Countries with Red, Green, White, and Black Flags 2025
Country↑ | Flag Details | |
|---|---|---|
 | Afghanistan | Vertical bars of (from hoist) black, red, and green with a white coat of arms featuring Arabic inscriptions including “Afghanistan” and “There is no deity but God; Muhammad is the messenger of God.” The coat of arms also includes a mosque, two flags, and sheaves of wheat. |
 | Iraq | Horizontal bars of (from top) red, white, and black with green "takbīr" (Kufic script saying "God is [the] greatest") in the center. |
 | Jordan | Horizontal bars of (from top) black, white, and green overlaid by a red triangle aligned with the hoist edge. Inside the triangle rests a single white, seven-pointed star. |
 | Kenya | Horizontal bars of (from top) black, red, and green separated by thin white stripes and with crossed white spears and a red/black/white shield in the flag's center. |
 | Kuwait | Horizontal bars of (from top) green, white, and red overlaid by a black trapezoid aligned with the hoist edge. |
 | Libya | Horizontal bars of red (top), black (center, double thick), and green (bottom), with a white crescent moon and single five-pointed star in the flag's center. |
 | Palestine | Horizontal bars of (from top) black, white, and green overlaid by a red triangle aligned with the hoist edge. |
 | Sudan | Horizontal bars of (from top) red, white, and black overlaid by a green triangle aligned with the hoist edge. |
 | Syria | Horizontal bars of (from top) red, white, and black with two green five-pointed stars in the flag's center. |
 | United Arab Emirates | Horizontal bars of (from top) green, white, and black overlaid by a red rectangle aligned with the hoist edge. |
 | Western Sahara | Horizontal bars of (from top) black, white, and green overlaid by a red triangle aligned with the hoist edge. A red crescent moon and single five-pointed star rest in the flag's center. |
Although red, green, white, and black are commonly associated with Arab countries, many other countries have adopted a flag with these colors. Like many flags, several variations exist, but the common use of these colors in a flag is to display the colors in horizontal stripes. Probably the most recognizable flag with these colors is the United Arab Emirates flag. This flag features three horizontal stripes in green, white, and black. To the left of the flag is a single vertical stripe in red.
Other flags to feature these colors in horizontal stipes include Iraq, Syria, and Egypt. Iraq’s flag features red, white, and black stripes with green lettering in the middle white stripe. Syria features a flag with a green, white, and black stripe. The middle white stripe has a series of three red stars. The Egyptian flag is red, white, and black with a gold and green symbol in the central white stripe. A similar flag is Yemen, which features red, white, and black stripes, but does not have green included in the flag.
What Countries Use a Triangle with Red, Green, White, and Black for Their Flag?
A different variation on the striped flag design is to include an inverted triangular shape to the left of the flag. Usually, the shape runs from top to bottom, with the point of the triangle facing inward toward the flag’s center. Countries such as Sudan, Jordan, Palestine, and Kuwait feature this flag design in different combinations of red, green, white, and black. Kuwait’s triangle is slightly different, looking more like a trapezoid with a flat portion pointed inward toward the flag’s center.
Why Do Arab Nation Countries Use Red, Green, White, and Black?
Quite often, but not always, red, green, white, and black flags are used in the flags of Arab nations. These colors represent Pan-Arab colors, with each color denoting something specific and genuine about the Arab history and culture. Traditionally, black was used as a color to represent the Rasidun and Abbasid caliphates. White represents the Umayyad and Fatimid caliphates. Most commonly, the color green is used to represent Islam, the primary Arab religion. In some flags, though, green can be used to describe the fertile lands throughout the area. The last color used in the flags, red, represents the Hashemite dynasty. The history of using these four colors can be traced back to the 14th century, when an Iraqi poet first referenced the combination of these colors.
