Flag of Jordanالمملكة الأردنية الهاشمية

What the flag looks like

The Jordanian flag consists of three horizontal bands of black (top), white (middle) and green (bottom), with a red isosceles triangle at the hoist bearing a white seven-pointed star. The proportion is 1:2. It was adopted on 16 April 1928, based on the flag of the Arab Revolt of 1916, and has remained unchanged since, including after Jordan's formal independence from Britain in 1946.

Colors and meaning

The black, white and green bands represent the Abbasid, Umayyad and Fatimid caliphates respectively — three of the great Islamic dynasties of Arab history. The red triangle represents the Hashemite dynasty and the blood shed during the Arab Revolt of 1916, and the white seven-pointed star represents the seven verses of the first surah of the Quran.

Black band

Represents the Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258), which ruled from Baghdad and used black banners. Black is also a traditional color of Arab and Islamic dynasties.

White band

Represents the Umayyad Caliphate (661–750), which ruled from Damascus and used white banners.

Green band

Represents the Fatimid Caliphate (909–1171), which ruled from Cairo and used green banners. Green is also the traditional color of Islam.

Red triangle

Represents the Hashemite dynasty, which has ruled Jordan since 1921, and the blood shed during the Arab Revolt of 1916 — the uprising against Ottoman rule led by Sharif Hussein bin Ali, the great-grandfather of the current Jordanian king.

Seven-pointed star

Represents the seven verses of the first surah of the Quran, Al-Fatiha ('The Opening'), which is recited in every unit of Muslim prayer.

History and adoption

The Jordanian flag is based on the flag of the Arab Revolt, which was designed by the British diplomat Mark Sykes and Sharif Hussein bin Ali in 1916 to represent the Arab nationalist movement against Ottoman rule. After World War I, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (then the Emirate of Transjordan) adopted the flag in 1921 with a seven-pointed star added to the red triangle. The design was formalized on 16 April 1928 and has remained unchanged since, including after Jordan became fully independent from Britain in 1946 and after the 1950 annexation of the West Bank.

Key facts

Adopted

16 April 1928

Proportion

1:2

Designer

Based on the flag of the Arab Revolt (1916)

Capital

Amman

Country code

JO

Similar flags

Palestine, Kuwait, UAE

Historical and related flags

Jordan has used several flags across its Ottoman, emirate and kingdom periods.

• Ottoman rule (1516–1916): Ottoman flag used during Ottoman rule.
• Arab Revolt (1916–1920): Arab Revolt flag with black, white and green bands and a red triangle.
• Emirate of Transjordan (1921–1946): Similar design with a seven-pointed star added to the triangle.
• Current flag (1946–present): Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan flag, unchanged since 1928.
• Royal standard: Uses the Jordanian coat of arms with a crown, eagle and other royal elements.

Frequently asked questions

What does the flag of Jordan look like?

The flag of Jordan has three horizontal bands of black (top), white (middle) and green (bottom), with a red isosceles triangle at the hoist bearing a white seven-pointed star. The proportion is 1:2.

When was the flag of Jordan adopted?

The current flag of Jordan was officially adopted on 16 April 1928.

What do the colors mean?

The black, white and green bands represent the Abbasid, Umayyad and Fatimid caliphates respectively — three of the great Islamic dynasties of Arab history. The red triangle represents the Hashemite dynasty and the blood shed during the Arab Revolt of 1916, and the white seven-pointed star represents the seven verses of the first surah of the Quran.

Which flags look similar to the Jordan flag?

Palestine uses the same black-white-green bands with a red triangle, but without the star. Kuwait uses green-white-red bands with a black trapezoid. The UAE uses a red hoist band with green-white-black bands. Jordan is distinguished by the white seven-pointed star inside the red triangle.