This is a list of flags used by and in Egypt.
The national flag of Egypt (Arabic: عَلَمْ مِصر [ˈʕælæm mɑsˤɾ]) is a tricolour consisting of the three equal horizontal red, white, and black bands of the Arab Liberation Flag that dates back to the 1952 Egyptian Revolution.
Egypt's Revolutionary and Liberation flag, which was designed on 23 July 1952, was then an inspiration to several Arab countries and was adopted by many Arab states.
In 1952, the Egyptian Free Officers who toppled King Farouk in the 23 July Revolution assigned specific symbolism to each of the three bands of the revolutionary and liberation flag.
The red band symbolizes the Egyptians’ blood in the war against colonization. The white band symbolizes the purity of the Egyptians’ hearts. The Eagle in the center is regarded as the Egyptian eagle of Saladin, which in itself reflects a much older origin in Egyptian history, as it represents the Egyptian vulture.
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The modern flag of Egypt.
Early Flags and Influences
When Muhammad Ali successfully seized power in Egypt, at that time the country was officially an Eyalet (Egypt Eyalet) of the Ottoman Empire.
However, throughout his reign, and that of his sons and grandsons, Egypt enjoyed virtual independence as an own Khedivate.
The meaning of the three stars and crescents has been suggested that this was to symbolise the victory of his armies in three continents (Africa, Asia, and Europe), and his own sovereignty over Egypt, Sudan, and Hejaz.
After the Urabi Revolt in 1882, British forces occupied the country, igniting ever greater nationalist resentment.
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In 1922, the UK agreed to formally recognize Egyptian independence, but only on the condition that the Sultan of Egypt, Fuad I, change his title to King.
Flag of the Kingdom of Egypt (1922-1953).
The three stars symbolised the three component territories of the Kingdom, namely Egypt, Nubia, and Sudan, while the green signifies the agricultural nature of the country, other sources suggest that it symbolised the predominant religion of the country, Islam.
The 1952 Revolution and Subsequent Flags
Following the Revolution of 1952, the Egyptian free officers retained the flag of the Kingdom, but also introduced the Revolutionary and Liberation flag of red, white, and black horizontal bands, with the emblem of the Revolution, the Eagle of Saladin, in the center band.
This earlier version of the eagle differs somewhat from the one later adopted.
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Egypt became a republic in 1953, the year after King Farouk was toppled in the revolution, and several proposals for a new national flag were made combining elements of the old flag of the kingdom with the 1952 Egyptian Revolution Flag.
In 1958, Syria united with Egypt to form the United Arab Republic (UAR) and adopted a national flag based on the original Egyptian Liberation flag after the revolution, but with two green stars (representing the two countries of the union) replacing the former Egyptian Eagle in the white band.
A modified version of that eagle was then adopted as the UAR's coat of arms.
The flag with the 2 green stars, representing the two constituent nations was used as the national flag of Syria until the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
Though Syria withdrew from the UAR in 1961, Egypt continued to use the official name of the United Arab Republic until 1971, when the country was renamed officially as the Arab Republic of Egypt.
In 1972, when Egypt formed the Federation of Arab Republics along with Syria, and Libya, the UAR's flag (whose design Syria would reuse for their own flag, eight years later) was replaced by a common flag for the Federation, once again based on the Arab Liberation Flag.
The two green stars in the white band were replaced by the Hawk of Qureish, which had been the coat of arms of Syria prior to the formation of the UAR in 1958.
While the Federation of Arab Republics was dissolved in 1977, Egypt retained the Federation's flag until October 4, 1984, when the gold Hawk of Qureish was replaced in the white band (and on the coat of arms) by the Eagle of Saladin (the 1958 version as opposed to the 1952 version).
Flag of the United Arab Republic (1958-1971).
Modern Usage and Symbolism
The national flag of the Arab Republic of Egypt is a tricolour consisting of the three equal horizontal red, white, and black bands of the Egyptian revolutionary flag dating back to the 1952 Egyptian Revolution.
The Egyptian Free Officers who toppled King Farouk in the Revolution of 1952 assigned specific symbolism to each of the three bands of the revolutionary and liberation flag.
The red band, which is located at the top of the flag represents the time prior to the Egyptian Revolution. The white band represents the bloodlessness of the war. The black band at the bottom symbolizes the end of the oppression of the Egyptian people from the monarchy.
The flag is hoisted on all Egyptian governmental buildings on Fridays, national holidays, the opening session of the House of Representatives, and any other occasions as determined by the Minister of the Interior.
Abusing the flag in any way is a criminal offense and is punishable under law as it implies the contempt of the power of the state.
Egypt’s Flag Explained: History & Meaning of the Tricolor & Eagle
| Flag | Years of Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1922-1953 | Green flag with three white stars and crescents, symbolizing Egypt, Nubia, and Sudan. | |
| 1958-1971 | Red, white, and black horizontal bands with two green stars in the white band, representing Egypt and Syria. | |
| 1984-Present | Red, white, and black horizontal bands with the Eagle of Saladin in the white band. |
Throughout the republican era, the standard of the president of Egypt has been identical to its national flag, with the addition of the coat of arms (eagle or hawk) in the upper-left corner.
Even though the Constitution of Egypt states that the President is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces (article 150), the flag of the Supreme Commander differs from the Presidential Standard.
It is identical to the national flag, with the addition in the upper-left corner of a white Eagle of Saladin contained between two crossed swords.
The Supreme Commander also has his own naval ensign, air force flag and air defence flag.
Military ordinances state that the flags of the Supreme Commander must be hoisted during the President's visits to each military unit.
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