History of the Yemen Flag: North and South Yemen to the 1990 Unity Flag
Yemen’s current red-white-black flag was created for the unified Republic of Yemen in 1990, simplifying elements from the separate flags of North and South Yemen.
Before 1990: two Yemeni states
For much of the twentieth century, North Yemen and South Yemen existed as separate states with different national flags.
North Yemen’s flag
The Yemen Arab Republic used the red-white-black Pan-Arab tricolour with a green star in the white band.
South Yemen’s flag
The People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen used red-white-black with a light-blue triangle at the hoist carrying a red star.
May 22, 1990: unification
North and South Yemen united to form the Republic of Yemen on May 22, 1990.
How was the unity flag created?
The new state kept the shared red-white-black tricolour but removed the green star, blue triangle and red star, producing a plain national flag.
Why was simplicity useful?
The stripped-down design avoided privileging the former symbols of either northern or southern state while retaining a shared Pan-Arab identity.
What does the Constitution say?
Article 156 specifies the flag’s three colors in order: red, white and black.
Has the national flag changed during the civil war?
The Republic of Yemen’s national flag remains the red-white-black tricolour. Political and armed groups may use separate banners, but those should not be confused with the national flag.
