Qatar Flag

Description

The Qatar flag is available from Flags Online in full-size and desk formats, printed on both sides and made to last outdoors.

About the Qatar Flag

The Qatar flag is easy to recognise even from a distance: a broad maroon field meeting a white band along a serrated, nine-point edge. It is a simple two-colour design divided not by a straight line but by a jagged border with nine white triangular points running the full height of the flag near the hoist. It was formally adopted on 9 July 1971, shortly before Qatar’s full independence from Britain later that year, and its distinctive serrated border sets it apart from the many plain-striped flags used across the Gulf.

Colours and Symbolism

The nine points along the serrated edge are widely understood to mark Qatar’s position as the ninth state brought under an 1916 treaty arrangement with Britain, following eight other Gulf territories that had signed earlier agreements. The white section stands for peace, referencing the era of anti-piracy treaties in the Gulf during the nineteenth century. The deep maroon, rather than the brighter red used by several neighbouring states, is often linked to Qatar’s history of producing a purple-red dye from local shellfish, a craft with roots going back thousands of years in the region; sun and salt air are also said to have darkened the traditional red bunting used locally toward the maroon shade eventually adopted.

History of the Qatar Flag

Before independence, flags used in the area now known as Qatar followed the wider pattern of plain red used by Gulf states under British protection. The Qatar flag took its current form gradually through the early twentieth century, before being formally standardised and adopted on 9 July 1971, weeks ahead of full independence from Britain on 3 September that year. Unlike many newly independent states in the region, Qatar has not altered its flag since that adoption, and the maroon-and-white design with its nine-point serration has remained constant for more than five decades.

Flying and Displaying the Flag

The Qatar flag is flown at government buildings, on ships, and at diplomatic missions abroad, and its elongated proportions – longer relative to their height than most neighbouring Gulf flags – make it a poor fit for hardware sized for more conventional rectangular flags. Anyone ordering or making a Qatar flag needs to pay particular attention to the nine-point serrated edge; a version with the wrong number of points, or with straight edges instead of the zigzag border, is a different flag altogether rather than a simplified version of the same design.

Qatar Flag Sizes and Pricing

• 180 x 120cm — R860
• 22 x 15cm Desk Flag (10 units) — R800
• 10 x 15cm Desk Flag (10 units) — R650
• 90 x 60cm — R400

Material and Construction

Made from 100% polyester bunting material and digitally printed on both sides. Hemmed all around with two rows of stitching and finished with a polyester webbing heading. Rope and toggle for hoisting included.

Supplied in packs of 10. Printed on both sides onto polyester and supplied with a black plastic stick and removable base — take the base off and it doubles as a hand waving flag.

Ordering and Delivery

Every Qatar flag is printed to order and dispatched from our Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and Johannesburg branches, with courier delivery nationwide. Bulk and school orders are welcome — contact us for volume pricing on quantities of 10 or more.

Additional information