The flag of Qatar (Arabic: علم قطر) is in the ratio of 11:28. It is purple with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side.
The meaning of Qatar's flag is:
- The white colour reflects the internationally recognised symbol of peace
- The maroon colour symbolizes the blood shed during the several wars Qatar had undergone, particularly in the second half of the 19th century.
- The nine-point serrated line indicates that Qatar is the 9th member of the "reconciled Emirates" of the Persian Gulf in the wake of concluding the Qatari-British treaty in 1916.
It is very similar to the flag of the neighbouring country of Bahrain, which has fewer points, a 3:5 proportion, and a red colour instead of maroon.
A popular but fanciful tale referring to the maroon colour and the similarity to the red Bahrain flag, is that purple is what becomes of red fading in the Gulf sun. The legend goes that Qatar's flag used to be red, and that a new type of dye was used for the original flags. However after being left in the sun, the colour changed to maroon, which was then regarded to be a more beautiful colour (by coincidence). That is also why this specific shade of maroon is called "Qatar Red".
Qatar's emir, like Kuwait's, is not known to have a personal standard, nor does any other member of the ruling family.
Famous quotes containing the words flag of and/or flag:
“Swift blazing flag of the regiment,
Eagle with crest of red and gold,
These men were born to drill and die.
Point for them the virtue of slaughter,
Make plain to them the excellence of killing
And a field where a thousand corpses lie.”
—Stephen Crane (1871–1900)
““Justice” was done, and the President of the Immortals, in Æschylean phrase, had ended his sport with Tess. And the d’Urberville knights and dames slept on in their tombs unknowing. The two speechless gazers bent themselves down to the earth, as if in prayer, and remained thus a long time, absolutely motionless: the flag continued to wave silently. As soon as they had strength they arose, joined hands again, and went on.
The End”
—Thomas Hardy (1840–1928)