Flag of the United Arab Emirates

Meaning and history of the flag of the United Arab Emirates

The flag of the United Arab Emirates was adopted on December 2, 1971, coinciding with independence and the unification of the seven emirates. The design consists of a vertical red stripe at the hoist and three equal horizontal stripes of green, white, and black from top to bottom. These four colors are the pan-Arab colors.

Red symbolizes unity and the blood of the martyrs who fought for the nation. Green represents the country's fertility and prosperity. White embodies peace, honesty, and the charitable works of the Emirati people. Black refers to mental fortitude and the nation's oil wealth, a resource central to its economic development.

The design was created by Abdullah Mohammed Al Maainah, a 19-year-old who won a national competition to choose the new state's flag. Its use of the pan-Arab colors visually links it to the flags of Jordan, Kuwait, Palestine, and Sudan, all of which employ the same four colors in different arrangements. The Emirati flag stands out for its simplicity and geometric balance.

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