Tunisia’s flag is a red field charged with a centred white disc bearing a red crescent and five‑pointed star. Originating as an Ottoman‑era naval ensign (1831), it was retained with minor refinements by the modern state and codified most recently in 1999. Red recalls resistance and Ottoman ties; white peace; the crescent and star are classic symbols of the Islamic world. Law fixes a 2:3 ratio, disc diameter, and crescent/star geometry; protocol governs display and dignified use.
Tunisia’s national flag—red with a white disc enclosing a red crescent and star—binds Ottoman heritage to republican statute.
Origins. In 1831 Husaynid Bey Hussein II introduced a red naval ensign with a white disc bearing a crescent and star to distinguish Tunisian ships within the Ottoman sphere. Over the nineteenth century the ensign gained civil currency as a general state flag, even as European influence grew.
From protectorate to independence. Under the French protectorate (1881–1956) the flag’s use continued with restrictions in international zones; at independence in 1956 the red banner with disc, crescent, and star was affirmed as national. Subsequent legislation refined the drawing without altering the basic composition.
Codification. A 1999 law specified proportions (2:3), the disc’s diameter and exact placement, crescent thickness and curvature, star size and position, and colour references. Implementing decrees regulate proper vertical display, order of precedence, and authorised variants for the armed forces and presidency.
Symbolism
and protocol. Red evokes resistance and historic ties; white connotes peace; the crescent and five‑pointed star are long‑standing Islamic emblems. Protocol requires respectful handling, illumination at night, half‑masting during mourning, and dignified retirement. Misuse is penalised.
Continuity
and recognition. The design is stable and instantly recognisable among Maghrebi and Arab banners: a simple geometry, concentrated symbolism, and strong contrast. From ministries to embassies, the white disc and inner crescent‑star anchor Tunisia’s visual identity at home and abroad.
Thus Tunisia’s flag carries nineteenth‑century maritime origins into a republican present, a minimalist emblem kept precise by law and alive in public ritual.