Ala Rengîn, the colorful flag
The flag of Kurdistan
Three bands of red, white and green, carrying a golden sun with exactly 21 rays. This is the reference on what the flag means, where it comes from, and how to reproduce it correctly, with every claim sourced.
Plate I
The flag at a glance
The essentials, each with its degree of certainty. Full references on every page and in the source register.
| Name | Flag of Kurdistan; in Kurdish: Ala Rengîn (the colorful flag) | documented |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Horizontal tricolour red, white, green with a centred golden sun of 21 equal rays | documented |
| Proportions | Height to length 2:3; the sun including rays spans half the height | documented |
| First arranged | Around 1920 in Istanbul, in the circle of the Society for the Advancement of Kurdistan | probable |
| Standardized | 1998 to 1999; flag law passed by the Kurdistan National Assembly on 11 November 1999 | documented |
| Flag Day | 17 December, designated by Parliament Decision No. 48 (2009), commemorating Mahabad | documented |
Plate II
Explore the flag
Meaning
The meaning
What red, white, green and the golden sun stand for, and which explanations are documented rather than assumed.
History
The history
From Istanbul around 1920 through Xoybûn and Mahabad to the flag law of 1999. Including the stories the archives do not support.
The sun
The sun and its 21 rays
Roj, the golden sun. Why 21 rays, in three competing readings, and how to spot a wrongly rotated sun.
Colors
The exact colors
Two documented color sets: the 1999 specification values and the web standard everyone actually uses.
Download
Downloads
Accurate SVG and PNG files, wallpapers and print files. Public domain, geometry verified against the specification.
Timeline
Timeline
Every documented moment from 1917 to the referendum year, each with sources and a certainty level.
FAQ
Quick answers
What flag is red, white and green with a sun?
A horizontal tricolour of red, white and green with a golden sun of 21 rays in the centre is the flag of Kurdistan. It is known in Kurdish as Ala Rengîn, the colorful flag.
Why does the sun have 21 rays?
Two readings circulate side by side. The official reading ties 21 to Newroz, the Kurdish new year on 21 March. The designer of the standardized flag, Mehrdad Izady, tied 21 to rebirth in native Kurdish religious traditions. Both are documented; the site explains them in full on the sun page.
Is the flag official?
Yes, within the Kurdistan Region: the Kurdistan National Assembly passed the flag law on 11 November 1999, and 17 December is the official Flag Day. Across the four parts of Kurdistan its status differs; the history page documents this.
Sources for this page
- FOTW Kurdistan
- 964media Flag Day · 2024
- Ala Kurdistanê (Flag of Kurdistan) · Kovara Bîr · 2021
- The National Flag of Kurdistan · Institut kurde de Paris · 1998
- Kurdistan Flag Day: A symbol of identity, resistance, hope · Kurdistan24 · 2024
- Flag of Kurdistan · KURDISTANICA · archive
- The History of the Kurdistan Flag · KurdShop
- Sadat Ulugana on the history of the Kurdish flag · Medya News
- Presidency over Vlagdag · 2023
- THE NATIONAL FLAG OF KURDS & KURDISTAN · saradistribution.com · 1999 · archive
- A banner of identity takes center stage across Kurdistan · Shafaq News · 2024
Last reviewed: 2026-08-05