Asia

Flag of Brunei

Brunei is a small, wealthy sultanate on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia, entirely surrounded by Malaysia except for its South China Sea coastline. It has one of the highest per-capita incomes in the world due to its substantial oil and natural gas reserves, and is governed by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the world's longest-reigning monarchs. Brunei maintains Islamic law alongside civil law and is one of the few remaining absolute monarchies.

CapitalBandar Seri Begawan
RegionAsia
Current flag since1959
Main coloursYellow, White, Black, Red
Populationabout 450,000
Areaabout 6,000 km²
Flags in history3

Population and area are rounded.

What the flag of Brunei means

The yellow field represents the Sultan, and the black and white diagonal stripes his chief ministers. The red crest in the centre combines a royal parasol, wings for justice, peace and prosperity, two raised hands for the government's duty to its people, and a crescent for Islam, with the national motto “Always in service with God's guidance” and the words “Brunei, Abode of Peace”.

More about the flag

Brunei's yellow field has been the colour of the Sultan since the 19th century. The diagonal black and white stripes were added in 1906, when Brunei became a British protectorate, for the two chief ministers, and the red crest was added in 1959. Brunei became fully independent from Britain on 1 January 1984 and celebrates National Day on 23 February.

How to recognise it

Yellow with black and white diagonal stripes and the Brunei coat of arms in the centre.

Did you know?

Brunei's sultan is one of the wealthiest individuals in the world, with a 1,788-room palace.

Easily confused with

Brunei's flag is often mixed up with these. Learn to tell them apart:

Malaysia

Flag history of Brunei

Every flag that has flown over Brunei, from today back through time.

1959–present

Flag of Brunei

With the 1959 constitution, the red national crest — a crescent, parasol, wings, and hands with a Jawi motto — was added over the striped yellow field.

1906–1959

Yellow with diagonal stripes

The plain yellow flag (the Sultan's color) gained white and black diagonal stripes in 1906 to honor the two chief ministers, commemorating that year's treaty with Britain.

1368–1888

Bruneian Empire

The maritime empire of the Sultanate of Brunei, which at its height controlled the coasts of Borneo and the southern Philippines, before shrinking under European pressure to a British protectorate.

Neighbouring countries

Brunei shares a land border with one country: Malaysia.

Malaysia

Other flags in yellow, white, black and red

4 other national flags use the same main colours as Brunei's.

Play Globalio and learn Brunei's flag