Egypt is a transcontinental country spanning northeastern Africa and the Sinai Peninsula of Asia, home to one of the world's oldest and most influential civilisations, which flourished for over 3,000 years along the Nile River. The country is home to iconic ancient monuments including the Pyramids of Giza, the only surviving wonder of the ancient world, and the Sphinx. Egypt controls the Suez Canal, one of the world's most strategically vital shipping routes, connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas.
Population and area are rounded.
Egypt's flag uses the colours of the 1952 revolution: red for the time before the revolution and the struggle against colonial rule, white for the bloodless revolution itself, and black for the end of oppression. The golden Eagle of Saladin was adopted in 1984; earlier versions used two green stars, and then the Hawk of Quraish.
Horizontal red-white-black with the Eagle of Saladin in the centre white stripe.
Egypt is home to the only surviving wonder of the ancient world — the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Egypt's flag is often mixed up with these. Learn to tell them apart:
Every flag that has flown over Egypt, from today back through time.
In 1984 the golden hawk was replaced by the gold Eagle of Saladin, Egypt's national emblem, centered in the red-white-black tricolour. The colors signify the struggle against occupation, a bright future, and the end of oppression.
For the federation of Egypt, Libya, and Syria, the two stars were replaced by a golden Hawk of Quraish on the white band. Egypt kept this hawk flag even after the federation lapsed.
The 1958 union of Egypt and Syria replaced the central eagle with two green stars, one for each member state. Syria left in 1961, but Egypt kept the name and this two-star flag for another decade.
After the 1952 Free Officers' coup, the red-white-black "Arab Liberation" tricolour with the Eagle of Saladin became the national flag once the monarchy was abolished in 1953.
When Britain recognized Egyptian independence in 1922, King Fuad I adopted a green field with a white crescent enclosing three white stars — usually said to represent Egypt, Nubia, and Sudan.
Founded by Muhammad Ali Pasha — the Albanian commander regarded as the father of modern Egypt — the ruling dynasty governed a nominally Ottoman but effectively independent Egypt, flying a red flag with white crescents and stars. As the Khedivate it built the Suez Canal, then sank into debt and fell under British occupation in 1882, ruling on as a British puppet until the 1922 kingdom.
Empires, kingdoms and republics that once covered part of Egypt.
The Shia Ismaili Fatimids adopted green as their standard, and green's lasting association with Islam owes much to this dynasty. They founded Cairo as their capital.
Adopted under King Fuad I in 1922; the green field's three stars are commonly said to represent Egypt, Nubia, and Sudan.
The red-white-black Arab Liberation tricolor with a golden Hawk of Quraish, flown simultaneously as the national flag of all three members — Egypt, Libya, and Syria.
A red field with three white crescents each cradling a star, flown under Muhammad Ali's dynasty while Egypt was an autonomous Ottoman province.
After the Free Officers abolished the monarchy, Egypt flew a red-white-black 'Liberation' flag with a golden Eagle of Saladin, until the 1958 union with Syria as the United Arab Republic.
A red field with a white crescent and three stars, flown while Egypt was nominally an Ottoman khedivate but in practice under British occupation, until it became the Kingdom of Egypt in 1922.
Founded by Saladin, the Kurdish-origin dynasty ruled Egypt and Syria and recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders, flying a plain yellow banner — the colour the modern Eagle of Saladin recalls.
A state ruled by a self-perpetuating caste of slave-soldiers from Cairo, which halted the Mongols at Ain Jalut and dominated Egypt and the Levant until the Ottoman conquest.
The 25 states, provinces and regions of Egypt with their own flags.
Cairo
Giza
Alexandria
Dakahlia
Faiyum
Gharbia
Ismailia
Monufia
Minya
Qalyubia
New Valley
Suez
Aswan
Asyut
Beni Suef
Port Said
Damietta
Sharqia
South Sinai
Kafr el-Sheikh
Luxor
Qena
North Sinai
Sohag
Red SeaEgypt shares a land border with 4 countries: Israel, Libya, Palestine and Sudan.
4 other national flags use the same main colours as Egypt's.
Play Globalio and learn Egypt's flag
Syria
Iraq
Yemen
Israel
Libya
Palestine
Sudan
Brunei
Papua New Guinea
Timor-Leste
Uganda