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Kingdom of Iraq (1924-1958)

Mamlakat al-Iraq

1:2 image by Željko Heimer

Description of the Flag
Royal Coat of Arms
Royal Standard
Crown Prince's Standard
Chief of the General Staff of the Army
General Inspector of the Army
Pilot Vessels

See also:

Description of the Flag

Iraq's first flag was inspired by the flag of the Kingdom of Hejaz, and was in use at the time of independence in 1932. The flag was actually used before independence, from 1924 to 1959. The British occupied Baghdad on 10 January 1919. The allied supreme council created a British mandate on 25 April 1920 and the League of Nations approved it later. The British suppressed a major Arab insurrection in July-December 1920. Faisal, deposed king of Syria, arrived in June 1921, and the British proclaimed him King of Iraq on 23 August after a plebiscite voiced 96% approval. The British simultaneously changed the mandate into a protectorate. The Iraq flag adopted by Faisal in 1921 slightly changed the Sharifian flag: it was a black-white-green tricolor with a red trapezoid in the hoist and two 7-pointed white stars in the red.
T. F. Mills, 16 December 1997

The flag was used as national flag and state and civil ensign. The construction details are given in [Flaggenbuch as (2+2+2):12 with trapezoid height being 3. The seven-pointed stars are heptagrams of "sharpness" 1, they are inscribed in imaginary circles whose diameter is not given in Flaggenbuch, and is about 4/3 or so (measuring from the image). The centers of the circles appear to be in the midpoint of the heights from the trapezoid inner vertexes.
Source: [Flaggenbuch]
Željko Heimer, 28 November 2001

The flag is described in Article 4 of the Constitution (see http://biblio-archive.unog.ch/Dateien/CouncilDocs/C-49-1929-VI_EN.pdf):
"The flag of Iraq shall be of the following shape and dimensions. The length of the flag shall be double its breadth. It shall be divided horizontally into three colours of equal size and parallel to each other, the upper section being black, the others white and green respectively. On the side of the staff there shall be a red trapezoid, the greater base of which shall be equal to the breadth of the flag and the lesser base equal to the breadth of the white section, the height being equal to one-quarter of the length of the flag. In the centre there shall be two white stars of seven points each, in a perpendicular position, parallel to the staff. The position of the flag, and the arms, insignia and decorations of the State shall be determined in accordance with special laws."

The Constitution was passed by the Constituent Assembly on 10 July 1924 and came into force on 21 March 1925. Thus the flag can be said to have been adopted on 10 July 1924 and came into use thereafter.
Bruce Berry, 30 June 2017

Royal Coat of Arms

image by Juan Manuel Gabino Villascán

Royal Standard (1930-1958)

1:2 image by Željko Heimer

Black-white-green tricolour flag with a red triangle at hoist containing a golden crown.
Source: [Flaggenbuch
Željko Heimer, 28 November 2001

It should be noted that until 1930, Iraq was de jure ruled by Faisal and de facto ruled by the king's British advisors. Only in 1930 Iraq and United Kingdom signed a treaty which made Iraq an independent nation and Faisal I as its ruler de jure and de facto.
Dov Gutterman, 12 April 1999

Crown Prince's Standard

1:2 image by Željko Heimer

Similar to royal standard, but in a peculiar pennant shape.
Source: [Flaggenbuch
Željko Heimer, 28 November 2001

Chief of the General Staff of the Army

2:3 image by Željko Heimer

Green flag with two white seven-pointed stars placed one above the other.
Source: [Flaggenbuch
Željko Heimer, 28 November 2001

General Inspector of the Army

2:3 image by Željko Heimer

Red flag with a white seven-pointed star in the middle.
Source: [Flaggenbuch
Željko Heimer, 28 November 2001

Pilot Vessels

2:3 image by Željko Heimer

White over red bicolour.
Source: [Flaggenbuch
Željko Heimer, 28 November 2001