Afghanistan

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
Flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
Designer	Unknown
Adopted	October 27, 1997 (former) August 15, 2021 (current)
Flag of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (2013-2021)
Designer	Unknown
Adopted	August 19, 2013
Wikipedia article
Flags of the World article

The national flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is a national symbol of Afghanistan. It is a black Shahada in a white background.

Design

Emirate Flag

The flag depicts a white plain flag with a Shahada on top, translating to: "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the messenger of God." It is also identical to the flag of the Taliban.

Republic Flag

The flag depicts a tricolour with black to the left, red in the middle, and green to the right, as well the as the (at the time) emblem in white layered on top in the centre.

Variants

Variation of the Emirate Flag

Variation of the Republic Flag (Coloured CoA)

Variant of the Republic flag (smaller CoA)

Symbolism

Emirate Flag

The white represents the Islamic movement of the Taliban's "purity of faith and government" as well as the Shahada repersenting Islam.

Republic Flag

The red represents the blood of those who have fought for Afghanistan, the black represents the obscurity and difficult past of the nation, and the green represents hope, future, and Islam as the state religion.

History

Afghanistan has had over a dozen national flags throughout its existence with the most common depiction is that of a tricolor flag, containing the usual black, red, or green colors. The de facto national flag being used by the Taliban presents itself as a white field with a black Shahada, while the internationally recognized de jure national flag presents itself as a vertical tricolor with its national emblem resting in the center. The tricolor concept was inspired by the German flag back in 1928, during the European tour of Afghan King, Amanullah Khan, and his wife. The black side serves as a reminder about its tumultuous journey through the 1800's, the classical red color is associated with the casualties that the country sustained during the Third Anglo-Afghan War, and the green is meant to inspire optimism for the future of Afghanistan and its people. The emblem in the center of the flag was a common illustration for the country's change of national flag designs since 1928. The emblem bears the Afghan flag and a drawing of a building, a distinction shared with very few national flags from around the world. Following the Fall of Kabul on 15 August 2021, two entities claim to be the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

Historical Flags

Hotak Dynasty (1709–1738); Emirate of Afghanistan (1880–1901)

Durrani Empire (1747–1842)

Emirate of Afghanistan (1901–1919)

Emirate of Afghanistan (1919–1926/29)

Kingdom of Afghanistan (1926–1928)

Kingdom of Afghanistan (1928)

Kingdom of Afghanistan (1928–1929)

Kingdom of Afghanistan (1928–1929)

Kingdom of Afghanistan (1929)

Kingdom of Afghanistan (1929)

Emirate of Afghanistan (1929)

Kingdom of Afghanistan (1929)

Kingdom of Afghanistan (1929)

Kingdom of Afghanistan (1929 – March 27, 1930)

Kingdom of Afghanistan (March 27, 1930 – July 16, 1973); Republic of Afghanistan (July 17, 1973 – May 8, 1974)

Republic of Afghanistan (May 9, 1974 – April 26, 1978)

Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (April 27, 1978 – October 18, 1978)

Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (October 19, 1978 – April 21, 1980)

Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (1980)

Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (April 22, 1980 – November 29, 1987)

Republic of Afghanistan (November 30, 1987 – April 26, 1992)

Islamic State of Afghanistan (April 27, 1992 − December 6, 1992)

Islamic State of Afghanistan (April 27, 1992 − December 6, 1992)

Islamic State of Afghanistan / Northern Alliance (December 7, 1992 – November 12, 2001)

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (September 27, 1996 – October 26, 1997)

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (October 27, 1997 – November 12, 2001)

Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (October 27, 1997 – November 12, 2001)

Islamic State of Afghanistan (November 13, 2001 – January 27, 2002)

Transitional Administration (January 28, 2002 – October 9, 2004)

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (October 9, 2004 – August 19, 2013)

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (August 19, 2013 - August 15, 2021)

Variants

Kingdom of Afghanistan (1928–1929) (possible)

Kingdom of Afghanistan (possible)

Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (late 1979-1980)

Ethnic Flags

Pashtuns (Pashtunistan)

Hazaras (Hazaristan)

Flag proposals

Design by Flag Mashup Bot.

Flag design by Fart16

Flag design proposal by Laqueesha; inspired by the 1990s Afghan flag.

"Classic Tricolour" proposal by Poyo (details)