Flag of Qatar

Qatar's historic flag was plain red, in correspondence with the red banner traditionally used by the Kharjite leader Qatari ibn al-Fuja'a.{{cite book|title=Complete Flags of the World (DK)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1yahq8im86kC|publisher=DK Publishing|year=2014|isbn=978-1409353713|page=185}} In the 19th century, the country modified its entirely red flag with the addition of a white vertical stripe at the hoist to suit the British directive. After this addition, Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani officially adopted a patterned purple-red and white flag which bore a strong resemblance to its modern derivative. Several additions were made to the Qatari flag in 1932, with the nine-pointed serrated edge, diamonds, and the word "Qatar" being integrated into its design. The maroon colour was standardised in 1936. In the 1960s, Sheikh Ali Al Thani removed the wording and diamonds from the flag. The flag was officially adopted on 9 July 1971 and was virtually identical to the 1960s flag, except the height-to-width proportion.

The outer ring of the emblem is essentially the flag of Qatar. This design was changed multiple times throughout Qatar's history, and has been the same since 1960, when the final change happened under the rule of Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al Thani.{{Cite book|last=Crampton|first=W.G.|title=The complete Guide to flags|publisher=Gallery books|year=1989|pages=78–79}} This followed with the US recognition of Qatar's independence in 1971.{{Cite web|title=A Guide to the United States' History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular Relations, by Country, since 1776: Qatar|url=https://history.state.gov/countries/qatar|access-date=2020-12-18|website=Office of the Historian}} Qatar became such a large producer of this dye that it was referred to in the Middle East as “Qatari maroon”. This same maroon is used in the emblem for the outer halo, dhow, and palm trees.

The flag of Qatar has nine points at the separation point between the white and maroon, and the emblem employs these nine points on each side of the outer halo. These nine points signify Qatar's introduction as the 9th member of the “Reconciled Emirates” in the wake of the Qatari-British treaty of 1916.{{Cite web|date=2017-07-01|title=The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2081.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701210145/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2081.html|archive-date=2017-07-01|access-date=2020-12-06}} From 1972 to 2002, Bahrain's flag had eight points{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/876288922|title=Complete flags of the world|year=2014|isbn=978-1-4093-5371-3|edition=New|location=London|oclc=876288922}} and visually resembled the flag of Qatar, however Bahrain later changed theirs to have five points rather than eight, to symbolise the five pillars of Islam. The original flag further resembled a shade of red, and the inclusion of the white stripe is believed to be a British directive during the time of the protectorate.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Qatar Protectorate|url=https://www.britishempire.co.uk/maproom/qatar.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010304215238/http://www.britishempire.co.uk:80/maproom/qatar.htm |archive-date=2001-03-04 |access-date=2021-01-02|website=www.britishempire.co.uk}}

Nine serrated edges separate the coloured and white portions. They signify Qatar's inclusion as the ninth member state of the Emirates of Trucial Oman after Bahrain, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Fujairah, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain at the conclusion of the Qatari-British treaty in 1916.{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2081.html|title=FIELD LISTING :: FLAG DESCRIPTION|publisher=CIA|access-date=7 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701210145/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2081.html|archive-date=1 July 2017|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}

In 2012, the Qatari government defined the exact shade of the Qatari flag as Pantone 1955 C, or 'Qatar maroon'.{{cite web|url=https://www.almeezan.qa/LawView.aspx?opt&LawID=4680&language=en|title=Law No. 14 of 2012 Concerning the Qatari Flag, Annex No. 1}}{{cite web|url=http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/flags/countrys/mideast/qatar.htm|title=Qatar's flag|publisher=World Atlas|access-date=7 May 2015}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.qatarliving.com/forum/qatar-living-lounge/posts/qatars-national-color-pantone-222c-not-maroon|title=Qatar's national color is Pantone 1955 C (not maroon)|last=mohdnoor|date=12 January 2015|work=Qatar Living|access-date=20 October 2017|language=en}} The history of purple dye in the country dates back several centuries.{{cite web|url=https://hukoomi.gov.qa/en/about-qatar/al-adaam-history-of-a-nation|title=Al Adaam.. History of a Nation|publisher=Qatar e-Government|access-date=28 January 2015|url-status=live|archivedate=5 May 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505221928/https://hukoomi.gov.qa/en/about-qatar/al-adaam-history-of-a-nation}} It has been asserted that Qatar was the site of the earliest known production of shellfish dye during the rule of the Kassites due to the presence of a purple dye industry on Al Khor Islands.{{cite book|last=Sterman|first=Baruch|title=Rarest Blue: The Remarkable Story Of An Ancient Color Lost To History And Rediscovered|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XGdBBAAAQBAJ|publisher=Lyons Press|year=2012|pages=21–22|isbn=978-0762782222}}{{cite book|last1=Khalifa|first1=Haya|last2=Rice|first2=Michael|title=Bahrain Through the Ages: The Archaeology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2hmbc9evgB0C|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0710301123|year=1986|pages=79, 215}} Qatar was also known for its production of purple dye during the rule of the Sasanian Empire.{{cite web|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/gulf/qatar-history.htm|title=Qatar - Early history|publisher=globalsecurity.org|access-date=17 January 2015}} Mohammed bin Thani, who ruled from 1847 to 1876, proposed the creation of a flag with a purple-red colour in order to unify the state, and to highlight its historic role in the production of dye. In 1932, the British Navy suggested an official flag should be designed. According to the Qatari government, the British proposed that the flag be white and red, but Qatar rejected the red colouring and continued using a mixture of purple and red instead. According to letters from the British political agent in the Persian Gulf to British India, the white cloth was purchased in Bahrain and was originally dyed red locally. The locally purchased dye was of poor quality that faded rapidly, causing the flag to take a chocolate colour.{{cite web|url=https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100042699662.0x000022|title=Coll 30/15 'Anthems and Flags of Various States. Bahrein [Bahrain], Koweit [Kuwait], Muscat, Asir, Yemen, Qatar, Trucial, Oman' [16r] (31/261)|author=British Library: India Office Records and Private Paper|publisher=Qatar National Library|page=31|date=11 June 1936}} Due to the country's subtropical desert climate, the flag's colours were prone to be tinted darker by the sun, which resulted in the eventual adoption of a maroon colouring in 1936. The white portion of the flag symbolises the peace procured from signing anti-piracy treaties with the British.{{cite web|url=http://www.britishempire.co.uk/maproom/qatar.htm|title=Imperial era flag of Qatar|publisher=British Empire in the Middle East|access-date=7 May 2015}}

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File:Red flag.svg|18th century – 1860

File:Flag of Qatar (1860–1916, 1916–1932).svg|1860–1916, 1916–1932

File:Flag of Qatar (1916).svg|1916

File:Flag of Qatar (1932–1936).svg|1932–1936

File:Flag of Qatar (1936–1949).svg|1936–1949

File:Flag of Qatar (1949–1971).svg|1949–1971

File:Flag of Qatar.svg|1971–present

• Qatar National Day
• Emblem of Qatar
• Flag of Bahrain

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/qa.html Flag of Qatar]
• [https://2019.qatar.qa/en/qatar/al-adaam-flag/ al-adaam (qatar flag)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021011232/https://2019.qatar.qa/en/qatar/al-adaam-flag/ |date=2020-10-21 }}

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{{Qatar topics}}

{{Arab Flags}}

{{Asia topic|Flag of|title=Flags of Asia}}

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Category:Bicolor flags

Category:Flags introduced in 1971

Category:Flags of Asia

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