| This article is part of the Kurdish history and Culture series |
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The Flag of Kurdistan (Kurdish: Alay Kurdistan or Alaya Kurdistanê,[1] ئاڵای کوردستان, also called Alaya Rengîn "The Colorful Flag") first appeared during the Kurdish independence movement from the Ottoman Empire. It is said to have been created in the 1900s by the organisation of Xoybûn (Khoyboon).[2] An earlier version of this flag was flown by the break-away Republic of Ararat in Turkey during the period 1927-1931. A similar flag was later used by the Soviet-backed Kurdish autonomous state known as the Republic of Mahabad in 1946. It is currently used as the official flag of the autonomous Kurdistan Region in Iraq which is under control of the Kurdistan Regional Government. The flag is banned in Turkey.[2][3]
The main Kurdish characteristic of the flag is the blazing golden sun emblem at the center, which is an ancient religious and cultural symbol among the Kurds. The sun disk of the emblem has 21 rays, equal in size and shape. The number 21 holds importance in the ancient Yazdani religious traditions of the Kurds.[4]
The symbolism of the colors are: