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Bahrain

Kingdom of Bahrain, Mamlakat al-Baḥrayn

Last modified: 2024-05-11 by ian macdonald
Keywords: bahrain | asia | serration | zig-zag | royal standard | crown (yellow) | construction sheet |
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[Bahrain] 3:5| image by Zoltan Horvath, 16 April 2024


Official Name: مملكة البحرين [Mamlakat al-Baḥrayn], Kingdom of Bahrain
Short Form: البحرين‎ [al-Baḥrayn], Bahrain
Capital: Manama
Flag Adopted: 14 Feb 2002
Coat of Arms Adopted: 1932


On this page:

See also:
  • Flags of Neighboring Countries:

  • Introduction: Kingdom of Bahrain

    Bahrain (البحرين) is situated on the Persian Gulf made up of 50 islands, with an additional 33 artificial islands, that forms a small archipelago. The largest is Bahrain Island which makes up more than 80 percent of the country's land mass. The Bahraini spans only 290 miles making it the third-smallest nation in Asia (after the Maldives and Singapore. The capital and largest city is Manama which is located on Bahrain Island. The Kingdom of Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy today.
    Pete Loeser, 14 June 2022


    Description of the Flag

    Adopted: 14 Feb 2002
    Proportions: 3:5
    Description: Red flag with a white stripe at host limited by a serration (i.e. a zigzag) made of five white triangles.
    Use: on land, national, civil and war flag, at sea, national, civil and war ensign.
    Colours (approximate specifications, as given in Album des Pavillons [pay00]): Red: Pantone 186 c / CMYK (%) C 0 – M 90 – Y 80 – K 5

    Based on Royal Decree No 4 (2002) of King of Bahrain (mentioned at https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mb6music/A1094203), the color shade of red is Pantone 186c and CMYK 0-90-80-5.

    There is a Bahraini Flag Guide (in Arabic – 23 MB) at https://www.edunet.bh, which gives color values Pantone 485C, RGB 21,0-4,1-28 (it must be 218-41-28), CMYK 0-95-100-0 and Hex: #DA291C (page 25)

    The Flag Manual - Beijing 2008 gives a color for red as PMS 032.br>
    TThe Album des Pavillons 2000 [pay00] (Corr. No. 5.) gives color in Pantone and CMYK systems, Pantone 186c and CMYK 0-90-80-5.
    One more color is given for the maritime flag: Pantone Process Blue c, CMYK 100-85-0-6.

    Flags and Anthems Manual London 2012 [loc12] gives a value only for red: PMS 485 (red).

    CISM Flags Manual 2018 gives the same color as Flags and Anthems Manual London 2012 [loc12].

    The Album des Pavillons 2023 already specifies the colors of the flags in three color systems.
    Blue: Pantone 2161c, CMYK 89-61-28-12, RGB 40-87-128
    Red: Pantone 485c, CMYK 6-94-96-0 RGB, 218-41-28
    Yellow: Pantone 109c, CMYK 1-17-93-0, RGB 253-209-0
    Green: Pantone 2427c, CMYK 91-35-100-31, RGB 2-95-29
    (Other colors are given for maritime and other flags.)

    Vexilla Mundi gives colors in Pantone system: PMS 485C (red), and PMS White.

    Wikipedia gives some sources and gives color values in five systems:
    Red: Pantone 485C, RAL 3028, CMYK 0-95-100-0, Hex: #DA291C, and RGB 218-41-28
    White: Pantone White, RAL 9016, CMYK 0-0-0-0, Hex: #FFFFFF and RGB 255-255-255

    Zoltan Horvath, 16 April 2024


    Flag Legislation

    On 14 February 2002, the Emir of Bahrain declared his country a kingdom and himself a king. According to the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain, state symbols would be defined by the special laws.
    Jan Zrzavy, 15 February 2002

    HM the King, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, issued Decree by Law No. (4) for 2002, which included the following articles:

    • Article 1: The Flag of the Kingdom of Bahrain shall take a rectangular shape, and shall be divided into two main sections; the first in red, and the other in white color.
    • Article II: HM the King shall have his own flag, for which a royal order shall be issued to determine its shape, measures, and places.
    • Article III: The Flag of the Kingdom of Bahrain shall be hoisted on the Royal Court, Palaces, governmental buildings, public establishments, embassies, Bahraini bureaus abroad, and Bahraini ships.
    • Article IV: Each non-Bahraini ship entering the territorial waters of the Kingdom of Bahrain shall hoist the Flag of the Kingdom, and shall keep the flag hoisted till it departs from the territorial waters of the Kingdom.
    • Article V: The Flag shall be hoisted on governmental buildings, public institutions during public holidays and occasions from sun-rise to sun-set.
    • Article VI: The Flag of the Kingdom of Bahrain shall not be hoisted on vehicles, except on the official protocol vehicles.
    • Article VII: The Flag of the Kingdom of Bahrain shall be hoisted half mast at the state of mourning.
    • Article VIII: The Flag of the Kingdom of Bahrain shall not be used for commercial purposes.
    • Article IX: In case the Flag is used otherwise, and not as stipulated in the above law, a punishment of one month of imprisonment as a maximum, or a fine not exceeding than BD 100, or both shall be inflicted.
    • Article X: The Prime Minister shall issue a decree on the regulatory rules of the Flag.
    • Article XI: The Prime Minister shall implement the rules of this law, which shall be valid as from its publication in the Official Gazette.

    Source: BNA, Bahraini Ministry of Information website, Feb 16 2002
    Christian Berghänel
    , 18 February 2002

    According to the Bahrain Tribune, the national flag was slightly changed, so that there are now "five triangles representing the five pillars of Islam." Previously, there were more "triangles" in the serration.
    Jan Oskar Engene, 18 February 2002

    The ratio of the national flag was changed from de facto 2:3 to prescribed 3:5. The unserrated flag was abandoned altogether. Until now it was legal and theoretically a valid national flag.
    Željko Heimer, 18 February 2002

    A few items about flags found here and there in Arab newspapers and websites:
    Since 25th May 2011 the six GCC countries decide to fly the GCC flag alongside their national flags according to the decision by the organization.
    News with/without pictures, from Arabic websites (can be translated!):
    Bahrain: http://gulfnews.com/news/
    Kuwait: http://alwatan.kuwait.tt/
    Oman: http://www.arrouwad.net/news/
    Qatar: http://www.alarab.com.qa/details.php
    Saudi Arabia: http://www.aleqt.com
    UAE: http://www.alittihad.ae/details.php
    Various pictures: http://www.3rabpet.com
    Jalal Muhammed, 11 February 2012


    Bahrain Flag Construction Sheet

    [Construction Sheet (Bahrain)] image by Željko Heimer

    Source: Bahraini Ministry of Information website.


    Bahrain National Day - Flag Flying Holiday (December 16-17)

    I came across the attached news item which suggests that the National Day of Bahrain is 13 December, and, as it makes reference to the biggest flag in the world, I assume its another flag day:

    Bahrain Celebrates National Day by Unfurling World's Largest Flag
         ISA TOWN, Bahrain (AP) – Bahrain celebrated its national day Monday by unfurling the world's largest flag – a red and white banner measuring 169.5 metres long and 97.1 metres wide.
         The flag – opened on grounds near the Bahrain national stadium because it was too large to fit inside – was confirmed the world's largest by a representative of the Guinness Book of Records.
         "This is spectacular," said Laura Hughes, who flew in from Britain to measure the flag for Guinness. She said Bahrain's entry will be recorded in next year's edition of the record book.
         The flag outsized the previous record holder – a Pakistani flag displayed last August – by 359 square metres.
         "This is a great event and a great achievement for Bahrain and we hope this will also help to promote the kingdom globally, "said Mahmoud al-Mahmoud, undersecretary for Bahrain's information minister.
         Seventy people worked for 400 hours to make the 3,200-kilogram flag in China. It was donated by a Kuwait-based telecommunications company that has a subsidiary in Bahrain.
    John Hall, 14 December 2004

    It was pointed out on FOTW-fb that we have listed December 13th as the National Day for Bahrain. According to government sources, that date is actually the 16th of December.
    Zachary Harden, 13 December 2014

    The Bahrain National Day is actually a two-day celebration held on December 16 and 17 of each year. These are the two official designated days to celebrate. (National Today)
    Pete Loeser, 14 June 2022


    Bahrain Coat of Arms

    Current version

    [Coat of Arms (Bahrain)] image by Zoltan Horvath, 12 April 2024

    The most recent modification to the arms happened in 2022 when King Hamad Al-Khalifa issued a decree-law adding the royal crown to the national emblem.
    Image of coat of arms from Ministry of Information website
    Zoltan Horvath, 12 April 2024

    Earlier version

    [Coat of Arms (Bahrain)] image by Eugene Ipavec, 06 March 2012

    The British Governor Charles Belgrave first designed the Bahrain coat of arms in 1932. He acted as the advisor to the Sheikh of Bahrain. The current design (2002) features a shield with five white triangles that depict the five Muslim pillars.
    Pete Loeser, 25 May 2022


    Bahrain National Flag with Arms
    Commercial Variant

    [Bahraini Flag with arms] image by Pete Loeser, 25 May 2022

    This variant of the Bahrain National Flag - with arms added to the fly - is a manufacturer's commercial product being marketed, but certainly not in official use to my knowledge. I've also never seen pictures of it being flown in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
    Pete Loeser, 25 May 2022