Flag of Iraq

Flag of Iraq

Since the 1958 Iraqi coup d'état, Iraq has had many different flags. All of these flags use the pan-Arab colors of green, black, white, and red.

The flag used today was chosen in 2008. It has three equal horizontal stripes of red, white, and black. These stripes come from the Arab Liberation Flag, first used by Gamal Abdel Nasser during the Egyptian Revolution.

The current flag also shows the words “God is Great” in green writing. This writing was first added by Saddam Hussein after the Gulf War. The basic design of three stripes has been used since 1963, but the symbols in the middle have changed over time. The newest version from 2008 uses the words “God is Great” in dark green and no longer has the three green stars that were there before. Though it was meant to be temporary, this flag has been Iraq’s official flag ever since.

Colour scheme

Valid for Iraqi flags from 1963 to today

History

Iraq as part of the Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258)

The Abbasid Revolution against the Umayyad Caliphate chose black as its color. Rivals picked different colors in response. Forces loyal to Marwan II chose red. Black became tied to the Abbasid Revolution and later to Sunni Islam, while white became linked to Shia Islam.

Ottoman Iraq (1534–1920)

From 1534 until the early 20th century, Iraq was part of the Ottoman Empire. In 1844, the Ottoman Empire created a national flag as part of reforms called the Tanzimat. This flag influenced flags used in modern Iraq, including by the Iraqi Turkmen.

Kingdom of Iraq (1921–1958)

Iraq’s first modern flag was adopted in 1921, during the time of Mandatory Iraq. It featured black, white, and green with a red triangle, inspired by the flag of the Arab Revolt. The design later changed to include a red trapezoid with two white stars for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. These designs also showed the influence of the Hashemite dynasty, which came from the Arabian Peninsula and had helped lead the Arab Revolt.

Iraq as part of the Arab Federation (1958)

In 1958, Iraq and Jordan formed the Arab Federation, joining two Hashemite kingdoms. The flag was similar to Jordan’s but without its seven-pointed star. This union ended after less than six months due to the Iraqi Revolution of 1958.

Qasimist Iraq (1959–1963)

After the 1958 revolution ended the monarchy, Iraq became a republic and adopted a new flag in 1959. It used the Pan-Arab colors of black, white, green, and red in a vertical layout, with a red star and yellow circle. The yellow circle represented Iraqi Kurds, and the red star stood for Assyrians. This flag was later rejected by many Iraqis and was mostly used in the Kurdistan Region until 2008.

Ba'athist Iraq (1963–2004)

In 1963, after a revolution, Iraq adopted a new flag with red, white, and black horizontal stripes, inspired by the United Arab Republic. It included three green stars, symbolizing hopes to join Egypt and Syria. Later leader Saddam Hussein added changes, including the takbīr ("Allahu akbar") in green writing between the stars in 1991.

2004–2008

In 2004, Iraq created a new flag design to move away from Saddam Hussein’s version. The takbīr was written in a traditional style instead of Saddam’s handwriting. This was a temporary design until a final flag could be decided.

2008–present

In 2008, Iraq approved a new flag design. The three stars were removed, leaving only the takbīr in green writing. This change was requested by Kurdish Iraqis but caused debate among others. The new flag was meant to be temporary while Iraq decided on a final design.

Symbolism

The Iraqi flag has four colors: red, white, green, and black. These colors come from a poem by Safi al-Din al-Hilli. The red stands for the blood of enemies, the white for bright actions, the green for the land, and the black for dark battlefields.

Specifications

The flag of Iraq is shaped like a rectangle. It is two-thirds as wide as it is long. It has three equal horizontal bands: red on top, white in the middle, and black on the bottom. In the center of the white band, there are green words written in a special style called Kufic script.

Flag proposals and flag contest

2004 flag proposal and controversy

After the United States entered Iraq in 2003, many people thought the flag might change. Some wanted to remove old symbols linked to past leaders. Others felt the flag had been used since before those leaders and should stay.

In 2004, a new flag design was suggested. It looked simple, inspired by flags like Canada and Switzerland. But many Iraqis did not like this new design. They felt it did not represent their history or culture. The plan to use this new flag was stopped.

2008 flag proposals

In 2008, another design was suggested. This one kept the main words but changed some details. Later that year, Iraq held a contest for people to design a new flag. Many ideas were shared, and leaders planned to pick a new flag by the end of 2008.

2020s flag proposal (Proposed Flag Initiative)

In the 2020s, a new idea for the flag was created. This design wanted to honor Iraq’s own history instead of older styles. Some people in southern Iraq also used a different coloured flag to show their local pride. This showed a growing feeling of national identity among many Iraqis after big protests in 2019–2021.

Subnational flags

Minority ethnic flags

Governorates

See also: Governorates of Iraq