Brunei

Sultanate of Brunei, Negara Brunei Darussalam

Last modified: 2007-09-22 by ian macdonald
Keywords: brunei | sultanate of brunei | brunei darussalam | arms | crescent |
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1:2 | stripes 17+15 | image by Gvido Petersons
Flag adopted 29th September 1959, coat-of-arms adopted 1932

• Description
• Construction Sheet
• Proportion of the Stripes
• Coat-of-Arms
• Royal Standards
• Rank Flags
• Ensigns
• Armed Forces
• Royal Brunei Police (Polis Diraja Brunei)
• Historical Flags
• University of Brunei Darussalam
• Unidentified Flags
• Brunei flags used on stamps

See also:

• Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)

Other sites:

• National Flag and Coat-of-Arms at the Brunei Government Official Website
• Flag, National Coat-of-Arms and Anthem at the BruNet Website
• Brunei Darussalam Flag and National Anthem (same information as at BruNet but with a clearer display) at The Commonwealth OnLine

From the Brunei Government Official Website:

The rectangular shaped State flag of four components portions —two parallelograms and two trapeziums— is cut across by a parallelogram from a point 2.1/2" [6.35 cm] below the top left corner to a point of the same distance from the bottom corner on the right side. The standard measures 72" [182.88 cm] long by 36" [91.44 cm] wide. The parallelogram dividing the rectangle in this manner leaves two similar trapeziums at the top and bottom of the flag, with the lower trapezium assuming the inverted form of the upper trapezium. The parallelogram is again divided into two parallelograms of unequal depths, the upper being one inch [2.54 cm] wider that the lower which is 7.1/2" [19.05 cm] width.

The center of the flag is superimposed by the State crest [i.e. coat-of-arms] in red. The forefingers of the upright arms, which support the red crest, are equidistant at 61 cm from the left and right sides of the flag. (...)

Four colours are incorporated in the flag, red for the crest, yellow for the trapeziums, white for the upper parallelogram and black for the lower parallelogram.

Mark Sensen, 9 November 1997 and Dov Gutterman, 6 March 1999

Album des Pavillons 2000, page BR 2.1, says the usage is civil and state flag on land, civil ensign on vessels () and (I guess naval) jack. Smith 1980 designates it as but probably since then the use on land has changed and the blue state ensign has been introduced.

Željko Heimer, 30 March 2001

image by Gvido Petersons and Željko Heimer

Album des Pavillons 2000, page BR 2.1, shows the same construction data as the Brunei Government official website (from which there is an extract on FOTW).

Željko Heimer, 30 March 2001

In Flaggenbuch 1939, the difference in height between the two stripes [in the 1906-1959 flag] is a bit larger than in the current flag. In Flaggenbuch 1939 the width ratio of both stripes is 0.75.
Ivan Sache, 12 and 23 January 2000

[The image in Flaggenbuch 1939] is correct. I have a colour photocopy of the flag taken from U.K. Admiralty old book [Editor's note: probably Flags of All Nations 1955 or a previous edition].
Nozomi Kariyasu, 14 January 2000

There are a number of references to the white being wider than the black:

• National Geographic 1934: no textual reference to the flag but in the illustration the black stripe is 2.5mm and the white stripe 4mm;
• Baxter 1934: "white stripe somewhat broader than the black";
• Campbell and Evans 1950 through Evans 1960: "two thirds white over one third black";
• Evans 1965 through 1974: "a broad diagonal stripe, white above black";
• Barraclough 1965 and 1971: "white part somewhat broader than the black";
• Pedersen 1971: "the white band is a little wider than the black";
• Barraclough and Crampton 1978: "white over black, representing the people and the government, with the white a little broader than the black";
• Inglefield 1979: "broad white above narrower black".

The white/black diagonal stripes [on the 1906-1959 flag] proportion was 17:15 (currently 1:1) [sic]. Source: Crampton 1985, p. 80.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 21 June 2000

The current flag does not have 1:1 stripes. At least, according to the Brunei Government Official Website, the white stripe is 19.05 + 2.54 = 21.59 cm (i.e. 8.5") and the black one 19.05 cm (i.e. 7.5") which makes the ratio 17:15 — the figure attributed by Nozomi Kariyasu to the 1906-1959 flag.
Santiago Dotor, 26 December 2000

The same explanation ["white is the colour of the Chief Minister of State, the Duli Pengiran Bendahara, and black represents the Second Minister, the Duli Pengiran Pemancha"] is given by (for example) Crampton, Znamierowski and Poels (and is used by myself on my own specification sheet), however, there is also the addition that "(with the addition of yellow symbolizing the ruler) these were the signatories of the Treaty with Britain in 1906". On the other hand, an official publication entitled "The National Flag of Brunei Darussalam" dated 3 August 1999 deletes any symbolism for the colours and concentrates entirely on the arms added in 1959.

This leads me to suggest that the meaning of the colours given above is accurate as to why the colours were chosen in 1906, and since this significance has (apparently) not be replaced by newer version, that the explanation remains valid.

Christopher Southworth, 17 March 2004

image by Gvido Petersons
Coat-of-arms adopted 1932

From the Brunei Government Official Website:

The National Crest of Brunei Darussalam has developed from a Royal emblem and in its original form still maintains its status as one of the Royal emblems. The present National Crest was superimposed on the National flag after promulgation of the 1959 Brunei Constitution. The crest consists of:

Bendera: the flag

Payung Ubor-Ubor: the Royal Umbrella

The Bendera and Payung Ubor-Ubor have been Royal regalia's since the creation of the crest.

Sayap: the wing of four feathers

Symbolizes the protection of justice, tranquility, prosperity and peace.

Tangan or Kimhap: the hand

Signifies the Government's pledge to promote welfare, peace and prosperity.

Bulan: the crescent

The symbol of Islam, the national religion of Brunei Darussalam. The characters inscribed on the crescent (...) in yellow Arabic script is the state motto, which can be roughly translated: "Always Render Service with God's Guidance".(...)

The scroll beneath the crest reads "Brunei Darussalam" which means "Brunei, the abode of peace".

Mark Sensen, 9 November 1997 and Dov Gutterman, 6 March 1999

Lots of unidentified flags in this Brunei National Day 23rd February 2000 webpage.
Gvido Petersons, 14 December 2000