Flag of United Arab Emirates

What the flag means

UAE government guidelines link green to growth and prosperity, white to peace and purity, black to dignity, and red to energy and the people's sacrifices. The four are the pan-Arab colours, shared with the flags of several other Arab states.

History

A nationwide design contest in 1971 produced the flag. The winning entry came from Abdullah Mohammed Al Maainah, who had seen the contest advertised in the newspaper Al Ittihad. The rulers first raised it at Union House in Dubai on 2 December 1971, the date the UAE marks as its national day.

Abdullah Mohammed Al Maainah was 19 when his design won the contest.

Flags that look like this one

JordanPalestineSudanKuwaitUnited Arab Emirates

Jordan and Palestine share black, white and green stripes with a red triangle; Jordan adds a small white star. Sudan puts red on top and a green triangle. Kuwait uses a black trapezoid, and the UAE a vertical red band.

Flags of United Arab Emirates's neighbours

• Oman
• Saudi Arabia