Flag of Brunei

Meaning and history of the flag of Brunei

The flag of Brunei has a yellow field crossed by two diagonal stripes, one white and one black, running from the upper hoist corner to the lower fly corner. At the center sits the country's coat of arms in red. Yellow represents the Sultan of Brunei, being the traditional color of Malay royalty, while white and black symbolize the country's two chief ministers, or wazirs.

The central coat of arms features a crescent, symbol of Islam, the state religion, a royal umbrella representing the monarchy, two wings on either side representing the protection of justice and peace, two open hands symbolizing the government's commitment to the people's welfare, and a ribbon bearing the Arabic inscription 'Brunei, abode of peace' along with the national motto. Together these elements reflect Brunei's character as an absolute Islamic sultanate.

The flag was adopted on September 29, 1959, when Brunei received its first constitution, and it remained unchanged after full independence from the United Kingdom on January 1, 1984. It is one of the few flags in the world built around diagonal stripes as its main design feature, giving it a distinctive look. Its prominent royal yellow visually links it to the flag of Malaysia, reflecting the shared cultural heritage of the wider Malay world.

You can view the flag of Brunei in high resolution above and download it in several sizes for personal, educational or reference use. To explore more, visit the full Brunei profile, its map, or the current local time in Bandar Seri Begawan.