FLAG OF UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: HISTORY AND IGNIFIED - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2024

The flag of the United Arab Emirates is the national symbol of this absolute monarchy located on the shores of the Persian Gulf. The pavilion is made up of four stripes.

The first of them, red and vertical, is located on the line of the flagpole. The other three are spread horizontally symmetrically across the rest of the flag. From top to bottom, the colors are green, white, and black.

Flag of the United Arab Emirates. (By Nightstallion, from Wikimedia Commons).

This flag was adopted after the formation and independence of the British Empire from the United Arab Emirates in 1971. Since then, the flag has not undergone any modification.

Also, this symbol uses the Pan-Arab colors. These represent the unity of the Arab countries, reflected through the adoption of the same flag colors. In addition to this, different interpretations and meanings have also been raised for the colors of the Emirati flag.

For some, green is related to fertility and red to unity. White would represent neutrality, while black would be the color that identifies oil, which is the country's greatest resource. However, there are multiple assignments of meanings.

History of the flag

The history of the United Arab Emirates as a country is extremely recent. The Persian Gulf was characterized, for centuries, as a region full of pirates. The commercial activity of the coasts, including fishing, was what mobilized this area, originally inhabited by Bedouin peoples.

The first Europeans to come into contact with this region were the Portuguese. However, the British began to sail in the region but were constantly victims of attacks by Saqr bin Rashid Al Qasimi, who was the leader of the maritime federation reigned by the Al Qasimi.

That led the British to campaign in the Persian Gulf in 1809, in which they began to establish dominance on the coasts.

Truce States

The occupation and colonization of these areas of the Persian Gulf was consummated through an agreement between the British and the leader of Al Qasimi. This agreement was broken shortly after, and the hostile situation on the coasts returned.

Finally, the British carried out the Persian Gulf Campaign of 1819, through which British ships destroyed much of the artillery present on the coasts and occupied that geographical space.

The direct consequence was the signing of the General Maritime Treaty of 1820 between the British and five monarchs of the different emirates, in addition to that of Bahrain.

The main objective was the end of piracy, but the British took sovereignty of the area. Even over time, the territory became dependent on the British Raj, which was the colony in India.

Flag of the Truce States

The legal form for British rule was called the Truce States. Its flag had three horizontal stripes. Those at the ends were red and occupied ¼ of the flag.

Instead, the central one was white in color and kept a seven-pointed light green star in the middle. The symbol was in force until the dissolution of the Truce States in 1971.

Flag of the Truce States. (By Svyatoslav, from Wikimedia Commons).

Independence of the country

British power spanned more than a century and a half. The entire Persian Gulf region maintained its internal monarchical systems under the British Crown, which had begun to exploit the region's oil.

This began to be produced at the end of the century and indisputably changed the economic conception of these areas of the Arabian Peninsula.

British colonial power was in sharp decline throughout the 20th century. The United Kingdom was a consolidated Western democracy, and its government expressed an interest in not continuing to control the Truce states in 1966.

Despite attempts by local monarchs to keep the British navy on the shores, the United Kingdom was determined for a definitive separation.

Birth of the United Arab Emirates

The emirates, faced with the imminent and forced independence, decided to group together in a federation. At first, the option of a union between nine emirates was feasible, despite the fact that Qatar and Bahrain did not belong to the Truce States.

However, different disputes over who should prevail caused Qatar and Bahrain to form different states. The seven emirates of the Truce States were brought together in a new federation: the United Arab Emirates, independent since 1971.

Since the time of its independence, the United Arab Emirates has kept only one official flag. This has been in charge of grouping and representing the seven emirates as a whole. It was designed by Abdullah Mohammed Al Maainah, who beat more than 1000 competitors in a contest.

Meaning of the flag

The flag of the United Arab Emirates represented a challenge, because it represents seven different emirates. However, there is no precise meaning of the flag.

The best alternative that was found to maintain the unity of the territory was the choice of pan-Arab colors. These originate from the flag of the Arab Revolt of 1917.

However, there are also later interpretations that have been awarded to the Emirati flag. In this case, the green color would be the symbol of fertility.

White would be in charge of reflecting peace and neutrality, while black would be the hallmark of oil, the country's main national resource. Red, present on the flag of each emirate, would be the representative of the unity among all of them.

However, there are other analyzes as well. In them it is argued that red is bravery, strength and courage, as well as a symbol of unity to all other stripes.

Green would represent hope and joy, while white would represent peace and honesty. Finally, black is the symbol of defeat to enemies and of mental strength.

Other flags

As is customary in various countries, the United Arab Emirates has a civil flag, used on the high seas. Also, the President of the United Arab Emirates, who is an absolute monarch, has a banner.

The civil flag simply consists of a red cloth with the Emirati flag in the canton. This flag is used especially on boats.

Civil flag of the United Arab Emirates. (By Denelson83, via Wikimedia Commons).

The banner of the President of the United States is based primarily on the country's flag. Its only difference lies in the presence of the shield in the central part.

Flag of the President of the United Arab Emirates. (By Ex13 (based on http://fotw.fivestarflags.com/ae%5Epresi.html), via Wikimedia Commons).

References

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2. Protocol Department - Dubai. (sf). The United Arab Emirates Flag. United Arab Emirates. Protocol Department - Dubai. Recovered from protocol.dubai.ae.
3. Smith, W. (2011). Flag of the United Arab Emirates. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. Recovered from britannica.com.
4. Zahlan, RS (2016). The origins of the United Arab Emirates: A political and social history of the Trucial States. Routledge. Recovered from taylorfrancis.com.
5. Zaki. Y. (November 1, 2018). What does the UAE flag mean? Gulf News. Recovered from gulfnews.com.