A brief overview of the meaning, history, and key facts about the national flag of Brunei.
Flag of Brunei
Adopted in its present form in 1959, the national flag of Brunei features a yellow field crossed by diagonal bands of white and black, with the national crest in red at the center. Yellow is traditionally associated with the Sultan of Brunei and represents the monarchy. The white and black bands represent two of the country’s principal ministers, the Pengiran Bendahara and the Pengiran Pemancha. The red crest includes symbols such as a crescent and a banner bearing the national motto.
Printable Brunei Flag (PNG Download)
Interesting facts about Brunei’s flag
1. The basic design of Brunei’s flag dates back to 1906, when the country became a British protected state and adopted a yellow flag with white and black diagonal bands.
2. The national crest was added in 1959 after the promulgation of Brunei’s constitution, creating the modern version of the flag used today.
3. The crescent on the national crest represents Islam, the national religion of Brunei Darussalam.
4. The Arabic inscription on the crest contains Brunei’s national motto, which translates to “Always render service by God’s guidance.”
5. Before 1906, Brunei did not have a national state flag and instead used personal standards belonging to the Sultan and high-ranking officials.
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Evolution of Brunei’s flag
Flag of Brunei (1906–1959)
The first national flag of Brunei was introduced in 1906 when the country became a British protectorate. The design featured a yellow field crossed by diagonal bands of white and black.
History of Brunei’s flag
Early use of personal standards
Prior to 1906, Brunei did not have a national state flag. Instead, personal standards were used by the Sultan and senior state officials.
Among the most important were the standards of the four wazirs, or the principal officials, to whom the Sultan delegated executive and administrative powers.
These were the Pengiran Bendahara, Pengiran Digadong, Pengiran Pemancha, and Pengiran Temenggong, each of whom had a personal standard with its own color.
Adoption of the state flag (1906)
In 1906 Brunei became a British protectorate following the signing of an agreement with Great Britain. At this time it was considered necessary for the state to adopt an official national flag in accordance with international practice.
The design chosen was a yellow flag crossed by diagonal bands of white and black. These colors represented the principal signatories to the agreement: the Sultan, the Pengiran Bendahara, and the Pengiran Pemancha.
Addition of the national crest (1959)
The present form of the flag was established after the promulgation of the Brunei Constitution on 29 September 1959. At that time the national crest was added to the center of the flag.
The crest incorporates several traditional symbols, including a crescent representing Islam, the national religion of Brunei, along with other elements of royal regalia and a banner bearing the national motto.
Consolidation of flag use
After the 1959 constitution, the use of flags in Brunei was consolidated and the number of personal standards used during state occasions was reduced.
With the exception of certain individuals specially authorized by the Sultan, most officials and citizens now fly the national flag during national occasions.
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. With seven years of teaching experience and a background in educational content, she specialises in creating clear reference resources about countries, geography and global topics.