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Algeria

al Djazair

Image by Mark Sensen

On this page:

Explanation of the flag
National emblem

On other pages:

Explanation of the flag

It is officially hoisted on 03 July 1962. The flag is said to be a variation of the flag of liberational forces of Abd el-Kader in 1837-1847, but there is not proof of that.
zeljko heimer 28 November 1995

Flag description from
http://www.algeria-un.org/English/The%20Country/Flag_Nat%20anthem/Flag.htm:

Definition of features of the Algerian flag

The flag of the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria is constituted by a green and white rectangle embossed by a red star and a red crescent.

Colours

The green must be a composition of equal yellow and blue having, according to the diagram of contrasts of Rood, a wavelength of 5.411 and the position 600 on the normal spectre. The red must be pure, of primary indecomposable colour, and exempt of blue and yellow having, according to the below-indicated diagram, a wavelength of 6.562 and the position 285 on the normal spectre.

Proportions and disposition

The length of the rectangle is equal to one and half its width (height of the flag). This rectangle is divided according to the small median in two halves. The green colour half is placed inside, against the shaft.

The white colour half is placed outside. The star is to five branches. It is written down in a circle whose radius is equal to the eighth of the height of the flag.

It detaches itself entirely on the white bottom of the flag; two tips are on the small median of the rectangle and a tip on the big median.

The radius of the outside circle of the crescent is equal to the quarter of the height of the flag.

The radius of the interior circle of the crescent is equal to the fifth of the height of the flag. The two tips of the crescent delimit a big equal bow to the five sixth of the circumference of the outside circle.

The centre of the outside circle of the crescent is in the centre of the rectangle.

Appendix of the law n° 63-145 of April 25, 1963, carrying definition of features of the Algerian national emblem,

[a figure follows]

Thanh-Tâm Lê, 2 January 1999

Some days ago was posted the link to the page with description, image and sheet of the Algerian flag.
I want say that the flag image is, I believe, uncorrect: two points of the star should be touching the little median (this is according the official description but also from photos of real flags).
The colour red is RGB 198 and the green is RGB 181 , but I don't know the code color (Rood) quoted, and I hope that must be correct.
The opening of the arc is 1/8 of the perimeter, instead 1/6 according law. the ratio of the external circle is 2/6 of the height of the flag instead of 1/4. The inner ratium is 1,5/5 of the heigh instead of 1/5.
I don't have any problem reading french, but perhaps I don't understand nothing of the official description. Anyone can confirm my mistake?

Jaume Ollé, 4 January 1999

I agree with practically everything you said -- the image does not correspond to the legal text.

I think that you understood the description perfectly and the drawer simply did not know about it, or did not pay attention to it (which I would find hard to believe), so: has there been any change in specifications since 1962 ?

Thanh-Tâm Lê , 9 January 1999

National emblem

Image by Zeljko Heimer, 28 May 1999

In new Croatian encyclopedia (Hrvatska enciklopedija A-Bd, Leksikografski zavod Miroslav Krleza, Zagreb 1999.) issued just few weeks ago, I found an image of the coat of arms of Alger which was not known to me - I though that Algeria still uses the coat of arms with shield equal to the flag with two letter "djim" as shown in Smith 1980. But, of course, things might have changed...
OTOH, the images of coats of arms in the book is so bad that I'm not quite sure. Anyone would confirm it, and give details of the change (and possibly explanations of elements). Considering the French influence, lack of the coat of arms and use of seal-like devices is not unusual.
Thinking a bit more, what do the islamic rules say about the hand in the middle? (it is hand of Fatima, if I recall correctly)
Zeljko Heimer, 28 May 1999

DK Pocket Book is not very informative, too (no image provided): "The state coat of arms is based on the well-known local emblem of the 'Hand of Fatima'. It also contains the crescent and star of Islam, alongside symbols reflecting both agriculture and industry". Your image fits this description!
Ivan Sache, 28 May 1999

At: http://www.algeria-un.org/English/The%20Country/Flag_Nat%20anthem/Flag.htm the COA reported by Zeljko can be seen, entitled 'National Emblem'
That is the page of the Permanent Mission of Algeria to the United Nations.
Jarig Bakker, 29 May 1999

Date sent: Sat, 29 May 1999 01:27:59 +0200 From: Jarig Bakker To: fotw@qnet.com Subject: Re: Alger COA Send reply to: fotw@qnet.com I rummaged through my books and found 'Alg'erie et Tunisie', Guides-Joanne, 1898 (perhaps not the most up-to-date). I shortened the text a bit. 'Old Latin name of Algiers was 'Icosium'. In the 10th century a Berber tribe, Beni-Mezr'anna, was established in Icosium. Bologguin founded Miliana, Lemdja (Medea) and 'Ed-Djezair-Beni-Mezr'anna' (Algiers), the 'islands of the children of Mezr'anna', because of the islands, which have since disappeared by the works of the Turks (who probably hired some Dutchmen for diking (jb))'
Jarig Bakker, 29 May 1999

Related with the Alger COA I have also a great confusion. I have a book dated 1972 with same COA that you posted but colorized and with circular inscription in latin characters. Later in FTTAAW dated 1975 I found a new version of the COA. Vexilologie published in the issue 66 the COA (the one of 1972) but I can't understad the explanation. In the last time all the sources are according that the one posted by you is the current COA.
In my reconstruction the first COA, adopted 1962, was a heraldic version of the national flag with some golden letters in the upper part. You can see this COA in the Ralf Haltermink pages.
After the fall of Ben Bella, the COA was changed, probably 1966 or so, and the one that is in my book of 1972 (that probably is referred to the one in use already in 1971) was adopted.
Then the 1975 COA that show Smit's book is a mistery for me
In 1983 probably, the latin inscription in the coa was changed to the arabic characters.
Jaune Ollé, 31 May 1999