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Syrian Arab Republic

Syria

Zeljko Heimer, 1996-FEB-07

History of the Syrian flags

See also:

Federation of Arab Republics
Kingdom of Hejaz (Pan-Arab Colours))

History of the Syrian flags

Editor's note: The following overview is composed from several contributions from ts0002, Mark Sensen, Robert M. J. Czernkowski, Ed Haynes, Nathan Augustine, Nick Artimovich and Will Linden. References are [ale] and [geo32].

?/1920

Ottoman Empire, Ottoman flag

MAR-1920

Kingdom of Syria established by the ex-King of the Hejaz, Hussein, with the "Arab Revolt" flag

1922

The French invade, driving Hussein out (to Transjordan, later Jordan)

Syria partitioned into:

1922 - Syria proper: A green/white/green (or green/white/black?) horizontal tricolor with a canton of the French flag
1922 - Latakia: White, French in canton, triangles in other corners of red, gold sunburst in center
1922 - Jebel Druze: white, French in canton, to right of canton equal horizontal stripes of green, red, yellow, blue, white (reading down)
1922 - Lebanon: French flag with cedar centered on white stripe

1932-JAN-01/1946 (Limited self-rule)

green-white-black horizontal tricolor with three red five-pointed stars pointing downwards, ratio 2:3

According to [geo32], the stars should be upward, and the ratio 5:8, but maybe they got the flag from Syrians already preparing/wishing for independence.

1946/1958-FEB-22 (Independence)

green-white-black horizontal tricolor with three red five-pointed stars pointing upwards, ratio 1:2

1958-FEB-22/1961-SEP-28 (United Arab Republic, Syria+Egypt)

red-white-black horizontal tricolor with two green stars

1961-SEP-28/1963 (out of UAR)

the same as 1932/58

1963/1972-JAN-01

red-white-black horizontal tricolor with three green stars

1972-JAN-01/1977-MAR (Federation of Arab Republics, Syria + Egypt + Lybia)

red-white-black horizontal tricolor but with the hawk of Quraish looking to the hoist (at the right side) on the white band with a small inscription of the name of the country below

the hawk of Quraish is still the arms of Syria

See for more on F.A.R.

1977-MAR/1980 (End of Federation of Arab Republics)

No change of flag

1980/NOW

red-white-black horizontal tricolor with two green stars, ratio 2:3