Flag of Saudi Arabia

Meaning and history of the flag of Saudi Arabia

The flag of Saudi Arabia is green, bearing the shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith ("There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God"), written in white thuluth Arabic calligraphy at the center, with a white sword beneath it pointing toward the hoist. Green is the traditional color of Islam and is associated with the Prophet Muhammad.

The sword represents justice and strength and refers to Abdulaziz ibn Saud, the founder of the modern Saudi kingdom. Because the flag carries the Islamic declaration of faith, it is considered sacred and is never flown at half-staff, even during periods of national mourning. It is also not permitted on t-shirts or other commercial products, making it one of the most protocol-restricted flags in the world.

The Saudi flag is one of the few national flags that is not symmetrical, since it is designed so that the shahada reads correctly from both sides, which requires stitching together two separate pieces of cloth. It was formally adopted on March 15, 1973, although the basic design has been in use since 1932. It is unique among the world's flags for combining religious text and a sword on a solid green field.

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