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Flags of Egypt

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Flags of Egypt

Egypt is the deepest lineage in this entire atlas: Pharaonic civilization along the Nile runs back some three thousand years before any of this page's flags existed, through Persian, Greek (Ptolemaic), and Roman rule, the Arab-Islamic conquest, a long Ottoman period, Muhammad Ali's 19th-century modernizing dynasty, British occupation, and finally a republic that briefly tried to unite the wider Arab world under one flag. This page necessarily compresses antiquity into a single honest bridging entry before the historical record allows real flag-by-flag detail.

Gamal Abdel Nasser's 1952 republic pursued pan-Arabism aggressively — nationalizing the Suez Canal in 1956, triggering the Suez Crisis, and briefly merging Egypt's own statehood into unions with Syria and then Syria and Libya together, each with its own shared flag, before settling into the red-white-black tricolor Egypt still flies today.

Scope of this page: the lands of present-day Egypt, antiquity–present, seven political entities. Part of a larger atlas — see the linked pages at the bottom.

One border, seven eras

Egypt's own real border, traced whole. Press play, or drag the slider, across seven eras from antiquity's unrecorded dynasties to the modern republic.

Egypt is the one country in this batch that genuinely tempted a real internal split — and still doesn't get one here. Ancient Egypt's Upper/Lower divide (the white Hedjet and red Deshret crowns, united in the Pschent) is real and well documented, but it belongs to the pre-flag antiquity spanned by this page's single bridging entry, and it already has its own dedicated page — Flags of Ancient Egypt — covering that crown iconography in full. Every era actually itemized on this page's own timeline, from the Arab conquest onward, governed a unified Egypt; there's no genuine split within the eras tracked here to carve out honestly.
Antiquity
MEDITERRANEAN SEA LIBYA RED SEA SUDAN EGYPT
Pharaonic, Persian, Greek & Roman Egypt

Real traced border (johan/world.geo.json, EGY), no internal partition — see the rule box above for why.

How we know this. 7 of 7 eras on this page carry an evidence panel (3 attested, 2 placeholder image, 2 not yet checked). Only the ones marked attested are confirmed by the sources named under them; where sources disagree or a claim could not be confirmed, the panel says so.
red-white-black tricolor, golden Eagle of Saladin — the current flag
1984 – present

Arab Republic of Egypt (modern)

Republic, independentHosni MubarakIslam (constitutional state religion)
Migration & conquest:Emigration: labor migration to the Gulf (1970s–)Immigration: Syrian refugees (2011–)Immigration: Sudanese refugees (2003–, 2023–)

Who & why: after the Federation of Arab Republics dissolves and Egypt signs the 1979 peace treaty with Israel following the 1973 war, the current national emblem — the golden Eagle of Saladin, a symbol tracing back to the historic Arab liberation flag — is formally fixed to the flag's center in 1984, replacing the earlier hawk of Quraish design.

What it represents: the red-white-black horizontal tricolor now carries the golden Eagle of Saladin. Wikipedia says the Free Officers introduced a red, white and black flag with the Eagle in 1952, that the Kingdom's flag stayed in official use for a time after the republic was declared in 1953, and that the Eagle replaced the Hawk of Quraish on 4 October 1984; FOTW dates the flag and arms to 4 October 1984 while a comment cites laws of 4–5 October 1985.

Attestedhow we know this

Wikipedia: Free Officers introduced the red-white-black flag with the Eagle of Saladin in 1952; current flag since 4 October 1984. FOTW: flag and coat of arms dated 4 October 1984; 1985 laws cited by a comment.

Not established: The sources differ by a year on the laws (1984 vs 1985).

Paint guide
Proportions2:3.
LayoutHorizontal tricolor: red, white, black; golden Eagle of Saladin centered on the white band.
Red#CE1126
White#F4EFE1
Black#1A1A1A
Gold eagle#C9A13C
the republic's tricolor, changing emblem through two pan-Arab unions
1953 – 1984

Republic of Egypt / United Arab Republic / Federation of Arab Republics

Republic, independentGamal Abdel NasserIslam (constitutional state religion)
Migration & conquest:Emigration: Jewish community expelled/emigrates (1956–)Emigration: British & French nationals expelled (1956)

Who & why: the Free Officers' 1952 revolution, led by Gamal Abdel Nasser, ends the monarchy and declares a republic in June 1953. Nasser's pan-Arabism produces the 1958–1961 United Arab Republic with Syria (two green stars on the tricolor) and, after Syria's withdrawal, the 1972–1977 Federation of Arab Republics with Libya and Syria (a golden hawk of Quraish). Nasser's nationalization of the Suez Canal in 1956 triggers the Suez Crisis, a defining confrontation with Britain, France, and Israel that Egypt, backed by US and Soviet pressure, wins politically.

What it represents: the red-white-black tricolor of the revolution, which Wikipedia says the Free Officers introduced in 1952 with the Eagle of Saladin and which became official after the republic was declared in 1953. In the United Arab Republic (1958–71) it carried two green stars for Egypt and Syria; in the Federation of Arab Republics (1972–84) a golden Hawk of Quraish, which Egypt kept after the federation dissolved in 1977.

Attestedhow we know this

Wikipedia: UAR 1958–71 with two green stars; Federation of Arab Republics 1972–84 with a golden Hawk of Quraish, kept until 1984. FOTW: 1958 Presidential Decree, flag red, white with two green stars, black; 1972 law amended, stars replaced with a golden hawk.

Not established: FOTW notes its source list omits the 1952–58 flag.

Paint guide
Proportions2:3.
LayoutHorizontal tricolor: red, white, black; central emblem changes by sub-period (eagle 1953–58, two green stars 1958–72, golden hawk 1972–84).
Red#CE1126
White#F4EFE1
Black#1A1A1A
green field, white crescent and three stars — the Kingdom of Egypt
1922 – 1953

Kingdom of Egypt

Kingdom, nominal/full independenceKing Fuad IIslam (constitutional state religion)
Migration & conquest:Occupied by: Britain (continuing)
Ruling house:Muhammad Ali dynasty

Who & why: Britain unilaterally declares Egypt nominally independent in 1922, with Sultan Fuad I becoming King, though British forces and advisors retain substantial real influence, especially over the Suez Canal Zone and foreign policy, until the 1936 Anglo-Egyptian Treaty narrows that role. The monarchy is abolished by the Free Officers' revolution in 1953.

What it represents: Wikipedia says that after Britain recognised Egyptian independence in 1922 King Fuad I adopted a green flag with a white crescent and three white stars; FOTW says a Royal Decree of 1923 set the first national flag of modern Egypt. The meaning of the stars (Egypt, Nubia and Sudan) is not in either source, and Wikipedia says the Muhammad Ali dynasty's red flag was kept even after the 1914 protectorate.

Attestedhow we know this

Wikipedia: after 1922 recognition King Fuad I adopted a green flag with a white crescent and three stars. FOTW: Royal Decree of 1923 set the first national flag of modern Egypt, green with a white crescent and three stars.

Not established: The year differs (1922 vs 1923); star meanings are not covered.

Paint guide
Proportions2:3.
LayoutGreen field, white crescent, three white five-pointed stars.
Green#0B6E3F
White#F4EFE1
red field, white crescent and three stars — Muhammad Ali's dynasty, later occupied
1805 – 1922

Muhammad Ali dynasty / Khedivate of Egypt

Autonomous / occupiedMuhammad AliSunni Islam
Migration & conquest:Occupied by: Britain (1882–)Immigration: European & Levantine communities (19th c.)
Ruling house:Muhammad Ali dynasty

Who & why: Muhammad Ali, an Ottoman-Albanian officer, seizes power in 1805 and founds a dynasty that modernizes Egypt's military, economy, and infrastructure while remaining a nominal Ottoman vassal, raised to the autonomous title "Khedive" in 1867. Egypt's mounting debt from the Suez Canal (opened 1869) and other projects gives Britain the pretext to occupy the country militarily in 1882, though nominal Khedivate sovereignty continues under British control until 1914.

What it represents: Wikipedia says the dynasty used a red flag with stars and crescents, deliberately similar to the Ottoman flag, kept after the British protectorate was declared in 1914. Flags of the World, quoting Whitney Smith, says Muhammad Ali set three white crescents and three stars on a red field, which became the first real Egyptian national flag (originally the personal flag of the khedive); the single crescent with three stars drawn here differs from that description.

Not yet checked against sourceshow we know this

Wikipedia: the Muhammad Ali dynasty used a red flag with stars and crescents, similar to the Ottoman flag, kept after 1914. FOTW's Ottoman-period page, quoting Whitney Smith, says Muhammad Ali set three white crescents and three stars on a red field, which became the first real Egyptian national flag in the mid-19th century (the personal flag of the khedives); its British Protectorate page says the khedive's flag was made the national flag after 1914. The flag was used 1867-1881 under Isma'il and Tewfik.

Not established: Both sources support the red flag with crescents and stars, but FOTW has three crescents each with a star (six-pointed at first, later five-pointed) while the drawing shows a single crescent with three stars; the drawing needs redrawing. The 1881 formalisation is not covered.

Paint guide
ProportionsNo fixed ratio for most of this period; 1881 flag roughly 2:3.
LayoutRed field, white crescent and (from 1881) three white stars.
Red#A4302A
White#F4EFE1
Ottoman red, white crescent and star — provincial Egypt
1517 – 1805

Ottoman Egypt

Ottoman provinceSelim ISunni Islam (Ottoman)
Migration & conquest:Conquered by: Ottoman Empire (1517)

Who & why: the Ottoman Sultan Selim I defeats the Mamluk Sultanate at the Battle of Ridaniya in 1517, absorbing Egypt as an Ottoman province called an eyalet, though Mamluk beys continue to hold substantial local power under nominal Ottoman governors for most of this nearly three-century span.

What it represents: Wikipedia dates the Ottoman flag over the Egyptian Eyalet to 1793-1844; Wikipedia's Flags of the Ottoman Empire and Flags of the World both date the red flag with a white crescent and star to 1793 (naval) and 1844 (national flag). For earlier years Flags of the World shows a green-yellow-green 'Mamelik' flag for Egypt in a 1711 Dutch chart. The red crescent-and-star flag drawn here is therefore established only for the later part of this era.

Not yet checked against sourceshow we know this

Wikipedia's Flag of Egypt has a caption dating the Ottoman flag over the Egyptian Eyalet to 1793-1844. Wikipedia's Flags of the Ottoman Empire and FOTW's Ottoman page date the red flag with white crescent and star to 1793 (naval) and 1844 (national); FOTW's Egypt page shows a green-yellow-green 'Mamelik' flag for Egypt in an 1711 Dutch chart grouped with Ottoman flags.

Not established: The red crescent-and-star flag is established for 1793 onwards only; for 1517-1793 the evidence is the 1711 chart's green-yellow-green flag (a secondary source citing a chart) and 16th-17th century Ottoman war flags in other designs.

Paint guide
ProportionsNo fixed ratio recorded for this era.
LayoutRed field, white crescent and five-pointed star.
Red#A4302A
White#F4EFE1
NO SINGLE FLAG DOCUMENTED
placeholder maroon field — Arab-Islamic caliphates and sultanates
642 – 1517

Arab-Islamic Egypt: caliphates to Mamluks

Successive caliphates/sultanatesCaliph Umar ibn al-KhattabSunni Islam (ruling establishment)
Migration & conquest:Conquered by: Rashidun Caliphate (642)
Ruling house:Ayyubid dynasty

Who & why: the Rashidun Arab conquest of Byzantine Egypt completes in 642, beginning nearly nine centuries under Umayyad, Abbasid, Tulunid, Ikhshidid, Fatimid (who found Cairo in 969 as their capital), Ayyubid (founded by Saladin), and finally Mamluk rule — a slave-soldier military caste that rules as sultans and repels the Mongols at Ain Jalut in 1260, until Ottoman conquest in 1517.

What it represents: no single flag can honestly represent nearly nine centuries and at least six distinct ruling dynasties across this territory; heraldic banners of this era are poorly and inconsistently attested. Shown here honestly blank rather than invented.

Placeholder imagehow we know this

This page's own caption calls the image a placeholder: «placeholder maroon field — Arab-Islamic caliphates and sultanates».

Not established: Whether a flag, banner or standard existed in this period was not checked. The colour shown is not evidence of one.

Paint guide
ProportionsN/A — no single attested flag across this span.
NO SINGLE FLAG DOCUMENTED
placeholder maroon field — Pharaonic through Roman antiquity
Antiquity – 642

Pharaonic, Persian, Greek & Roman Egypt

AntiquityNarmerAncient Egyptian polytheism, later Christianity
Migration & conquest:Conquered by: Achaemenid Persia (525 BC)Conquered by: Rome (30 BC)

Who & why: Egypt is one of the world's oldest continuous civilizations, its unified Pharaonic state dating back roughly five thousand years, followed by Achaemenid Persian conquest (525 BC), Alexander the Great and the Greek Ptolemaic dynasty (323–30 BC, ending with Cleopatra VII), and then nearly seven centuries as a province of Rome and, later, the Byzantine Empire, until the Arab conquest of 642.

What it represents: flags as a heraldic device do not exist in this period; ancient Egypt used standards, banners, and royal insignia (such as the crook and flail, or Pharaonic double crown) rather than territorial flags in the modern sense. Shown here honestly blank rather than invented, standing in for millennia of civilization this atlas cannot reduce to a single painted banner.

Placeholder imagehow we know this

This page's own caption calls the image a placeholder: «placeholder maroon field — Pharaonic through Roman antiquity».

Not established: Whether a flag, banner or standard existed in this period was not checked. The colour shown is not evidence of one.

Paint guide
ProportionsN/A — no flags existed as a heraldic form in this era.

Reading the tags

Antiquity / successive dynasties — no single flag
Ottoman province / autonomous — under or loosely under the Sultan
Kingdom / Republic, independent — sovereign under its own government
Leader — the named ruler most associated with the era's start
State religion — the official/established faith, not the population's

Find the records

Family history research for Egypt lives in a different project, Record Atlas, which maps which archive actually holds the paper for a given place and era.

Search Record Atlas for Egypt →

More of the atlas

This page is one lineage in a larger set. See the region-wide hub and the other countries here:

Flags Atlas indexSearch every country and hub Maghreb & Nile hubSix countries, fourteen centuries
Compiled from Wikipedia, Flags of the World (fotw.info / crwflags.com), and Britannica. Colors are close historical approximations for painting reference; pre-19th-century swatches are informed reconstructions, not official specifications. Map is schematic and not surveyed.