Flag of Brunei#Other ensigns and flags
{{short description|National flag}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox flag
| Name = Brunei Darussalam
{{lang|ms-Arab|بروني دارالسلام}}
| Image = Flag_of_Brunei.svg
| Use = 110100
| Symbol = {{FIAV|110100}} {{FIAV|normal}} {{FIAV|Mirror}} {{FIAV|Vertical normal}}
| Proportion = 1:2
| Adoption = {{start date and age|1959|09|29|df=y}}
| Design = A centered red crest of Brunei on a yellow field cut by black and white diagonal stripes (parallelograms).
| Designer = Pengiran Muhammad Yusuf
}}The national flag of Brunei holds deep historical and symbolic significance, reflecting the nation's royal heritage and unity. First introduced in 1906 when Brunei became a British protectorate, the flag originally featured the now-familiar yellow, white, and black design, representing solidarity among the agreement's signatories. The red national emblem, symbolising government support and unity, was added following the proclamation of the constitution in 1959. The flag’s design incorporates traditional Southeast Asian royal colours, with yellow symbolising the monarchy, white and black representing the purity and strength of Brunei’s wazirs, and red symbolising bravery and unity. Today, the flag stands as a powerful emblem of Brunei's Islamic faith, royal authority, and enduring national identity.
History
With the exception of the symbol, Brunei's current national flag design has been in use since 1906, when the country became a British protectorate under an agreement with the government of the United Kingdom. After the constitution was proclaimed on 29 September 1959, the national emblem was added. Prior to 1906, the sultan and other high-ranking officials, such as wazirs, used their personal standards as Brunei's only flag. The yellow, white, and black colors of the national flag represented the signatories' solidarity in the 1906 pact. Only some people, such as the descendants of sultans and wazirs, were permitted to keep their own banners after 1959 in an effort to decrease the number of flags flown during state occasions.{{Cite book |url=https://www.information.gov.bn/Publication%20listsPDF/Kebangsaan/semarak-hari-kebangsaan-negara-brunei-darussalam-1984-2015pdf.pdf |title=Semarak Hari Kebangsaan Negara Brunei Darussalam 1984 - 2015 |publisher=Informations Department |year=2015 |isbn=978-99917-49-88-4 |location=Bandar Seri Begawan |pages=52-53 |language=ms}}
Design and symbolism
File:Secretary Kerry Meets With Sultan Bolkiah of Brunei (10183863905).jpg in a meeting with John Kerry.]]Brunei's national flag is a rectangle design that is {{Convert|36|in}} wide and 72 inches long. A diagonal parallelogram that runs from 2.5 inches below the top left corner to 2.5 inches above the bottom right corner, forming two distinct upper and lower sections, divides it into four sections. This diagonal is further divided into two uneven bands, with the upper white band measuring 7.5 inches wide and being one inch broader than the lower black band.
The red national emblem, with uplifted hands signifying unity and support for the government, sits in the center of the flag. The symbol is 24 inches from the left and right edges, which is the same distance from either side. The national motto, "{{Lang|ms|Sentiasa Membuat Kebajikan Dengan Petunjuk Allah}}" (meaning "Always Render Service with God's Guidance"), is inscribed in yellow Arabic calligraphy.
The flag incorporates four colours:
- Yellow for the background, symbolising the monarchy.
- White for the upper diagonal, representing the wazirs' purity.
- Black for the lower diagonal, indicating strength and determination.
- Red for the emblem, symbolising bravery and unity.
In Southeast Asia, yellow is traditionally the colour of royalty, and the royal standards of Malaysia and Thailand, and the flag of Sarawak, along with the presidential flag of Indonesia, all use a yellow field as well. The crescent symbolises Islam, the parasol symbolises monarchy, and the hands at the side symbolise the benevolence of the government. The black and white stripes represent Brunei's wazirs{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vvl_AAAAMAAJ |title=The National Geographic Magazine |publisher=National Geographic Society |year=1935 |page=384}} who were once joint-regents and then – after the sultan came of age – senior advisors: the Pengiran Bendahara (First Minister, symbolised by a slightly thicker white stripe) and the Pengiran Pemancha (Second Minister, governing foreign affairs, symbolised by black), with the white stripe being roughly 12% wider than the black one.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EDIrAQAAIAAJ |title=The Flag Bulletin |publisher=Flag Research Center |year=1984 |page=76}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mBofAQAAMAAJ |title=Annual Report: Brunei |publisher=H.M. Stationery Office |year=1946 |page=91}}
Colors
{{Unreferenced section|date=June 2024}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! ! style="background:#F7E017" | {{color|black|Yellow}} ! style="background:#CF1126" | {{color|white|Red}} ! style="background:#FFFFFF" | {{color|black|White}} ! style="background:#000000" | {{color|white|Black}} |
| style="text-align:right" | RGB
| 247/224/23 || 207/17/38 || 255/255/255 || 0/0/0 |
|---|
| style="text-align:right" | Hexadecimal
| #F7E017 || #CF1126 || #FFFFFF || #000000 |
Historical flags
File:Old Flag of Brunei.svg|Flag from 1888 to 1906
File:Flag of Brunei 1906-1959.svg|Flag from 1906 to 1959
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|Flags of Brunei}}
- {{FOTW|id=bn|title=Brunei}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/19990427213829/http://www.brunei.gov.bn/about_brunei/flag.htm National Flag and Crest] Government of Brunei Darussalam
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120426154150/http://www.pmo.gov.bn/pmo1/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=182&Itemid=206 National Flag and Crest], Prime Minister's Office
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160307071801/http://www.portalestoria.net/brunei.htm Flag and Crest Description]}}
- [http://www.rbvex.it/asiapag/brunei.html History Brunei Flag]
{{Brunei topics}}
{{Asia topic|Flag of|title=Flags of Asia}}
{{nationalflags}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brunei, Flag of}}
Category:Flags introduced in 1959