Iraq Flag Pictures
Iraq's temporary flag could change again soon
The current flag of the Republic of Iraq is a temporary compromise approved by the Council of Representatives in January 2008. The flag features three equal horizontal bands, from top, of red, white and black with the phrase meaning "God is Great" written in dark green Arabic script centered in the white band.
The current design is similar to one flown over Iraq since 1963 when the horizontal stripes of red, white and black were first used. The current design includes the horizontal stripes, but over the years, the symbols that have appeared in the white stripe have changed.
From 1963 to 1991 three green five-point stars were featured in the white stripe. The green stars originally represented a proposed United Arab Republic union with Egypt and Syria, whose flags since 1958 had featured two green stars in the white stripe. Although the three-state republic never materialized, all three countries have retained the red, white and black horizontal stripe base of their flags. Nevertheless, Iraq retained the three-star union flag, while Syria currently flies the two-star union flag which it readopted in 1980, and Egypt flew the two-star union flag until 1972, when it replaced the stars with a golden hawk and in 1984 replaced the hawk with the golden eagle of Saladin emblem.
When Saddam Hussein attempted to take over Kuwait in 1991, he redefined the meaning of the three stars from their association with Syria and Egypt to represent the Ba'ath party motto of "Unity, Freedom and Socialism." Possibly to appease religious factions while ruling with a ruthless secular hand, Saddam also added the Arabic phrase Allahu Akbar, which means "God is Great." While unconfirmed, the Iraqi public generally believes the added phrase was a replication of Saddam Hussein's handwriting.
After the U.S. invasion in 2003 led to Saddam Hussein's demise, the flag design remained basically the same; however, the script used for the phrase was changed to Kufic, a well-known and classic script believed to have originated prior to the early Islamic period in Mesopotamia, near present day Kufa in Iraq.
In 2004, the U.S.-led Iraqi Interim Government proposed a new flag design that included a white background with a blue Islamic crescent over stripes of blue and yellow. But a color scheme predominantly blue and white did not fly with Iraqis, who considered it too similar in color and design to Israel's flag. Many Iraqis preferred to address the flag matter after general elections were held.
Iraq's permanent constitution was approved October 2005, and the 275-member Council of Representatives was elected in December 2005. On January 22, 2008, the Council of Representatives adopted the current temporary design, eliminating the three green stars, which Iraqis associate with the Ba'ath party, and retaining the Allahu Akbar phrase in green Kufic script. The flag is hoisted on the right side so that the inscription can be read.
Colors of the Kingdom
The Iraqi flag colors of red, white, black and green, date back to the Kingdom of Iraq established in 1921. Following World War I, the League of Nations mandated the United Kingdom to administer Iraq until it established its own government. The public rebelled against the British mandate in 1920, prompting the British set up the Kingdom of Iraq, which remained, however, under British military dependence until 1932 when Iraq became an independent state.
During the Kingdom of Iraq period, the flag was a black-white-green horizontal tricolor, with a red trapezoid extending from the mast side. Two seven-point white stars on the triangle represented the 14 provinces of the kingdom.
Before the Great War
Prior to World War I, Iraq had been part of the Ottoman Empire since 1534. Before Ottoman rule, the area included in modern Iraq was ruled in whole or part by numerous empires and dynasties, including Iran, Mongols, Muslim Caliphate, Persia, Babylonia, Assyrians, Amorites, and the first known civilization in the world the Sumerians who lived in southern Mesopotamia (in present day Iraq), which is the ancient Greek name meaning "between the rivers."
The rivers are the Tigris and the Euphrates, which flow through Iraq northwest to southeast. The Euphrates joins Tigris just before the Persian Gulf.
Buy Iraq flags at united-states-flag.com
For more information on Iraqi flags and history, see:
Flags of All Countries at Theodora.com
Iraq's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
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