kingdom on 1 January 1984. National Day (Hari Kebangsaan) is held on 23 February.

Brunei flag facts

• The capital is Bandar Seri Begawan, and the official language is Malay.
• The flag is shown in small size on the Brunei flag emoji page, and it is available to print on the download page.
• The parasol in the crest is a symbol of the monarchy.