Flag of Egypt

National flag of Egypt (1984-present)

The flag of Egypt in its current form was adopted on October 4, 1984. It depicts the national emblem; Eagle of Saladin (a shield superimposed on a golden eagle facing the hoist side above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band of the three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black.

Symbolism

The color red refers to the period before the 1952 Revolution which brought a group of army officers to power after deposing King Farouk, then King of Egypt. This was a period characterized by the struggle against the British occupation of the country. The white symbolizes the advent of the 1952 Revolution which ended the monarchy without bloodshed. The color black symbolizes the end of the oppression of the people of Egypt at the hands of the Monarchy and British colonialism.

These colors of the current flag became the traditional Pan-Arabic colors, also seen on the flags of Yemen, Syria and Iraq. The central emblem differs from one country to the other.

Rules Governing the hoisting of the flag

The national flag is hoisted on all governmental buildings on Fridays, official holidays, on the inauguration of the People's Assembly session and other occasions on which the Minister of Interior orders that the flag be hoisted. The flag is hoisted daily on border posts and customs buildings. It is also hoisted on Egyptian consulates and embassies overseas on the National Day and other national occasions, as well as during the visit of the President to the country hosting the diplomatic mission.

To salute the flag, citizens not in uniform stand at attention, with arms and hands to their sides.

Abusing the flag in any way is a criminal offense and is punishable under law as it implies contempt of the power of the state. Penal provisions also govern abuse of foreign flags or national emblems of other countries.

History

Egypt under Ottoman Empire during the 19th century.

British Protectorate (1914-1922)

The Egyptian Khedive flag under the British Protectorate (1914-1922).

Muhammad Ali did introduce one distinctive new flag which eventually became the first real Egyptian national flag. Perhaps to symbolize the victory of his armies in 3 continents (Europe, Asia, and Africa) or his own sovereignty over Egypt, Nubia, and the Sudan, Ali set three white crescents and three stars on a red field.
In 1882, Egyptian nationalists, seeking to take leadership in their own hand by deposing the khedive, provided the pretext Britain sought for occupying the country. A promise was made that British troops would leave "as soon as the state of the country and the organization of proper means for the maintenance of the Khedivial authority will admit of it.

Agitation for independence began immediately, reaching a peak in the Revolution of 1919. While the red flag with its white crescents and stars was carried by Egyptians protesting British Rule, a special banner was also seen in the streets. Its field was green and bore a crescent and cross to show that both Muslims and Coptic Christians supported the independence movement.

Kingdom of Egypt (1922-1952)

Kingdom of Egypt (1922-1952)

It was the First official National flag of modern Egypt. It was adopted by a Royal Decree in 1923, when Egypt gained partial independence from the United Kingdom in 1922. It consisted of a white crescent with three stars on a green background.

The three stars in the 1922 flag supposedly represented either the three peoples of Egypt: Muslims, Christians and Jews or the three parts comprising the Kingdom: Egypt, Nubia and the Sudan.

Republic of Egypt (1952-1958)

Following the 1952 coup, the republic initially kept the green flag with the crescent and three stars of the kingdom but later replaced it with a red-white-black horizontal tricolour like today, but with a different style of eagle emblem in the white stripe, bearing a shield of the crescent and stars. It has since seen only changes to the central emblem: under the United Arab Republic (1958-1971), the white stripe contained two green stars; in 1972-1984, a golden hawk of Quraish; and since 1984, a golden eagle of Saladin with a superimposed shield, and a scroll bearing the country's name in Arabic.

Egypt as United Arab Republic (1958-1972)

United Arab Republic - Egypt and Syria (1958-1961), flag used until 1972.

In 1958, a Presidential Decree established a new flag for the United Arab Republic which comprised a merger of Syria and Egypt.

Egypt continued to use this flag until January 1, 1972, although the short-lived union saw its dissolution in 1961.

Republic of Egypt (1972-1984)

The flag of the Republic of Egypt (1972-1984)

In 1972, when Egypt joined the Federation of Arab Republics, the Law was amended to change the flag. The stars were removed from the flag and replaced by a golden hawk (the "hawk of Qureish"), holding a scroll with the Arabic name of the Federation.

See also

• Flags of the Egyptian Armed Forces

External links

• Egypt at Flags of the World