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The current flag of Syria was adopted by ], president of Egypt and president of the United Arab Republic. The flag was adopted on 22 February 1958. However, even after Syria left the UAR, President ] continued to use this flag until 28 September 1961, when it was changed to completely disassociate Syria from the UAR. The first flag of Syria to be adopted by its Revolutionary Command Council was adopted on 8 March 1963 and was in use until 1 January 1972. This flag wasn't much different from the flag of the UAR, its only difference from it where three stars instead of two.<ref name=Flag/> President ] adopted the new flag on 1 January 1972, as Syria joined Egypt and Libya in the ]. The green stars were replaced by the eagle of Quarish (the symbol of Prophet Muhammad's tribe). The eagle hold the ribbon with name of the Federation, and unlike Egypt and Libya, Syria didn't included its name on the coat of arms.<ref name=fotw/> This flag was an official flag during the ] in 1973.<ref name=Flag/> The Federation was dissolved in 1977, but Syria continued to use the flag for the next three years.<ref name=fotw/> This flag was abrogated on 29 March 1980.<ref name=Flag/>
The current flag of Syria was adopted by ], president of Egypt and president of the United Arab Republic. The flag was adopted on 22 February 1958. However, even after Syria left the UAR, President ] continued to use this flag until 28 September 1961, when it was changed to completely disassociate Syria from the UAR. The first flag of Syria to be adopted by its Revolutionary Command Council was adopted on 8 March 1963 and was in use until 1 January 1972. This flag wasn't much different from the flag of the UAR, its only difference from it where three stars instead of two.<ref name=Flag/> President ] adopted the new flag on 1 January 1972, as Syria joined Egypt and Libya in the ]. The green stars were replaced by the eagle of Quarish (the symbol of Prophet Muhammad's tribe). The eagle hold the ribbon with name of the Federation, and unlike Egypt and Libya, Syria didn't included its name on the coat of arms.<ref name=fotw/> This flag was an official flag during the ] in 1973.<ref name=Flag/> The Federation was dissolved in 1977, but Syria continued to use the flag for the next three years.<ref name=fotw/> This flag was abrogated on 29 March 1980.<ref name=Flag/>
===CivilWar===
===Independence flag===
]
]]]
During the ongoing ], the Syrian rebelsof the ] and the ] are using the 1932 Syrian flag asan opposition flag.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.breitbart.com/image.php?id=iafpCNG.871d6ceaf93465b9db0644b930cabf59.701p0&show_article=1 |title=A member of Syrian opposition shouts slogans in Antalya |author= |date=3 July 2011 |work= |publisher=AFP |accessdate=7 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/96884693@N00/5658630887/in/set-72157626461386565 |title=The old flag with the new revolutionary slogans |first=Zeinab |last=Mohamed |date=2011-04-26 |work= |publisher=Flickr |accessdate=7 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gettyimages.at/detail/115092832/AFP |title=Members of Syrian opposition kiss a former Syrian flag to protest against President Bashar al-Assad after their meetings in the Turkish coastal city of Antalya on June 2, 2011, aiming at a plan for the demise Bashar Assad. |first=Adem |last=Altan |date=26 April 2011 |work= |publisher=AFP/Getty Images |accessdate=7 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gettyimages.at/detail/115096838/AFP |title=Syrian opposition members and Turkish activists hold placards, posters and former Syrian flag as they demonstrate outside the Syrian embassy to condemn Syrian regime in Ankara on June 3, 2011. |author=Adem Altan |date=26 April 2011 |work= |publisher=AFP/Getty Images |accessdate=7 August 2012}}</ref> This flag was used for the first time by protesters in late 2011. The opposition wanted to distinguish themselves from the current Syrian government and favoured the flag introducedduring the ].<!-- The Frenchmandateendedin1946,14yearsaftertheintroductionofthisflag.-->Accordingto Khaled Kamal, an official from the Syrian National Council, theSNCuses the flag to represent independence and the end of ]'s government. Someactivists have stated that this flag also represents a return to the pre-Ba'athist 1950s version of the SyrianConstitution.During the ] in 2011, Libyan rebels alsoused the pre-Gaddafi flag from the era of the ] instead of ]'s green flag.<ref name=Daraghi>{{Cite news|title=Syrian rebels raise a flag from the past |url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/6c332676-32f4-11e1-8e0d-00144feabdc0.html#axzz22ncw5XWm |last=Daraghi |first=Borzou |date=30 December 2011 |accessdate=7 August 2012}}</ref> The Syrian National Council initially used the red-white-black version of the flag and still doesn't have an official flag.<ref name=Ipavec2>{{cite web |url=http://flagspot.net/flags/sy%7Dnsc.html |title=National Salvation Council (Syria) |last=Ipavec |first=Eugene |date=17 March 2012 |work= |publisher=Flagspot |accessdate=7 August 2012}}</ref>
During the ongoing ], the Syrian opposition represented by the ] and the ] use the Independence flag from 1932.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.breitbart.com/image.php?id=iafpCNG.871d6ceaf93465b9db0644b930cabf59.701p0&show_article=1 |title=A member of Syrian opposition shouts slogans in Antalya |author= |date=3 July 2011 |work= |publisher=AFP |accessdate=7 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/96884693@N00/5658630887/in/set-72157626461386565 |title=The old flag with the new revolutionary slogans |first=Zeinab |last=Mohamed |date=2011-04-26 |work= |publisher=Flickr |accessdate=7 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gettyimages.at/detail/115092832/AFP |title=Members of Syrian opposition kiss a former Syrian flag to protest against President Bashar al-Assad after their meetings in the Turkish coastal city of Antalya on June 2, 2011, aiming at a plan for the demise Bashar Assad. |first=Adem |last=Altan |date=26 April 2011 |work= |publisher=AFP/Getty Images |accessdate=7 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gettyimages.at/detail/115096838/AFP |title=Syrian opposition members and Turkish activists hold placards, posters and former Syrian flag as they demonstrate outside the Syrian embassy to condemn Syrian regime in Ankara on June 3, 2011. |author=Adem Altan |date=26 April 2011 |work= |publisher=AFP/Getty Images |accessdate=7 August 2012}}</ref> The independence flag was used for the first time by protesters in late 2011. The opposition wanted to distinguish themselves from the current Syrian government and favoured the use of the flag used when Syria gained its independence from France. The official symbolism of the independence flag, according to an official 1932 decree, is that the colors represent Syria's past; white represents the ], black represents the ], and green represents the ] caliphs of Islam. The three stars represent the three major revolts against French colonial rule.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/08/06/capture_the_flag |title=Capture The Flag |last= Moubayed |first= Sami |date=06 August 2012 |work=Foreign Policy |accessdate=29 August 2012}}</ref> Khaled Kamal, the official from the Syrian National Council, now believes this flag to also represent the independence and the end of ]'s regime. The use of the independence flag parallels the Libyan rebels use of the pre-Gaddafi flag from the era of the ] instead of ]'s green flag.<ref name=Daraghi>{{Cite news|title=Syrian rebels raise a flag from the past |url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/6c332676-32f4-11e1-8e0d-00144feabdc0.html#axzz22ncw5XWm |last=Daraghi |first=Borzou |date=30 December 2011 |accessdate=7 August 2012}}</ref> The Syrian National Council initially used the red-white-black version of the flag.<ref name=Ipavec2>{{cite web |url=http://flagspot.net/flags/sy%7Dnsc.html |title=National Salvation Council (Syria) |last=Ipavec |first=Eugene |date=17 March 2012 |work= |publisher=Flagspot |accessdate=7 August 2012}}</ref>
22 February 1958, abandoned on 28 September 1961;readopted on 30 March 1980
Design
A horizontal tricolour triband of red, white, and black, with two green stars charged in the centre.
The flag of Syria (Template:Lang-ar) is a red, white and black tricolour with two green stars. It was adopted in 1958 with the establishment of the United Arab Republic and abandoned in 1961 with dissolution of this state. On 30 March 1980 it was readopted by President Hafez al-Assad, to show Syria's commitment to the Arab unity. The flag of Syria is very similar to those of Iraq, Egypt, Sudan and Yemen.
Each colour on the Syrian flag represents something. The red represents the blood and martyrs, the white is for the Umayyad Caliphate (661-750) and the black is for the Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258). The green colour of the stars represents the Rashidun Caliphate (632-661). The number of stars originates from the era of the United Arab Republic composed out of two countries, Egypt and Syria.
History
Early flags
Flag of the Arab Revolt, also known as the Faysal flag, was used by Syria between 1918 and 1920
The Ottoman flag was used in Syria until Ottomans left the country on 18 September 1918. In 1918, the official flag of Syria was the Faysal flag, the flag of the Arab revolt between 1916 and 1918. It was officially adopted by Hashemite family on 30 September 1918 and remained in use until 8 March 1920. The Faysal flag was then redesigned with the 7-pointed white star and was in use until 24 July 1920. This flag was, however, adopted by Jordan somewhat later.
French Mandate and independence
The reason for the abandonment of the Faysal flag was the arrival of the French, as they made Syria their colony. French High Commissioner for Syria, General Henri Gouraud adopted the new flag of the French Mandate of Syria on 24 July 1920. Gouraud's flag was in use until 1 September 1920. Prime Minister of Syria under French Mandate, Jamil al-Ulshi adopted the new flag on 22 June 1920. This flag was in use until 1930. The third flag under the French Mandate was adopted by Prime Minister Taj al-Din al-Hasani in 1930 and was used until 1 January 1932. The new flag under the French Mandate was adopted on 1 January 1932 and is the longest used flag by Syria. It was used until the creation of the United Arab Republic, a state union of Syria and Egypt in 1958. After the union collapsed, the flag was readopted on 28 September 1961 and lasted until 8 March 1963, when the Ba'ath Party took over the power in Syria. This flag is also known as the "Flag of Independence", as it was used when Syria gained its independence on 17 April 1946. The "Flag of Independence" is a tricolour, green-white-black, with three red stars pointing downwards. Its ratio was 2:3. The three red stars represented the three districts of Syria, Aleppo, Damascus and Dair es Zor. It was officially hoisted in Damascus on 11 June 1932, but previously was flown in Aleppo on 1 January 1932. In 1936, when Latakia and Jebel Druze were added to Syria, the three stars came to represent Aleppo, Damascus and Deir es Zor as one star, Jebel Druze as another star and Latakia as the third star.
Ba'athist flags
The current flag of Syria was adopted by Gamal Abd al-Nasser, president of Egypt and president of the United Arab Republic. The flag was adopted on 22 February 1958. However, even after Syria left the UAR, President Nazim al-Kudsi continued to use this flag until 28 September 1961, when it was changed to completely disassociate Syria from the UAR. The first flag of Syria to be adopted by its Revolutionary Command Council was adopted on 8 March 1963 and was in use until 1 January 1972. This flag wasn't much different from the flag of the UAR, its only difference from it where three stars instead of two. President Hafez al-Assad adopted the new flag on 1 January 1972, as Syria joined Egypt and Libya in the Federation of Arab Republics. The green stars were replaced by the eagle of Quarish (the symbol of Prophet Muhammad's tribe). The eagle hold the ribbon with name of the Federation, and unlike Egypt and Libya, Syria didn't included its name on the coat of arms. This flag was an official flag during the Yom Kippur War in 1973. The Federation was dissolved in 1977, but Syria continued to use the flag for the next three years. This flag was abrogated on 29 March 1980.
During the ongoing Syrian Civil War, the Syrian opposition represented by the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian National Council use the Independence flag from 1932. The independence flag was used for the first time by protesters in late 2011. The opposition wanted to distinguish themselves from the current Syrian government and favoured the use of the flag used when Syria gained its independence from France. The official symbolism of the independence flag, according to an official 1932 decree, is that the colors represent Syria's past; white represents the Umayyads, black represents the Abbasids, and green represents the Rashidun caliphs of Islam. The three stars represent the three major revolts against French colonial rule. Khaled Kamal, the official from the Syrian National Council, now believes this flag to also represent the independence and the end of Bashar al-Assad's regime. The use of the independence flag parallels the Libyan rebels use of the pre-Gaddafi flag from the era of the Kingdom of Libya instead of Muammar Gaddafi's green flag. The Syrian National Council initially used the red-white-black version of the flag.
Each of the states in the French Mandate of Syria had its own flag. The Sanjak of Alexandretta, which was a part of Aleppo from 1920 to 1923 and then a part of the Alawite State from 1923 to 1938, did not have its own flag until it became independent as the State of Hatay. Greater Lebanon was also recognized as the independent Lebanese Republic in 1943.
The flag of Syria is derived from the Arab Liberation Flag. It shares this design with the related flags of Egypt, Iraq, Sudan, Yemen, and the 1969-1972 flag of Libya. The two stars used in the post 1980 but pre 2010 flag represented Egypt and Syria, the two participating countries in the United Arab Republic.
^ Ipavec, Eugene; Martins, António; Heimer, Željko; Dotor, Santiago (10 June 2011). "Historical flags since 1932". Flags of the World. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
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