The flag of Algeria is one of the national symbols of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, which represents it and differentiates it from other states. It is made up of a rectangle divided in half; its left part is green and the right is white.
In the center you can see the half moon next to a five-pointed star, both red. This is a clear symbol of Islam, the most prominent religion in the Arab countries. For its part, the green color represents Islamism and the white color is the symbol of the purity of the Algerian people.
In addition, the white color is a reminder of the white flag used by Abd el-Kader in his fight against the French in 1847. It is often said that the current flag of Algeria was used in the 19th century for the first time thanks to the troops of Abd el-Kader; however, this is only an assumption, as there is no evidence of the facts.
The National Liberation Front used flags with similar models, so the current one is the result of those previous changes. There is only one official law on the national flag, which was published in April 1963.
History
The current flag of Algeria was raised for the first time on July 3, 1962, 19th century, by the troops of Abd el-Kader. An old model of the flag was created in 1928 by the nationalist leader Messali Hadj; this was adopted by the National Liberation Front.
From 1958 to 1962 the flag used was that of the provisional government in exile. It was retained when independence was achieved in 1962 and has not changed since.
The first copy of the flag was made by Messali El Hadj's wife in July 1937. Furthermore, it was used for the first time in Algiers and Belcourt during the demonstrations on July 14, 1937.
Another version tells that the Algerian flag with the crescent and the star was adopted and modified in 1943 by the Algerian People's Party.
Furthermore, Emir Abdel al-Qáder, the founder of the nation and leader of the resistance against the French occupation, is said to have used a white and green banner.
There is no official document on the national flag, except for law number 63-145 of April 25, 1963, signed by President Ben Bella and published in the official gazette five days later.
Who was Abd al-Qádir?
Abd al-Qádir was the founder of the nation of Algeria. Furthermore, he was the leader in the resistance against the foreign occupation of France and the creator of the modern Algerian state.
On the other hand, he stood out for being a writer and poet. He was also considered a persistent student of the work of the great teacher Ibn Arabi, of Andalusian origin.
Following the battle of Abdel al-Qádir against the French on July 26, 1835, the ties of both nations were reconciled with the Treaty of Michel in 1837. The flag is said to be a variation of the flag of liberation used by Abd el -Kader during 1837 and 1847.
Abdel al-Qádir's authority began to grow. However, France did not comply with the treaty and a four-year war broke out starting in 1839. In this, Abdel al-Qádir was defeated, who surrendered to the French general Lamour Yissiar in 1847.
He was in captivity for a long time. Upon his release, he spent the rest of his days devoting himself to the study of scientific and literary works. He died in 1883 and was buried in the sanctuary in Damascus.
After the independence of Algeria, his remains were transferred to this country. The New York Times called him one of the most capable leaders of the 19th century.
Meaning
Each of the elements that make up the flag of Algeria has a specific meaning related to its history.
Officially the Algerian flag does not include a coat of arms; however, it has important elements. The green color represents the religion mostly practiced by the inhabitants of the nation.
The color white symbolizes the purity of the aspirations and intentions of its citizens, their hopes and yearnings for justice for a better life. The white is also reminiscent of Abd el-Kader, who used a white flag in his fight against the French in 1847.
For its part, the red crescent, which is positioned in the center of the flag between both stripes, is the symbol of Muslims; that is to say, of Islam.
Throughout the Middle East and North Africa, there are several countries that have this symbol on their flags, due to the strength that religion has in its culture and history.
Something similar happens with the colors used. White, red and green are colors that are often repeated between flags. The intensity of them only varies slightly from nation to nation.
Flag proportions
Algerian laws state that the ratio of the flag is 2: 3. The length of the rectangle is equal to half its width. The rectangle is divided into two equal vertical parts: the part on the left side is green and the other half is white.
The star that accompanies the crescent has five points. This is inscribed within a circle, in which the radius is 12.5% of the height of the pavilion.
The outer circle of the crescent has a radius that is 25% high. Instead, the inner circle has a radius in the crescent of 20% of the height of the national symbol.
When joined, the two ends of the crescent form an arc, which is right in the middle of the green and white colors.
References
- Ageron, C., (1964). Modern Algeria: A History from 1830 to the Present. Presses Universitaires de France. Recovered: books.google.co.ve
- Aghrout, A. (2012). Algeria's "Arab Spring": So Much for Nothing ?. International Forum, LII (2), 412-433. Recovered from: redalyc.org
- Algerian Embassy in Peru. (sf). State symbols. Embassy of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria in Lima. Recovered from embargelia-pe.org,
- Makki, L., (2012). Abd al-Qadir al-Yazairi, leader of the Algerian resistance, poet and mystic. Al-Andalus Maghreb: Arab and Islamic Studies. Recovered from: rodin.uca.es
- Podeh, E. (2011), The symbolism of the Arab flag in modern Arab states: between commonality and uniqueness. Nations and Nationalism, 17: 419-442. Recovered from onlinelibrary.wiley.com.
- Smith, W. (2013). Flag of Algeria. Encyclopædia Britannica. Recovered from britannica.com.