Northern Africa > Morocco Flag

Morocco Flag


Northern Africa

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The flag of Morocco ( Arabic: علم المغرب‎) is made of a red field with a black-bordered green interwoven star. Red has considerable historic significance in Morocco, proclaiming the descent of the royal family from the Prophet Muhammad via Fatima, the wife of Ali, the fourth Caliph. Red is also the color that was used by the Sherifs of Mecca and the Imams of Yemen. From the 17th century on, when Morocco was ruled by the Alaouite Dynasty, the flags of the country were plain red. In 1915, during the reign of Mulay Yusuf, the green interlaced pentangle was added to the national flag, used as a symbol in occult law for centuries. While Morocco was under French and Spanish control, the red flag with the seal in the center remained in use- but only inland. Its use at sea was prohibited. When independence was restored in 1956, it once again became the national flag.