Flag of Yemen

Meaning and history of the flag of Yemen

Yemen's flag consists of three equal horizontal stripes: red on top, white in the middle, and black at the bottom. It was adopted on May 22, 1990, when North Yemen and South Yemen united to form the Republic of Yemen. The design is a simplification combining elements of the two states' former flags.

Red symbolizes the blood of martyrs and revolution, white represents hope for a bright future and peace, and black evokes the dark colonial past and the determination of the Yemeni people. These three colors are the pan-Arab colors, found on numerous Arab national flags, popularized by the Arab Revolt of 1916 against the Ottoman Empire.

Yemen's flag is identical in design to the former flag of the Libyan Arab Republic (1969-1977) and shares the same colors as the flags of Egypt, Iraq, and Syria, all based on the pan-Arab palette. It is distinguished from Egypt's flag by the absence of the Eagle of Saladin on the white stripe, and from Iraq's by carrying no inscription. Before unification, North Yemen's flag bore a green star on the white stripe, while South Yemen's carried a blue triangle with a red star; the unified flag dropped both symbols to represent the newly united nation.

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