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Historical Flags (Afghanistan)

Last modified: 2007-10-28 by ian macdonald
Keywords: afghanistan | historical |
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Introduction

Afghanistan has been deemed the winner of "the most frequent flag changes in the twentieth century" contest:

  • 1901-1919 Black field with central white emblem of mosque, flags and wreath.
  • 1919-1928 Same, except central emblem surrounded by eight pointed sunburst.
  • 1928-Sep.1928 Similar to 1901.
  • Sep.1928-Jan.1929 Vertical black, red, green. Central white emblem of mountains, sun, wreath, topped by a star.
  • Jan.1929-Oct.1929 Similar to 1919-1928.
  • Oct.1929-1930 Same three-striped field, but using earlier emblem surrounded by sunburst.
  • 1930-1973 Same three-striped field, central white emblem of mosque, flags, and wreath.
  • 1973-1974 Same as the previous one, without the date in the emblem.
  • May 1974-Apr.1978 Horizontal field, lower half green, upper half is black over red. Emblem in upper hoist of eagle, pulpit, wreath, sunburst.
  • Apr.1978-Oct.1978 Same as previous, no emblem.
  • Oct.1978-Apr.1980 Red Field with gold emblem in upper hoist consisting of script characters (I believe it says Flag Party) wreath, and star.
  • Apr.1980-Nov.1987 Three equal horizontal stripes of black over red over green. Multicolor emblem in upper hoist of pulpit, book, wreath, sunburst, topped by cogwheel and red star.
  • Nov.1987-Apr.1992 Same as previous, but emblem lacks book and red star. Also the cogwheel was relocated to the bottom and the green "horizon" below the sunburst is now curved.
  • Apr.1992-Dec.1992 Three equal horizontal stripes of green, white, black with white text on green stripe and black text on white stripe.
  • Dec.1992- September 1996 Same three stripes, but golden emblem centered on the flag.
  • September 1996 - November 2001 White flag, at times with the Shahada in black
  • January 2002 - January 2004 Black-red-green vertical stripes, with coat of arms on red stripe, date on flag 1348.
  • Since January 2004 Black-red-green vertical stripes, with coat of arms on red stripe, date on flag 1298.

Nick Artimovich, 19 March 1996, augmented by editor.

It seems to me that a large number of these are relatively insignificant variations on the same design. Considering the country involved and the improbability that any official records exist for the time period concerned, I can't help wondering if some of these don't simply reflect either errors in observation by contemporary (non-vexillologically oriented) observers or irregularities in production.
Joe McMillan, 12 August 2005