Flag of Jordan

Flag of Jordan
Unknown · Public domain · source
Name	Flag of Jordan
Proportion	1:2
Adoption	16 April 1928
Design	A horizontal tricolor of black, white, and green with a red chevron issuing from the hoist bearing a white seven-pointed star
Designer	Arab Revolt/Hashemite movement (attributed)

Flag of Jordan The national banner of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a tricolor device deriving from the Arab Revolt standards, combining colors and emblems associated with the Hashemite dynasty, the Ottoman Empire, the Muhammad-era Islamic caliphal colors, and the pan-Arab palette adopted in the aftermath of World War I, the Sykes–Picot Agreement, and the reconfiguration of mandates such as the British Mandate for Palestine and the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon. Its motifs connect to figures and entities including Sharif Hussein bin Ali, Faisal I of Iraq, Abdullah I of Jordan, and movements around Emir Abdullah, while resonating with later state symbols like the flags of Iraq, Syria, and Palestine.

History

The flag traces origins to the banner used during the Arab Revolt (1916–1918) against the Ottoman Empire led by Sharif Hussein bin Ali with military leaders such as T. E. Lawrence cooperating alongside Hashemite forces. After World War I the colors appeared in the standards of the short-lived Kingdom of Hejaz, the Arab Kingdom of Syria under Faisal I of Syria, and the administration of Emirate of Transjordan established under Emir Abdullah. The Hashemite family negotiated with British officials including members of the Foreign Office (United Kingdom) and implemented the tricolor in regional emblems during the interwar period shaped by the Treaty of Versailles settlement and the outcome of the San Remo Conference. The present design became formalized in the late 1920s amid competing claims involving Iraq, the Hashemite Kingdom of Hejaz, and nationalist movements influenced by figures such as King Hussein of Jordan and King Abdullah I. Post-1946 independence and events like the Arab–Israeli conflict and the 1958 Iraqi Revolution affected regional symbolism, prompting legal codification during reigns including King Talal of Jordan and King Hussein.

Design and symbolism

The flag is a horizontal tricolor of black, white, and green with a red chevron at the hoist bearing a white seven-pointed star. The black stripe evokes associations with the Abbasid Caliphate and campaigns of the Arab Revolt, the white stripe recalls the Umayyad Caliphate and related Hashemite lineages tied to Mecca and the Hejaz, while the green stripe references the Fatimid Caliphate and broader Islamic heritage tied to Medina. The red chevron derives from the Hashemite banner of the Arab Revolt and the Sharifian emblem used by Sharif Hussein bin Ali; red also appears in the flags of Jordanian Armed Forces and earlier Hashemite states like the Kingdom of Hejaz. The seven-pointed star inside the chevron has been interpreted in multiple ways in official and scholarly discourse: representing the seven verses of the opening sura Al-Fatiha; the seven hills of Amman; the seven historical provinces or emirates claimed by Hashemite tradition; or seven principles espoused by leaders such as Abdullah I of Jordan and later articulated in royal proclamations. Design elements echo motifs found on the flags of Palestine, Iraq, Syria, and the short-lived Arab Federation.

Adoption and legal status

The flag's adoption in 1928 followed directives by the Emirate authorities under Emir Abdullah and consultations with British officials in Amman and Jerusalem. After Jordan's independence in 1946, the symbol was retained by the newly proclaimed Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and later reaffirmed in legislation during the reigns of King Abdullah I and King Hussein. Laws and royal decrees issued through the Jordanian Parliament and the Prime Ministry of Jordan set standards for proportions and the seven-pointed star's configuration; these instruments align with practices in neighboring states such as Iraq and Syria which also legislated national flags following decolonization. Internationally, the flag is recognized by bodies including the United Nations and used in diplomatic relations with countries ranging from United States missions to legations in Cairo, Beirut, London, and Paris.

Protocol and usage

Flag protocol in Jordan prescribes display on public buildings, royal palaces associated with the Hashemite Court, military installations like King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau facilities, and at ceremonies involving the Jordanian Armed Forces and royal occasions such as investitures by King Abdullah II. Rules cover half-mast observances after national tragedies, the use of the banner on state visits to partners including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Germany, and preservation of the symbol in museums like the Jordan Museum and memorials in Amman Citadel. The flag features on postage issued by the Jordan Post and on insignia of institutions such as the Jordanian National Gallery of Fine Arts, sports teams representing Jordan at events like the Asian Games and Olympic Games, and diaspora organizations operating in Amman and Irbid. Improper use or desecration has been addressed through provisions in penal codes enforced by the Public Security Directorate and adjudicated in courts including the Court of Cassation (Jordan).

Variations and related flags

Variations include military colors of the Jordanian Armed Forces, royal standards used by members of the Hashemite royal family, civil ensigns for merchant vessels registered at the Port of Aqaba, and historical variants flown by the Kingdom of Hejaz and the Emirate of Transjordan. Related flags that share the pan-Arab palette include the modern flags of Iraq, Syria, Palestine, and earlier proposals for Kuwait and Yemen; the emblematic seven-pointed star is echoed in municipal arms of Amman and in badges of the Jordanian Scouts Association. Commemorative banners used during anniversaries like Jordan Independence Day and in exhibits at institutions such as the Royal Automobile Museum display configurations derived from this flag.

Category:Flags of Jordan