Flag of Kuwait

Kuwait

Name	Alam Baladii, Derti
Use	Civil and state flag, national ensign
Proportion	1:2
Adopted	1961
Design	A horizontal triband of green, white and red; with a black trapezium based on the hoist side.

The flag of Kuwait (Arabic: علم الكويت‎‎) was adopted on September 7, 1961, and officially hoisted November 24, 1961.

Before 1961, the flag of Kuwait was red and/or white, like those of other Persian Gulf states at the time, with the field being red and words and/or charges being written in white. Until 1899, the flag consisted solely of a red field. From 1899 to 1915, the red field bore a white crescent and star and, also in white, the word "كويت" (Kuwait) styled so as to de-emphasize the word-initial K:  From 1899 to 1909, the crescent-and-star symbol and the country's name were of equal height; between 1909 and 1915, the crescent and star predominated at the center, with the country's name reduced in size and relegated to the top fly-side corner. Between 1915 and 1956, the crescent and star were removed and the name was enlarged and returned to the center of the flag. Between 1956 and 1961, the crescent and star remained absent, the name was written in a different style placing greater emphasis on the word-initial K, the hoist side of the flag bore a wavy white bordure, and the Shahadah was written vertically and oriented so as to be read top-to-bottom. The present flag is in the Pan-Arab colours, but each colour is also significant in its own right. Black represents the defeat of the enemy, while red is the colour of blood on the Kuwaiti swords. White symbolizes purity, and green is for the fertile land.

Colour	Symbolism
Green	our lands
White	our deeds
Red	our swords
Black	our battles

The colours' meaning came from a poem by Safie Al-Deen Al-Hali:

• White are our deeds
• Black are our battles
• Green are our lands
• Red are our swords

Rules of hanging and flying the flag:

• Horizontally: The green stripe should be on top.
• Vertically: The black stripe should be on the left side of the flag.

Peter Lynn's Kuwaiti Flag kite

In 2005, it became the design of the world's largest kite at a size of 1019 square metres. It was made in New Zealand by Peter Lynn, launched to the public for the first time in 2004 in the United Kingdom, officially launched in Kuwait in 2005, and has not been surpassed since.

Amir's flag

The current Amir of Kuwait is not known to have a personal royal standard. It is a possibility that he uses the national flag as his own. In photographs he appears with the national flag with a golden fringe. Formerly the flag of the Amir was the national one with a yellow crown on the green stripe.

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  First Emiri Standard
  

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  Second Emiri Standard

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  Construction Sheet

List of flags of Kuwait

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  ?-1899
  

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  1899-1909

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  1909-1915

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  1915-1956

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  1956-1961

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  1961–present

External links

• Kuwait at Flags of the World
• Naval Jack