Red is in the area of the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf a traditional flag's colour with close connections to the Islam, because it is the colour of the Sherifs of Mekka, and it is a symbol of the in the eastern Arabia living islamic Khawarij (Chahridshite).Red flags have and had the Arabian Emirates, Oman or also Zanzibar, just as all islamic dynasties, which descent from the Alawites (as well Alides, descentants of Ali => e.g. today's Morokko, former North Yemen). The most emirates and sheikdoms in and near the Persian Gulf signed in 1820 a first general sea-treaty with Great Britain, which should stop the piracy in the region of the Persian Gulf. As a sign of acceptance, the undersigned emirates and sheikhdoms surrounded their traditional red flags with a white border. In the 20th century, was often used only a white stripe on the mast, or the flags were individually modified. In the year 1932 the ratios of the flag were changed from 1:3 to 9:13 for a more manageable format. The separation between the white and red field was made by a slight zigzag line with 28 points. Today's flag of Bahrain was introduced in 1972. The red bunting was separated from the white bar by a saw tooth pattern, but allegedly, the old version is still sporadically in use. This flag was changed a little on the 22nd of February, 2002. The number of the white point in the flag was reduced from eight to five. The red in the flag is undefined. Some sources mention Pantone 186, others Pantone 485.
The coat of arms of Bahrain shows a shield with the image of the flag: above a white field, below a red field, separated by a zigzag cut. The shield is surrounded with blankets in the national colors of red and white. The coat of arms was revised most recently in 2002 when the shield has been equalized to the image of the flag.
The name "Bahrain" means in Arabic "two seas". Perhaps an allusion to the in the south situated Gulf of Bahrain, and the in the north situated Persian Gulf.
