Middle East

Flag of Qatar

Qatar is a small peninsula in the Persian Gulf with the world's highest per-capita income, driven by its enormous natural gas reserves — the world's third-largest. It is home to Al Jazeera, one of the world's most widely watched international news networks, launched in 1996. Qatar hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup, becoming the first Arab and Muslim-majority country to host the tournament, a milestone of major cultural significance.

CapitalDoha
RegionMiddle East
Current flag since1971
Main coloursRed, White
Populationabout 2.7 million
Areaabout 12,000 km²
Flags in history2

Population and area are rounded.

What the flag of Qatar means

Qatar's maroon is said to have come from natural dyes darkening in the sun, and it was officially adopted in place of red. The nine points of the serrated edge mark Qatar as the ninth member of the reconciled emirates of the Gulf after its 1916 treaty with Britain, and white stands for peace. At 11:28 it is the widest national flag.

More about the flag

Qatar's flag has proportions of 11:28, which makes it the widest national flag, more than twice as long as it is high. Before oil and gas, the peninsula's economy was built on pearl diving. Qatar became fully independent from Britain on 3 September 1971, and the flag was raised at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the first held in the Arab world.

How to recognise it

Maroon (not red) with a serrated white stripe on the left. Bahrain is red, not maroon.

Did you know?

Qatar is the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Easily confused with

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

Bahrain

Flag history of Qatar

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

1971–present

State of Qatar (independence)

Qatar's distinctive maroon-and-white flag — with a serrated border like Bahrain's — was adopted on independence from Britain on September 3, 1971. The original flag was red-and-white like Bahrain's, but the red faded to maroon in the intense Gulf sun, and Qatar eventually standardised the darker maroon as the official colour. Qatar's flag has nine serrated points, the most of any Gulf state flag, though the exact significance of that number is debated. Qatar is the only country whose flag has a width-to-length ratio greater than 1:2.

1860–1971

Qatar under Al-Thani rule / British protection

Qatar came under British protection in 1916 after the Al-Thani family's rule was formalised. The pre-independence flag was a red-and-white design typical of Gulf rulers — white added by British treaty to mark peaceful vessels, red the traditional Kharijite colour. The serrated dividing line between white and red was a distinctive Qatari feature even in early flags, and the colour faded progressively from red to the maroon Qatar now uses officially.