A brief overview of the meaning, history, and key facts about the national flag of Bahrain.
Flag of Bahrain
The national flag of Bahrain consists of a red field separated from a white vertical band by a serrated line with five triangular points. The red color represents the battles and martyrs’ blood in the country’s history, while the white band symbolizes peace. The five points of the serrated line represent the Five Pillars of Islam, reflecting Bahrain’s identity as an Islamic and Arab country.
Printable Bahrain Flag (PNG Download)
Interesting facts about Bahrain’s flag
1. The earliest known flags of Bahrain were plain red banners, used more than two centuries ago before later modifications were introduced.
2. The serrated edge dividing the red and white sections of the flag was introduced in 1932 to help distinguish Bahrain’s flag from those of neighboring states.
3. Earlier versions of the flag contained 28 triangular points along the serrated edge, whereas the modern flag has five.
4. Bahrain also has a separate royal flag used by the king, which includes a white border on three sides and a golden crown in the canton.
5. Bahrain’s flag is sometimes confused with the flag of Qatar, although Qatar’s flag is maroon and has nine serrated points.
Explore more about Bahrain:
Evolution of Bahrain’s flag
Bahrain (1783–1820)
The earliest flag associated with Bahrain was a plain red 1:3 banner, which reflected the traditional red flags used by several states in the Persian Gulf.
Bahrain (1820–1932)
A white vertical stripe was added to the red flag to distinguish it from regional pirate flags.
Bahrain (1932–1972)
A serrated line was introduced between the red and white sections of the flag to differentiate Bahrain’s flag from similar designs.
Bahrain (1972–2002)
The number of triangular points was reduced to eight, simplifying the design while retaining the distinctive serrated separation.
History of Bahrain’s flag
Early flags
The earliest flags used in Bahrain were simple red banners. Red was commonly used on flags by several states in the Persian Gulf region.
British treaty and introduction of the white stripe
In 1820, Bahrain signed the General Maritime Treaty with the British Empire.
Following the treaty, a white stripe was added to the flag to distinguish Bahrain’s flag from those used by pirates in the region.
Introduction of the serrated design
In 1932, the flag was modified again by adding a serrated line between the red and white sections.
This change helped differentiate Bahrain’s flag from those of nearby Gulf states that used similar colors.
Changes to the number of points
Earlier versions of the serrated edge included many triangular points. Over time, the number was reduced from 28 to eight points in 1972.
Modern flag
On 14 February 2002, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued a decree establishing the current design of Bahrain’s national flag.
The flag retained the red and white colors but reduced the serrated points to five, representing the Five Pillars of Islam.
Browse all Middle Eastern flags or explore more Asian flags. You can also test your knowledge with our Asia Flag Quiz.
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.