the Sahrawi Arab
Democratic Republic
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| Use |
National flag  |
| Proportion |
1:2 |
| Adopted |
February 28, 1976 |
| Design |
A black, white, and green horizontal tricolor charged with a red star and crescent in the center stripe and a red triangle at the hoist |
The flag of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is a combination of the Pan-Arab colors of black, green, white, and red, and the Islamic symbol of the star and crescent. On 27 February 1976 the flag was adopted as the official flag of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). It was slightly modified in June 1991. The Sahrawi Republic claims sovereignty over the Western Sahara, but this is disputed by Morocco, who control the majority of the territory. Due to this territorial dispute and the limited international recognition of SADR, the flag's representation of Western Sahara is unofficial.
[edit] Description
The flag consists of the Pan-Arab colors of black, green, white and red. It is arranged in a horizontal tricolor, with black at the top, white in the middle, and green at the bottom. There is a red star and crescent in the middle stripe, and a red triangle at the hoist. Its design is based on that of the Palestinian flag,[1] which in turn was derived from the colors used in the Arab Revolt. The star and crescent are considered symbols of Islam, and can be seen on flags of other Islamic countries such as Pakistan.
[edit] Political status
The flag is the official flag of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, which was proclaimed in 1976 by the Polisario Front, a national liberation movement of the Sahrawi people.[2] The Republic claims sovereignty over the geographical region of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony in North Africa;[2] however, the flag does not have any official status in the region.[3] This is because SADR's claim to sovereignty is disputed by Morocco, who currently control most of the territory.[2] The territorial dispute arose after Spain relinquished administrative control of the territory in 1975, which resulted in a war between Morocco, Mauritiana, and the Polisario Front.[2] Mauritiana pulled out of the conflict in 1979, leaving Morocco and the Polisarios as the sole disputants.[2]
Both SADR's and Morocco's claims to Western Sahara have received international support. 84 states have formally recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic at some point in its history, and it has been allowed to join the African Union; in turn, Morocco's position has been supported by several African countries and most of the Arab League. However, the governments of major nations such as the United States and Russia have generally taken a neutral stance toward the dispute.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Znamierowski, Alfred (2000). Flags of the world: An illustrated guide to contemporary flags. London: Southwater. p. 93. ISBN 978-1842153376.
- ^ a b c d e Minahan, James (2002). Encyclopedia of the Stateless Nations. IV (S-Z). Westport: Greenwood Press. p. 1623–1629. ISBN 978-0-313-32384-3.
- ^ Costantino, Maria (2001). The Illustrated Flag Handbook. New York: Gramercy Books. p. 220. ISBN 9780517218105.
[edit] External links
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1 Neither fully independent nor a recognized state.
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