Flag of Qatar

Meaning and history of the flag of Qatar

Qatar's flag is maroon with a white serrated band at the hoist, forming nine points that separate the white from the maroon. It is one of the most distinctive flags in its proportions, being considerably wider than it is tall, with a ratio of roughly 11:28 — making it the most elongated national flag in the world.

The maroon color, sometimes described as reddish-brown, distinguishes Qatar's flag from Bahrain's, which uses a brighter red and only five points along its serrated line. The maroon shade is said to result from the effect of sunlight on the red dyes used in the country's earlier flags. The nine points represent Qatar's status as the ninth of the reconciled Gulf emirates following the 1916 Anglo-Qatari treaty. White symbolizes peace. This flag was officially adopted in 1971 with the country's independence, though similar variants had been in use since the mid-19th century.

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