Flag of Western Sahara

Territory or dependency

Flag of Western Sahara uses horizontal triband with red hoist triangle, crescent and star. Ratio 1:2 and current adoption February 27, 1976.

Hoist Ratio 1:2 Fly

Flag Reference

Flag	Flag of Western Sahara
Entity Type	Territory or dependency
Official Name	Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Identifier	EH / ESH
Region	Northern Africa

Flag Specifications

Current Adoption	February 27, 1976
First Documented Use	1976
Proportion	1:2
Shape	Rectangle
Colours	Black, White, Green, Red
Construction	Horizontal triband with red hoist triangle, crescent and star

Documented Colour Values

Colour	HEX	RGB	CMYK
Black	#000000	0, 0, 0	0, 0, 0, 100
White	#FFFFFF	255, 255, 255	0, 0, 0, 0
Green	#007A3D	0, 122, 61	100, 0, 50, 52
Red	#C4111B	196, 17, 27	0, 91, 86, 23

Design and Symbolism

Black	the darkness of colonial occupation.
White	peace.
Green	hope and Islam.
Red	the blood of resistance.
Crescent and star	Islam.
Pan-Arab colours	Solidarity with the wider Arab world.

Proportions

Ratio	1:2
Hoist	1 units
Fly	2 units

About the Flag of Western Sahara

Horizontal triband with red hoist triangle, crescent and star The recorded proportion is 1:2. Within this library it is grouped with horizontal tricolour with a hoist triangle designs.

Colours and construction

The reference palette stored for Western Sahara is Black (#000000), White (#FFFFFF), Green (#007A3D) and Red (#C4111B). The colour table above is intended for digital reference; where an issuing authority publishes a different colour standard, that specification takes precedence.

Symbols and recorded meaning

Crescent and star: Islam; Pan-Arab colours: Solidarity with the wider Arab world.

History and adoption record

The design record traces first use to 1976. The adoption field for the present record is February 27, 1976.

Entity status

Western Sahara is classified here as territory or dependency. That label describes the entity represented by the flag and prevents a territory, state or constituent area from being presented as a sovereign country.

Additional flag context

The flag combines the Pan-Arab colours with a red crescent and star, and its status is bound up with a territorial dispute that remains unresolved.

It was adopted by the Polisario Front in 1976 and is used by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, whose recognition is contested.

How to identify this flag

For quick identification, look for Horizontal triband with red hoist triangle, crescent and star, a 1:2 proportion and the visible crescent and star. Use the comparison and design-family links on this page when another flag has a similar palette or layout.

Verification sources

Flags of the World — Western Sahara — Specialist vexillological reference

Other horizontal tricolour with a hoist triangle flags

See all

Facts about the Flag of Western Sahara

Western Sahara is recorded as horizontal triband with red hoist triangle, crescent and star.
The reference proportion for the flag of Western Sahara is 1:2.
The stored palette for Western Sahara contains Black, White, Green and Red.
The adoption field for this territory or dependency flag record is February 27, 1976.
The design record traces first use to 1976.
Its construction is grouped with the horizontal tricolour with a hoist triangle design family in this library.
Crescent and star: Islam.
Pan-Arab colours: Solidarity with the wider Arab world.
The flag combines the Pan-Arab colours with a red crescent and star, and its status is bound up with a territorial dispute that remains unresolved.
It was adopted by the Polisario Front in 1976 and is used by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, whose recognition is contested.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Flag of Western Sahara

What does the flag of Western Sahara look like?

Horizontal triband with red hoist triangle, crescent and star, with a recorded proportion of 1:2.

What proportion is recorded for the flag of Western Sahara?

The reference proportion stored for this flag is 1:2.

Which colours are recorded for the flag of Western Sahara?

The reference palette lists Black #000000, White #FFFFFF, Green #007A3D and Red #C4111B.

What do the symbols on the flag of Western Sahara represent?

Crescent and star — Islam. Pan-Arab colours — Solidarity with the wider Arab world.

When was the present flag record for Western Sahara adopted?

The adoption field in this record is February 27, 1976.

Which design family does the flag of Western Sahara belong to?

WorldFlags.online groups it with horizontal tricolour with a hoist triangle designs for visual browsing; that classification describes construction, not necessarily historical ancestry.

Where can I verify information about the flag of Western Sahara?

The verification-source section on this page links to an official, governmental or specialist reference used to check the underlying record. Source wording is not copied into the article.