Flag of Brunei
A yellow field crossed from the upper hoist to the lower fly by a white stripe above a slightly narrower black stripe. The red national crest is in the centre.
What the flag means
A 2015 government publication says yellow stands for the monarchy. The white stripe is linked to the chief minister, the Pengiran Bendahara, and the black to the second minister, the Pengiran Pemancha. In the crest, the crescent is Islam, the parasol is royalty and the raised hands are the government's pledge to promote welfare. The motto on the crescent means 'Always render service with God's guidance'.
History
Until 1906 Brunei's flag was plain yellow. The white and black diagonal stripes were added that year, when Brunei became a British protectorate. The red crest was added after the constitution was proclaimed on 29 September 1959, and from then on only some nobles, such as descendants of sultans and wazirs, could keep personal banners. The design is credited to Pengiran Muhammad Yusuf.
On the standard 36 by 72 inch flag, the white stripe is one inch wider than the black.
Earlier flags of Brunei
- until 1906Plain yellow
- 1906–1959Yellow with white and black diagonal stripes, without the crest
Flags of Brunei's neighbours
Sources
- Wikipedia: Flag of Brunei
- Flags of the World: Brunei
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Read how we research flags in our editorial policy, or report a mistake.
