Flag of the United Arab Emirates

The national flag of the United Arab Emirates shows the country's pride and unity. It has four colors: red, green, white, and black. These are called the pan-Arab colors. They stand for the sovereignty and unity of Arab countries.

The flag was designed in 1971 by Abdullah Mohammed Al Maainah. He was only 19 years old when he created it. His design was chosen from many entries in a contest, and the flag became official on December 2, 1971.

Merchant ships in the United Arab Emirates can use a different flag called a civil ensign. This flag is red with the national flag in the canton. It shows that the ship belongs to the country.

All seven emirates use the same federal flag. Except for Fujairah, most emirates also have their own flags, but some share the same design. You can see the UAE flag on airplanes of the airline Emirates, too.

Design

The flag of the United Arab Emirates has four colors: red, green, white, and black. Each color has a special meaning. Red shows energy and the hard work people have done for their country. Green stands for growth and success. Black means dignity, and white represents peace and cleanliness. The flag was designed in 1971 by a young man named Abdullah Mohammed Al Maainah when he was only 19 years old. It was chosen after a contest and officially adopted on December 2, 1971. The colors together show the unity and strength of the Arab nations.

Flag of each emirate

Each of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates belonged to either the Hinawi or Ghafiri tribal groups. Both groups used a red banner to show their link to the Hashemite dynasty and their support for the Prophet Muhammad. One group, the Qawasim, had its own special flag with green, white, and red colors.

In 1820, six emirates signed a treaty with the British Empire. This made them a British Protectorate. The British asked for a white section to be added to each emirate’s flag. Fujairah was not recognized by Britain at that time, so it kept its plain red flag.

The flag of Abu Dhabi is a red flag with a white rectangle in the top-left corner. Abu Dhabi kept using a plain red flag even though the British wanted them to change it.

The flags of Ajman and Dubai look the same. They have a red background with a white stripe along the flag pole.

Before 1952, the flag of Fujairah was plain red. Later, the name of Fujairah was added in white writing. In 1975, Fujairah started using the national flag of the United Arab Emirates.

The flags of Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah are the same. They have a large red rectangle on a white background.

The flag of Umm Al Quwain has a red background with a white stripe along the flag pole, just like Ajman and Dubai. It also has a large white star and crescent, a symbol of Islam, in the center.