# flag of Yemen

> national flag of the Republic of Yemen

**Wikidata**: [Q162699](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q162699)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Yemen)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/flag-of-yemen

## Summary
The flag of Yemen is the national flag of the Republic of Yemen, adopted on May 22, 1990, following the unification of North Yemen and South Yemen. It features a horizontal triband of red, white, and black with a red five-pointed star centered on the white stripe, symbolizing the country's history, unity, and Arab identity.  

## Key Facts  
- **Adoption Date:** May 22, 1990  
- **Replaced:** Flag of the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) and flag of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen)  
- **Design:** Horizontal triband of red, white, and black with a red five-pointed star (★)  
- **Colors:** Red, white, black  
- **Emoji:** 🇾🇪 (U+1F1FE U+1F1EA)  
- **Instance Of:** National flag  
- **Wikimedia Commons Category:** Flags of Yemen  
- **Google Knowledge Graph ID:** /m/01zbm7  
- **Wikidata Description:** National flag of the Republic of Yemen  
- **Sitelink Count:** 67 Wikipedia language editions  
- **Aliases:** Yemen flag  
- **Preceded By:** Flag of the Yemen Arab Republic (1962–1990)  

## FAQs  
**What does the flag of Yemen look like?**  
The flag features three horizontal stripes of red, white, and black, with a red five-pointed star centered on the white stripe. The design incorporates Pan-Arab colors, symbolizing revolution (red), peace (white), and the nation’s history (black).  

**When was the flag of Yemen adopted?**  
It was adopted on May 22, 1990, to represent the unified Republic of Yemen after the merger of North Yemen and South Yemen.  

**What does the red star on the flag symbolize?**  
The red star represents the unity of the Yemeni people and the socialist principles of the former South Yemen, integrated into the post-unification state.  

**How is the flag classified in knowledge systems?**  
It is classified as a national flag, a subclass of "flag design" and "national symbol." It has identifiers in Wikidata, Google Knowledge Graph, and Wikimedia Commons.  

**Why does Yemen’s flag use Pan-Arab colors?**  
The red, white, and black colors align with the Pan-Arab tradition, reflecting Yemen’s historical and cultural ties to broader Arab nationalism.  

## Why It Matters  
The flag of Yemen is a critical symbol of national unity and sovereignty, marking the end of the division between North and South Yemen. Its design balances Pan-Arab identity with unique Yemeni symbolism, particularly through the red star, which distinguishes it from other Arab flags. As a modern emblem, it represents the Republic of Yemen in international diplomacy, domestic governance, and civic life, serving as a unifying icon for a nation with a complex history of fragmentation and conflict.  

## Notable For  
- **Unification Symbol:** Directly represents the 1990 merger of North and South Yemen, replacing two distinct flags.  
- **Pan-Arab Design with Distinction:** Uses traditional red, white, and black Arab colors but adds a red star, blending regional identity with national uniqueness.  
- **High Linguistic Coverage:** Documented in 67 Wikipedia language editions, reflecting global recognition.  
- **Digital Preservation:** Featured in Wikimedia Commons and linked to authoritative identifiers (e.g., Google Knowledge Graph ID /m/01zbm7).  
- **Historical Succession:** Serves as the current symbol following the dissolution of the Yemen Arab Republic and South Yemeni states.  

## Body  

### History and Adoption  
The flag of Yemen was officially adopted on **May 22, 1990**, upon the unification of the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) and the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen). It replaced the flags of both predecessor states, symbolizing the creation of a single sovereign entity. The design draws from the **Pan-Arab color tradition** (red, white, black) while incorporating a **red five-pointed star** from the flag of South Yemen, reflecting socialist influences and national unity.  

### Design Specifications  
- **Layout:** Horizontal triband (tierced per fess) of **red** (top), **white** (middle), and **black** (bottom).  
- **Charge:** A **red five-pointed star** centered on the white stripe.  
- **Colors:**  
  - Red: Symbolizes revolution and struggle.  
  - White: Represents peace and purity.  
  - Black: Honors the nation’s history and past oppression.  
- **Proportions:** Typically manufactured in a 3:2 or 2:3 aspect ratio.  

### Classification and Identifiers  
- **Wikidata:** Described as "national flag of the Republic of Yemen" with properties including emoji (🇾🇪), inception date (1990-05-22), and Wikimedia Commons category (Flags of Yemen).  
- **Google Knowledge Graph ID:** /m/01zbm7.  
- **Wikimedia Commons:** Hosts the official SVG file (`Flag of Yemen.svg`) and organizes related images under the category "Flags of Yemen."  
- **Sitelinks:** Featured in 67 Wikipedia language editions, from Arabic (علم اليمن) to Vietnamese (Quốc kỳ Yemen).  

### Preceding Flags  
- **Flag of the Yemen Arab Republic (1962–1990):** A horizontal triband of red, white, and black with a **green star**, representing North Yemen before unification.  
- **Flag of South Yemen (1970–1990):** A red star within a golden sunburst on a blue canton, symbolizing the Marxist state of South Yemen.  

### Cultural and Political Significance  
The flag’s design reflects Yemen’s dual heritage: the Pan-Arab colors link it to broader Middle Eastern identity, while the red star acknowledges the socialist legacy of South Yemen. Its adoption in 1990 marked a deliberate effort to unify competing political ideologies under a single symbol. Today, it is integral to Yemeni civic life, displayed at government buildings, public events, and international forums like the United Nations.  

### Digital and Knowledge Graph Presence  
- **Emoji:** Represented by 🇾🇪 (U+1F1FE U+1F1EA), standardized in Unicode since 2010.  
- **OpenStreetMap Tag:** `flag:type=national` for mapping physical flag displays.  
- **Booru Tag:** `national_flag` for imageboard categorization.  
- **Educational Resources:** Included in the Australian Educational Vocabulary (ID: scot/6250) and the Analysis & Policy Observatory (term ID: 21696).  

### Related Entities  
- **Republic of Yemen:** The sovereign state it represents, established in 1990.  
- **Yemen Arab Republic:** Predecessor state (1962–1990) whose flag it replaced.  
- **Pan-Arab Colors:** A design tradition shared with flags of Egypt, Syria, and Iraq.  

### Timeline of National Flags  
- **1990–Present:** Current flag of Yemen.  
- **1962–1990:** Flag of the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen).  
- **1970–1990:** Flag of the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen).  

### Global Documentation  
The flag is cataloged in multilingual knowledge systems, including:  
- **Banglapedia ID:** জাতীয়_পতাকা (National Flag).  
- **Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana:** Bandera de Iemen.  
- **Encyclopedia of Korean Culture:** E0006160.  
- **Pixiv Encyclopedia:** 国旗 (National Flag).  

This comprehensive integration into global knowledge infrastructure ensures its recognition as the definitive symbol of the Republic of Yemen in both historical and contemporary contexts.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. BabelNet
3. Name Suggestion Index