Flag of Somaliland

Republic of Somaliland

Use	National flag
Proportion	1:2
Adopted	October 14, 1996
Design	A horizontal tricolor of green, white, and red with the Shahada on the green stripe, and a black 5-pointed star charged on the white stripe.
Variant flag of Republic of Somaliland
Use	Presidential standard
Proportion	1:2
Design	Same as the regular flag, except with a white monocolour version of the Emblem of Somaliland in the canton.

The flag of Somaliland (Somali: Calanka Soomaaliland, Arabic: علم صوماليلاند او علم أرض الصومال) is used in Somaliland, a self-declared state. It was adopted on October 14, 1996 and contains the colors of green, white, and red, with a black star located in the centre. On the green stripe, there is the Shahada in white calligraphic script.

The Constitution of Somaliland, as approved on May 31, 2001 by referendum, states at Article 7, that ‘the flag of the Republic of Somaliland shall consist of three horizontal, parallel and equal sections, the top section, which is coloured green and has inscribed in its midst in white in Arabic language La Ilaha Ill-Allah, Muhammadan Rasulullah (Arabic: لا إله إلاَّ الله محمد رسول الله, “There is no god except for Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah”); the middle section is white and has at its centre a black star; and the bottom section is coloured red.’

Rules for the usage of the flag[]

Somali women at independence day celebrating with the flag of Somaliland.

The government set out principles on how to use the flag. It should be treated with respect and used very carefully and with sensitivity. Because the Shahada has a huge importance in Islam, being the first pillar of Islam etc, regulations have specially been made on the usage of the flagship.

Half mast[]

It is forbidden for Somalis to fly the flag at half mast because it has the Shahada (which says in Arabic There is no other god except God, Muhammad is the Messenger of God) written on it, as it is an un-Islamic and disrespectful way to treat the flag. Even if the President or someone with a high Somaliland governmental status dies, such as the second President of Somaliland Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal, the flag does not fly at half-mast. Moreover, if a person is seen lowering the flag to half-mast, they might be charged with flag desecration. Similar rules, for the same reason, also apply to the flags of Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

Alternative flags[]

Some Somaliland flags use orange instead of the official red

Other Somaliland flags were used without the shahada

Although the aforementioned Article 7 clearly states that the bottom of the flag is red, some little versions have been seen with a clear orange color instead. Another variation is the orientation of the star, as many Somaliland flags have the star pointing the opposite direction from other flags.

(1996–present)	Green	White	Red
Pantone	355c	109c	032c
CMYK	1-0-0.97-0.58	0-0-0-0	0-1-1-0.12
RGB	0-109-33	255-255-255	223-0-0
Hexadecimal	#006D21	#FFFFFF	#DF0000

Most Somaliland flags are of the ratio 1:2. It is based on the official ratio of the Union Flag of the United Kingdom, the former colonial power. Pictures of flags on the internet and elsewhere often erroneously show a shorter flag (of ratio 2:3).^[1]

Flags of British Somaliland[]

1903–50[]

When the British annexed and occupied Somaliland in 1903, they established a protectorate and made it part of the British Empire. The British adopted a new flag for the region (officially named British Somaliland). Like many Commonwealth countries, the flag had a defaced Blue Ensign: a blue field with the Union Flag in the upper hoist quarter of the flag. There was an image of a Kudu (an antelope native to the British Somaliland area) on a white disc. The flag was flown on ships owned by residents of British Somaliland or on government buildings in the territory.

1950–60[]

In 1950 The Protectorate of British Somaliland's badge and flag changed and thus all flags which bore it. The flag still had the Union flag on the quarter-hoist. The Kudu's head and shoulders were retained and taken off to form the most dominant feature on the new arms, although the antelope's face was now looking straight out at the observer. Between its horns, the Royal crown was inserted to symbolize the Royal family and the British Empire in general.

The badge was changed as well; it consisted of an escutcheon divided vertically into green and blue colours, having a chief with a golden Somali shield in front of two spears in saltire, heads downwards, in natural colours. The green portion contained an image of a white minaret. Moreover, on the blue quarter, an Arabian dhow in full sail on waves of the sea, with a golden anchor in the base. The Kudu's head was facing forward to the observer instead of facing left on the earlier version. Above, the Kudu was the Royal Crown between the horns. Underneath, there was a wreath coloured in green and yellow which formed the Crest.

When British Somaliland was granted independence on 26 June 1960 the flag ceased being used.

Historical flags[]

The following are the flags historically used in the territory of present-day Somaliland:

• 

  Flag of the Adal Sultanate (1415–1577)

• 

  Religious banner of the Isaaq Sultanate derived from an Adal Sultanate flag (1700s–1884)

• 

  British Somaliland Protectorate (1884–1903)

• 

  Flag of British Somaliland (1903–1950)

• 

  Flag of British Somaliland (1950–1952)

• 

  Flag of British Somaliland (1952–1960)

• 

  Flag of State of Somaliland (26 June 1960 – 1 July 1960)

• 

  Flag of Somali Republic (1 July 1960 – 1991)

• 

  (1991 – 18 May 1991)

• 

  (18 May 1991 – 14 October 1996)

• 

  14 October 1996 – present

See also[]

• Emblem of Somaliland

References[]

External links[]

• Somaliland (Somalia) at Flags of the World