The national flag of Oman () consists of two horizontal stripes of upper white and lower green, separated by a red horizontal "T" shape in the centre that contains the national emblem of Oman (crossed swords over a khanjar, a traditional curved dagger).
Design
Construction
thumb|Construction sheet of the flag.|none
{| class="wikitable" style="width:50%;"
! Colours<br>scheme
! R
! G
! B
! Hex
! Preview
|-
| White
| 255
| 255
| 255
| #FFFFFF
| bgcolor="#FFFFFF" |
|-
| Red
| 219
| 23
| 27
| #DB171B
| bgcolor="#DB171B" |
|-
| Green
| 2
| 128
| 2
| #028002
| bgcolor="#028002" |
|}
Symbolism
thumb|268x268px|Flag of Oman flown at [[Muscat]]White has been associated historically with the Imam, the religious leader of Oman, and at times the political rival to the ruling Sultan. It also symbolizes peace. Green is traditionally associated with the Jabal al-Akdar, or "Green Mountains," which lie toward the north of the country. Red is a common color in Gulf state flags. The national emblem is said to date back to the 18th century. A curved dagger is fastened over a pair of crossed swords. An ornate horsebit links the weapons and culture.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:50%;"
!Scheme
!Textile colour
|-
! style="background: #CE1126 " |<span style="color:#ffffff"> Red </span>
|The colour of the flag of the former Sultanate of Muscat and Oman. It symbolises the battles fought by Omanis to evict foreign invaders from the country.
|-
! style="background: #ffffff " |White
|represents the conviction of the Omani people in peace.
|-
! style="background: #007e3c " |<span style="color:#ffffff"> Green </span>
|represents the fertility and greenery of the land.
|-
!Source
|
|}
History
thumb|Omanis welcome the new [[Qaboos bin Said|sultan, using the plain red banner, c. 1970]]
Until 1970, Oman used the plain red banner of the indigenous people. After Sultan Qaboos bin Said overthrew his father in the 1970 coup, he introduced a new national flag and set of ensigns. The simple red flag of Muscat and Oman was modified by addition of white and green bands to the fly, and the national emblem, the badge of the Al Bu Said dynasty, was placed in the canton.
Between 1970 and 1995, the size of the middle band of the triband was slimmer than the other two, making up approximately one fifth of its height, the other bands two-fifths.
On 25 April 1995, the flag's proportions were changed from 3:4 to 1:2.
On 22 May 2004, the flag's proportions were changed to 4:7.
<gallery class="center">
File:Flag of Muscat.svg|Flag of the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman 1856–1970
File:WhiteFlag.png|Imamate of Muscat and Oman 1868 to 1871
File:Flag of the Imamate of Oman (1954–1959).svg|Flag of the Imamate of Oman from 1954 to 1959
File:Flag of Oman (1970–1995).svg|Flag of Oman from 1970 to 1995
File:Flag of Oman (2-1).svg|Flag of Oman from 1995 to 2004
</gallery>
Other flags
The naval ensign shows an azure (blue) field, with the flag of Oman in the canton and the naval service emblem in the fly.
The standard of the Sultan of Oman is red with a green border whose width is about one-sixth of the height of the flag, surrounded by a red border of about the same width. It bears the country's emblem as a charge in the center, colored gold.<gallery class="center">
File:Royal Standard of Oman.svg|Standard of the Sultan
File:Flag of Oman (3-2).svg|3:2 ratio version
File:Royal Army of Oman Flag.svg|Flag of the Royal Army of Oman
File:Air Force Ensign of Oman.svg|Ensign of the Royal Air Force of Oman
File:Naval Ensign of Oman.svg| Naval Ensign of the Royal Navy of Oman
</gallery>
See also
- List of Omani flags
- Coat of arms of Oman