The Moroccan Flag and the Meaning of Its Green Pentagram
A Flag Since 1915
Morocco's current national flag was adopted on 17 November 1915, when Sultan Yusef signed a dahir, or royal decree, introducing the design. Before that date Moroccan ships had flown a plain red flag with no central emblem.
The plain red banner had a practical problem at sea: it was easily confused with other red flags and maritime signals. Adding a distinct central device made the Moroccan flag unmistakable while preserving the historic red field.
The Red Field
Red carries deep historical significance in Morocco, associated with the ruling Alawi dynasty, which used a red field as its banner. The color is also commonly read as representing strength, bravery and the blood of ancestors who defended the nation.
Retaining red in 1915 therefore kept continuity with dynastic tradition. The change was not a break with the past but an addition, layering a clear emblem onto a color that already meant Morocco.
The Green Pentagram
At the center sits a green five-pointed star, an interlaced pentagram often identified with the Seal of Solomon, an ancient protective symbol. Its green color is strongly associated with Islam, and the five points are widely understood to represent the five pillars of Islam.
The star's outline form, drawn as a single continuous interlaced line, gives the flag its distinctive geometry. The combination of a sacred number, an Islamic color and a historic seal makes the emblem rich in layered meaning rather than purely decorative.
A Symbol of Unity
Together the red field and green star are read as a statement of national and religious unity. The flag is flown across the entire country, including the southern provinces, as an emblem of one Morocco.
For Moroccans the flag's symbolism is straightforward and unifying: faith expressed through the five points, identity expressed through the historic red, and a design crafted to be unmistakably the Kingdom's own. That clarity is part of why the 1915 design has endured unchanged.
Frequently asked
What does the star on the Moroccan flag mean?
The green five-pointed star, identified with the Seal of Solomon, represents the five pillars of Islam through its five points, while green is the color associated with the faith.
Why is the Moroccan flag red?
Red is tied to the ruling Alawi dynasty, which used a red field, and is widely read as symbolizing bravery, strength and the blood of ancestors who defended the nation.
When was the current flag adopted?
Sultan Yusef introduced the current design by dahir on 17 November 1915, adding the green pentagram to the historic plain red flag to make it unmistakable at sea.