# flag of the Yemen Arab Republic > flag used by the former North Yemen (1962–1990) **Wikidata**: [Q11698198](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11698198) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/flag-of-the-yemen-arab-republic ## Summary The flag of the Yemen Arab Republic was the official national flag used by the former North Yemen from 1962 until 1990. It featured a horizontal triband design with red, white, and black bands and a green five-pointed star in the center, making it a Pan-Arab colors flag. The flag was replaced in 1990 by the flag of Yemen following the unification of North and South Yemen. ## Key Facts - **Inception:** 1962 - **Dissolved/Abolished Date:** 1990 - **Instance Of:** National flag - **Jurisdiction:** Applied to the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) - **Replaced By:** Flag of Yemen - **Design Genre:** Horizontal triband, Pan-Arab colors flag, charged flag - **Colors:** Red, white, black, green - **Visual Depiction:** Field tierced per fess in red, white, and black; green five-pointed star charge - **Flags of the World ID:** ye-north - **Google Knowledge Graph ID:** /g/1239jqbk - **Wikidata Description:** Flag used by the former North Yemen (1962–1990) - **Sitelink Count:** 2 (Wikipedia articles in Polish and Russian) - **Aliases:** Flag of North Yemen, the Yemen Arab Republic flag, Yemen Arab Republic flag, drapeau du Nord-Yémen - **Image URL:** https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Flag_of_the_Yemen_Arab_Republic.svg ## FAQs **What did the flag of the Yemen Arab Republic look like?** The flag featured a horizontal triband of red, white, and black stripes (tierced per fess), with a single green five-pointed star in the center. It belonged to the genre of Pan-Arab colors flags. **When was the flag in use?** The flag was adopted in 1962, coinciding with the establishment of the Yemen Arab Republic, and remained in use until 1990 when the country unified with South Yemen. **What replaced this flag?** Following the dissolution of the Yemen Arab Republic in 1990, the flag was replaced by the flag of Yemen, which represents the unified Republic of Yemen. **How is this flag classified in knowledge systems?** It is classified as an instance of a "national flag," which is itself a subclass of both "flag design" and "national symbol." It has a dedicated Flags of the World identifier (ye-north) and a Google Knowledge Graph entry (/g/1239jqbk). **In how many languages is this flag documented on Wikipedia?** The flag has dedicated Wikipedia articles in 2 languages: Polish (pl) and Russian (ru), reflecting its documentation in regional linguistic spheres. ## Why It Matters The flag of the Yemen Arab Republic represents a specific historical period of Yemeni statehood—the existence of a separate North Yemeni state from 1962 to 1990. As a Pan-Arab colors flag, it visually situated the Yemen Arab Republic within the broader Arab nationalist movement that shared common symbolic language across multiple nations. Its replacement in 1990 marks the unification of North and South Yemen, a pivotal moment in Middle Eastern geopolitics. For vexillologists and historians, the flag serves as a material record of a political entity that no longer exists, and its green star distinguishes it from similar Arab republic flags that use the same tricolor base but different charges. The flag's documentation in knowledge bases, with specific identifiers in Flags of the World and Google's Knowledge Graph, ensures its preservation as a historical national symbol even after the state's dissolution. ## Notable For - **Historical Specificity:** Represents a distinct 28-year period of North Yemeni sovereignty (1962–1990) before unification. - **Pan-Arab Design:** Part of a family of flags using the red-white-black tricolor scheme common to several Arab republics. - **Unique Charge:** Distinguished by a single green five-pointed star, differentiating it from other Arab tricolors with different emblems. - **Finite Lifespan:** One of relatively few national flags with a clear beginning and end date, making it a fully documented historical artifact. - **Limited Linguistic Coverage:** With only 2 Wikipedia language editions, it has significantly less global documentation than the general concept of "national flag" (which has 66), indicating its status as a regional/historical rather than universal topic. ## Body ### Definition and Classification The flag of the Yemen Arab Republic is formally classified as an instance of a **national flag**—a visual symbol representing a sovereign state. In ontological terms, a national flag is a subclass of both "flag design" (its graphic construction) and "national symbol" (its representational function). This particular flag served as the primary visual identifier for the Yemen Arab Republic, commonly known as North Yemen, during its existence as a separate political entity. ### Visual Design and Specifications The flag's design follows the genre of a **horizontal triband** and **Pan-Arab colors flag** with a central charge. Its field is **tierced per fess**—divided horizontally into three equal bands of **red** (top), **white** (middle), and **black** (bottom). Centered on the white band is a **green five-pointed star**. The flag thus incorporates all four Pan-Arab colors (red, white, black, green), aligning it visually with the flags of other Arab republics like Egypt, Iraq, and Syria, while the single green star serves as its distinguishing national emblem. ### Historical Context and Timeline - **1962:** The flag was adopted as the national flag of the newly established Yemen Arab Republic, following the revolution that overthrew the monarchy in North Yemen. - **1990:** The flag was officially dissolved/abolished when the Yemen Arab Republic unified with the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen) to form the Republic of Yemen. It was subsequently **replaced by the flag of Yemen**. ### Nomenclature and Aliases The flag is known by several names reflecting its geographic and political context: - **Flag of North Yemen** (referencing the common name for the country) - **The Yemen Arab Republic flag** and **Yemen Arab Republic flag** - **Drapeau du Nord-Yémen** (French designation) ### Digital and Knowledge Base Presence The flag is documented across multiple structured knowledge systems with persistent identifiers: - **Wikidata:** Described as "flag used by the former North Yemen (1962–1990)" - **Flags of the World ID:** ye-north (a specialized vexillological resource) - **Google Knowledge Graph ID:** /g/1239jqbk - **Wikimedia Commons:** Has a dedicated SVG file accessible via the official URL ### Linguistic and Encyclopedic Coverage Unlike the universal concept of "national flag" which is documented in 66 Wikipedia language editions, this specific historical flag has a **sitelink count of 2**, with Wikipedia articles in: - **Polish (pl)** - **Russian (ru)** This limited coverage suggests the flag's historical significance is primarily documented in languages connected to regional academic or historical interest rather than broad global encyclopedic coverage. ### Jurisdictional Application The flag **applies to the jurisdiction** of the Yemen Arab Republic, a sovereign state that existed in the northwestern portion of the Arabian Peninsula. Its replacement by the flag of Yemen reflects the political reality of Yemeni unification, where two separate national symbols were consolidated into one representing the unified state. The flag's classification within the broader category of "national flags" connects it to a global collection of sovereign state symbols, including galleries and timelines of national flags maintained by platforms like Wikimedia Commons.