Bahrain: Flag and Facts
Bahrain's flag is red with a white band on the left side that meets the red in a zigzag edge of five white points.
- Official name
- Kingdom of Bahrain
- Capital
- Manama
- Region
- Western Asia
- Population
- 1.6 million (2024)
- Languages
- Arabic
- Currency
- Bahraini dinar
- Area
- 765 km² (295 sq mi)
- People
- Bahraini
- Calling code
- +973
- Highest point
- Jabal ad Dukhan 135 m
- Independence
- 15 August 1971 (from the UK)
- National symbols
- a white serrated band with five white points on top of a red field
- Borders
- No land borders
About Bahrain
Red is the traditional flag color for Persian Gulf states, and each of the five points stands for one pillar of Islam. The design used to have eight points. In 2002 the count was cut to five so it would not be confused with the flag of Qatar.
In 1783 the Sunni Al-Khalifa family came to power and struck a series of 19th-century deals with Britain, turning the islands into a British protectorate. Independence came on 15 August 1971. With oil output falling since 1970, the islands branched into refining, aluminum, hotels, shops, and banking, especially Islamic finance. Being small and sitting between larger neighbors like Saudi Arabia and Iran means Bahrain has to balance its foreign policy carefully.
Did you know?
- Bahrain's highest point, Jabal ad Dukhan, is only 135 meters high.
- Bahrain covers about 3.5 times the land area of Washington, D.C.
- Summers in Bahrain are very hot and humid, while winters are mild.
Want to test yourself? The random flag generator has a quiz mode, and the full flags of the world page shows every flag at once.
Questions about Bahrain
What is the capital of Bahrain?
Manama is the capital of Bahrain.
What currency does Bahrain use?
Bahrain uses the Bahraini dinar.
Sources
- CIA World Factbook, checked October 8, 2026
- REST Countries data (mledoze/countries), checked October 8, 2026
- Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.