Flag of Lebanon

Flag origins

Lebanon's flag has red, white and red horizontal bands with a green cedar. Article 5 of the Constitution makes the white band as wide as both red bands together and places the cedar centrally, touching them above and below. The Lebanese Army explains red as the blood of martyrs for independence, white as mountain snow, and the cedar as holiness and immortality. Cedrus libani has symbolized the region since antiquity.

Flag story

The flag emerged during the independence crisis of November 1943, when French authorities arrested Lebanon's president, prime minister and other leaders. Parliamentarians adopted a new design replacing the French tricolor with red, white, red and a cedar. The first sketch was drawn on paper from a school notebook and signed by deputies. An account presented by the Lebanese Army even records that the cedar was drawn in pencil because no green pen was available.

Editorial notes and references

Edited by ABELHA WORKS. The English text translates the administrator-edited Japanese description. Legends should be distinguished from documented history. General reference links do not substantiate every statement in the text.

• Lebanon — general information on Wikipedia
• Japan MOFA: countries and regions (Japanese)

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