Bahrain (original) (raw)


This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website

Kingdom of Bahrain, Mamlakat al-Baḥrayn

Last modified: 2024-10-12 by ian macdonald
Keywords: bahrain | asia | serration | zig-zag | [royal standard](keywordr.html#royal standard) | [crown (yellow)](keywordc.html#crown %28yellow%29) | [construction sheet](keywordc.html#construction sheet) |
Links: FOTW homepage |search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors

[[Bahrain]](../images/b/bh.gif) 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:

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:

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)]](../images/b/bh'.gif)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)]02.gif)](../images/b/bh%2902.gif) 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 fromMinistry of Information website
Zoltan Horvath, 12 April 2024

Blazon:
Gules a chief dancetty Argent ensigned by a royal crown Or with mantling of the First and Second.
Christopher Southworth, 25 September 2024

Earlier version

[ [Coat of Arms (Bahrain)].gif)](../images/b/bh%29.gif)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]](../images/b/bh-w-arms.gif)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