Flag of Kurdistan

Flag of Kurdistan

Name	Alaya Rengîn ("The Colorful Flag")
Adopted	December 17, 1945
Design	Red, Yellow, Green and white with sun disk having 21 rays, equal in size and shape. The number 21 holds importance in the ancient Ezidi religious traditions of the Kurds

Part of series on Kurdish history and culture

Ancient to early medieval period Karduchian dynasties Corduene Zabdicene Moxoene Kayusids

Medieval history Shahrazur Sadakiyans Mir Jafar Dasni Aishanids Daisam Shaddadid Rawadids Hasanwayhid Annazids Marwanids Kakuyids Hadhabani Hazaraspids Ayyubids Badlis Ardalan Badinan Soran Mukriyan Baban

Modern history Simko Shikak revolt Koçgiri Rebellion Ararat Rebellion Dersim Rebellion Kingdom of Kurdistan Republic of Ararat Republic of Mahabad Iraqi Kurdistan (KRG) Iranian Kurdistan Turkish Kurdistan Syrian Kurdistan Kurds in Iraq Kurds in Turkey Kurds in Syria

Culture Language Ezidi Flag Literature Music Dance Historical sites Yarsan

v t e

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 Republic 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, Iran and Syria.^[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 and synonymous with fire in representing wisdom in Zoroastrianism. The sun disk of the emblem has 21 rays, equal in size and shape. The number 21 holds importance in the ancient Ezidi religious traditions of the Kurds.^[4]

The symbolism of the colors are:

• Red symbolizes the blood of martyrs of Kurdistan and the continued struggle for the freedom and dignity for Kurdistan and its people.
• Green expresses the beauty and the landscapes of Kurdistan.
• White expresses peace, equality and freedom for all Kurdistanians that live in Kurdistan no matter of ethnicity or religion.
• Yellow represents the source of life and light of the people, while the sun represents the ancient Kurdish religion; Ezidi ^[5]

Flags used by Kurds

• 

  Flag of the Soran Emirate,^[1] 1816 - 1835

• 

  Flag of the Kingdom of Kurdistan,^[1] 1922 - 1924

• 

  Flag of the Republic of Ararat,^[1] 1927-1930

• 

  Flag of the Republic of Mahabad 1946–1947

• 

  One of the flags used in the Kurdish-held areas during the Syrian civil war, 2012

Cite error: There are <ref> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist}} template (see the help page).

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kurdish flags.