البحرين   Bahrain

Flag adopted 14 Feburary 2002
Proportion: 3:5
Description: Red flag with a white stripe at host limited by a serration (i.e. a zigzag) made of five white triangles.
Use: on land, national, civil and war flag, at sea, national, civil and war ensign.

Political change in Bahrain (February 2002)

On14 February 2002, the Emir of Bahrain declared his country a Kingdom and himself a King. According to the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain, state symbols will be defined by the special laws.

Jan Zrzavy, 15 February 2002

According to a report in the Daily Telegraph the ruler of Bahrain declared himself a constitutional monarch because, "We are keen to resume democratic life as soon as possible ..." In October it is planned to hold a general election for the first time since 1975.

David Prothero, 16 February 2002

Royal Decree on the flag

Manama, 2002 February 16 (BNA)

HM the King, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, issued Decree by law No. (4) for 2002, which included the following articles:

• Article 1: The Flag of the Kingdom of Bahrain shall take a rectangular shape, and shall be divided into two main sections; the first in red, and the other in white color.
• Article II: HM the King shall have his own flag, for which a royal order shall be issued to determine its shape, measures, and places.
• Article III: The Flag of the Kingdom of Bahrain shall be hoisted on the Royal Court, Palaces, governmental buildings, public establishments, embassies, Bahraini bureaus abroad, and Bahraini ships.
• Article IV: Each non-Bahraini ship entering the territorial waters of the Kingdom of Bahrain shall hoist the Flag of the Kingdom, and shall keep the flag hoisted till it departs from the territorial waters of the Kingdom.
• Article V: The Flag shall be hoisted on governmental buildings, public institutions during public holidays and occasions from sun-rise to sun-set.
• Article VI: The Flag of the Kingdom of Bahrain shall not be hoisted on vehicles, except on the official protocol vehicles.
• Article VII: The Flag of the Kingdom of Bahrain shall be hoisted half mast at the state of mourning.
• Article VIII The Flag of the Kingdom of Bahrain shall not be used for commercial purposes.
• Article IX: In case the Flag is used otherwise, and not as stipulated in the above law, a punishment of one month of imprisonment as a maximum, or a fine not exceeding than BD 100, or both shall be inflicted.
• Article X: The Prime Minister shall issue a decree on the regulatory rules of the Flag.
• Article XI: The Prime Minister shall implement the rules of this law, which shall be valid as from its publication in the Official Gazette.

According to the Bahrain Tribune, the national flag was slightly changed, so that there are now "five triangles representing the five pillars of Islam." Previously, there were more "triangles" in the serration.

Jan Oskar Engene, 18 February 2002

The ratio of the national flag was changed from de facto 2:3 to prescribed 3:5.
The unserrated flag was abandoned alltogether. Until now it was legal and theoretically a valid national flag.

Zeljko Heimer, 18 February 2002

Construction sheet of the national flag

by Zeljko Heimer

Royal standard

by Pascal Gross

Construction sheet of the Royal standard

by Zeljko Heimer

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