Turkey’s flag is a red field with a white crescent and five‑pointed star, codified by the Turkish Flag Law of 29 May 1936 based on late Ottoman precedents. The law fixes a 2:3 ratio, exact crescent radii/chords and star size/placement, and colour standards. Red denotes the republic’s resolve; the crescent and star express continuity with Ottoman and earlier Anatolian‑Islamic symbolism. Protocol governs precedence, half‑masting, illumination, maritime use, and dignified retirement.
Turkey’s national flag, the Ay‑Yıldız (moon‑star), is a highly specified evolution of late Ottoman banners that became the emblem of the republic. A red field carries a white waxing crescent and a five‑pointed star; their geometry is determined by law and construction sheets used by manufacturers and public bodies.
Ottoman Antecedents and Republican Codification Ottoman flags from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries increasingly used red fields with crescents and, later, stars, with proportions varying by service and era. After the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, a need for a unitary civil and state flag led to legal codification. The Turkish Flag Law (No. 2994 of 29 May 1936, as amended) and implementing regulations fixed the 2:3 ratio, the precise radii and chord positions of the crescent, and the diameter and placement of the five‑pointed star relative to the hoist and baseline.
Design
and Colour The law’s annexed diagrams define a geometric grid from which the crescent’s outer and inner arcs are constructed and the star’s centre and diameter are set. Colour standards (popularly “al bayrak red”) are referenced for textiles, paint, and digital use. Manufacturers licensed for public procurement must follow these drawings to prevent drift in the crescent’s slim horns or the star’s offset.
Symbolism Red is read as resolve, sacrifice, and the republican struggle; the crescent and star, while widely recognised as Islamic, in this context also express historical continuity with Ottoman heraldry and broader Anatolian symbolism. Official communications avoid theological claims, emphasising state continuity and national identity.
Protocol
and Usage Detailed rules govern respectful handling, precedence with foreign flags, sunrise‑to‑sunset display unless illuminated, half‑masting procedures for mourning, and dignified retirement of worn flags. Maritime regulations define use as a civil ensign and courtesy flag in foreign ports. Desecration and unauthorised commercial use attract penalties under penal provisions.
Continuity
and Public Life The Ay‑Yıldız is ubiquitous on Republic Day, during commemorations of 29 October and 23 April, and at state institutions, schools, and missions abroad. Its precisely defined geometry has facilitated consistent reproduction across massive building drapes, stadium choreographies, and pixel‑perfect digital assets.