Asia · BH / BHR
Flag of Bahrain
The Bahrain flag is red with a white vertical band at the hoist. The two colors are separated by a zigzag line with five white triangular points, and the design has been used in its current form since 2002.
What the flag of Bahrain looks like
The flag of Bahrain has two colors. A white band runs along the hoist (the side nearest the flagpole), and the rest of the flag is red. The boundary between them is not a straight line but a serrated edge made of five white triangles pointing toward the fly. The flag has a width-to-height ratio of 3:5.
It has no emblem or inscription. The simple design makes it easy to confuse with the flag of Qatar, which also has a white band with a zigzag edge on a darker field. The Bahrain flag emoji shows the same layout in small size.
Bahrain flag colors
Color codes measured from the official design. Use HEX for the web and CMYK for print.
HEX
#DA291CRGB
218, 41, 28CMYK
0, 81, 87, 15HEX
#FFFFFFRGB
255, 255, 255CMYK
0, 0, 0, 0Bahrain flag meaning and symbolism
The earliest known flags of Bahrain were plain red. The white stripe was added after Bahrain signed a general maritime treaty with the British Empire in 1820, to mark the treaty and to distinguish the flag from the flags commonly used by pirates.
The five white triangles symbolize the five pillars of Islam: the declaration of faith, prayer, charity, fasting during Ramadan and the pilgrimage to Mecca. The red represents the blood of the martyrs and the battles of Bahrain, and the white represents peace.
History of the Bahrain flag
Bahrain's earliest known flags were plain red. After the 1820 general maritime treaty with Britain, a white stripe was added. In 1932 a serrated edge was added to tell the flag apart from those of its neighbours.
The flag originally had twenty-eight white points, and in 1972 the number was reduced to eight. On 14 February 2002, under King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, it was reduced again to five, so that each point could stand for one of the five pillars of Islam. A royal decree-law issued in 2002 also set out how the flag is to be flown and protected.
Bahrain gained independence from Britain on 15 August 1971 and celebrates its National Day on 16 December.
Bahrain flag vs Qatar flag
The flags of Bahrain and Qatar are the most commonly confused in the Gulf. Both have a white serrated band at the hoist, on a red or maroon field. The main differences are:
- Bahrain's red is brighter, while Qatar's is a dark maroon.
- Bahrain's edge has 5 points, Qatar's has 9.
- Bahrain's ratio is 3:5, while Qatar's is much longer, at 11:28.
The similarity comes from a shared history of British treaties with the Gulf sheikhdoms. Other flags in the region, such as that of Kuwait, use different arrangements of the Pan-Arab colors.
Bahrain flag facts
| Country | Kingdom of Bahrain |
|---|---|
| Flag adopted | February 14, 2002 |
| Proportions | 3:5 |
| Colors | #DA291C, #FFFFFF |
| Flag emoji | 🇧🇭 |
| Country code | BH, BHR (ISO 3166) |
| Capital | Manama |
| Continent | Asia |
| Population | 1,569,666 |
| Area | 787 km² |
| Currency | Bahraini dinar |
| National anthem | Bahrainona |
Bahrain flag: frequently asked questions
What do the five white triangles on the Bahrain flag mean?
They represent the five pillars of Islam: the declaration of faith, prayer, charity, fasting in Ramadan and the pilgrimage to Mecca.
What is the difference between the Qatar and Bahrain flags?
Bahrain's flag is bright red with five white points, while Qatar's is maroon with nine points and a much longer shape.
Why is Bahrain's flag similar to Qatar's?
Both are red and white with a serrated line, and Bahrain's flag is sometimes mistaken for Qatar's. Bahrain's began as a plain red flag, with a white stripe added after its 1820 treaty with Britain. The two are told apart by color (Bahrain's is brighter red, Qatar's maroon), number of points (five versus nine) and proportions.
Is the Kingdom of Bahrain a country?
Yes. Bahrain is an island country in the Persian Gulf, a constitutional monarchy known as the Kingdom of Bahrain since 2002. It became independent in 1971.
Is Bahrain in Asia or Europe?
Bahrain is in Asia. It is a small island country in the Persian Gulf with its capital at Manama, and it has no territory in Europe.
What did the Bahrain flag look like before 2002?
The colors were the same, red and white, but the serrated edge had more points. It originally had twenty-eight white points, reduced to eight in 1972. On 14 February 2002 the number was cut to five, one for each pillar of Islam.
