The tallest flagpole in the world is the Jeddah Flagpole, located in Saudi Arabia. Erected in 2014, the flagpole stands 171m (561ft) high.
Fast facts
Name: Jeddah Flagpole
Height: 171m (561ft)
Erected: September 2014
Location:ย Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Tallest flagpole in the world
The Jeddah Flagpole was erected by Jeddah Municipality & Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives (ALJCI), in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on 23 September 2014. It currently holds the record for the worldโs tallest unsupported flagpole, standing 171m (561ft) high.
The Saudi Arabia national flag that flies on the flagpole measures 49.5m (162ft) long, 33m (108ft) wide โ a total of 1,635 square meters. The flag weighs 570kg.
The flagpole was erected to fly the national flag of Saudi Arabia and mark the countryโs 84th National Day. It stands in the King Abdullah Square in Jeddah and is surrounded by 13 special lights denoting the Kingdomโs 13 governorates.
Construction of the Jeddah Flagpole took around 12 months. The flagpole is constructed from 500 tons of steel in a cylindrical shape. It is wide enough to accommodate service units which include systems to gauge wind direction and speed, atmospheric humidity, rain volume and an aircraft-warning light as well as access points for maintenance staff to ascend.
Previously, Tajikistan had the worldโs tallest flagpole at 165m (541ft). The Dushanbe Flagpole was erected in 2011 to mark its independence day.
Other record-holders included Azerbaijanโs 162m (531ft) National Flagpole, North Koreaโs 160m (520ft) Panmunjeom Flagpole of Kijลng-dong and Turkmenistanโs 133m (436ft) Ashgabat Flagpole.
Sources:
โบ Tallest flagpole, Guinness World Records
โบ Saudi flag unfurled on worldโs tallest flagpole, Arab News
โบ How well do you know the flags of the world? The Guardian
โบ Tajikistan shows off worldโs tallest flagpole, Reuters
โบ Azerbaijani National Flag Square Opening Ceremony (YouTube)
Every effort has been made to verify this information using reliable and trustworthy sources. However, if you find an error or have any questions, please contact us.
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.