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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox flag
| Name = Republic of Lebanon
| Image = Flag of Lebanon.svg
| Use = 111111
| Symbol = {{FIAV|111111}} {{FIAV|normal}} {{FIAV|Mirror}} {{FIAV|Vertical inapplicable}}
| Proportion = 2:3
| Adoption = {{Start date and age|1943|12|07|df=y}} (introduction into the [[Constitution of Lebanon]])<br />{{Start date and age|1990|09|21|df=y}} (cedar standardized to entirely green)
| Design = A horizontal [[triband (flag)|triband]] of red, white ([[Spanish fess|double width]]) and red; charged with a green [[Cedrus libani|cedar tree]].
| Designer = [[Henri Pharaon]]
}}
The [[national flag]] of [[Lebanon]] ({{Langx|ar|العلم الوطني للجمهورية اللبنانية}}) is a [[Triband (flag)|horizontal triband]] of two red stripes enveloping a central white stripe which is twice the height of each red stripe. Centered on the white stripe is a green cedar of Lebanon tree (''[[Cedrus libani]]''), touching both red stripes.

Adopted on 7 December 1943, shortly before Lebanon gained independence from [[France]], the flag's design reflects the country's geography, history, and cultural heritage. The red stripes are commonly interpreted as symbolizing the blood shed by the Lebanese people during their struggles for independence, while the white stripe represents peace, purity, and the snow-capped mountains of Lebanon. The cedar tree, a national symbol for centuries, stands for immortality, resilience, and hope, embodying Lebanon's identity as the "Land of the Cedars".

The flag's origins trace back to the early 20th century, with the cedar tree becoming a prominent symbol during the [[Greater Lebanon|French mandate]] period. The current design was finalized during a tense political climate in 1943, when Lebanon unilaterally abolished the French mandate. The flag was formally introduced into the [[Lebanese Constitution]] on 7 December 1943, with its design standardized in 1990 to feature an entirely green cedar tree. In 1979, 21 November was declared as [[National Flag Day]] to honor the first flag-raising in 1943.

==Design==
[[File:Construction Sheet of Flag of Lebanon.gif|thumb|Construction sheet]]
According to the Article 5 of the [[Constitution of Lebanon]], adopted on 7 December 1943: "The Lebanese flag shall be composed of three horizontal stripes, a white stripe between two red ones. The width of the white stripe shall be equal to that of both red stripes. In the center of and occupying one third of the white stripe is a green Cedar tree with its top touching the upper red stripe and its base touching the lower red stripe."{{sfn|Constitution of Lebanon 1995, Section 1, Article 5}} 

The constitution does not provide any additional color and design specifications,{{sfn|Constitution of Lebanon 1995, Section 1, Article 5}}{{sfn|Smith|1980|p=130}} and before the amendment of the constitution on 21 September 1990, it also did not specify the color of the cedar tree,{{Sfn|American University of Beirut Political Studies and Public Administration Department|1960|pp=4–5}}{{sfn|Constitution of Lebanon 1990, Section 1, Article 5}}{{sfn|Constitution of Lebanon 1995, Section 1, Article 5}} leading to variations in practice.{{sfn|Smith|1980|p=130}} Traditionally, as long as the essential colors and symbols are present, artistic interpretations are acceptable.{{sfn|Smith|1980|p=130}} Before 1990 the cedar tree on the Lebanese flag was commonly depicted with a brown trunk;{{sfn|Healy|1995|p=4}} similar brown-trunk variants were registered by the [[World Intellectual Property Organization]] (WIPO) and on official postcards of [[United Nations]] with member state flags.{{Sfnm|1a1=World Intellectual Property Organization|1y=1967|2a1=HipPostcard|2y=2024|3a1=Alamy|3y=2020}} The 1990 amendment specified that the entire cedar tree must be green.{{efn|"Dr. Whitney Smith reports that Lebanon has issued new design specifications for its national flag that effectively change the flag. The new specs detail that the entire tree be shown in green, eliminating the brown trunk and making it green. Speculation at the 16th FlAV meeting in Warsaw centered around the possibility that the old design may have been too closely associated with one faction in the old civil war. The new design could be viewed as a more neutral design to appease all sides."{{sfn|Healy|1995|p=4}}}}{{sfn|Constitution of Lebanon 1990, Section 1, Article 5}}{{sfn|Healy|1995|p=4}}

==Symbolism==
[[File:Forest of The cedars of God.jpg|thumb|''[[Cedrus libani]]'' in the [[Cedars of God]] forest]]
The cedar of Lebanon holds a prominent place in history and religious texts.{{sfn|Balfour|1885}}{{sfn|Moore|2000|p=227}} It is mentioned 103 times in the [[Bible]],{{sfn|UNESCO World Heritage Centre|2005}} often symbolizing the glory of strength,{{sfnm|ESV|2001|loc=|ESV|2001|1loc=Psalm 29:5|2loc=Psalm 92:12}} majesty,{{sfn|ESV|2001|loc=Ezekiel 31:2–3}} and divine blessing.{{sfnm|ESV|2001|loc=|ESV|2001|1loc=Psalm 92:12|2loc=Isaiah 41:19}}{{sfnm|1a1=Bible hub|1y=2024|2a1=King|2y=1993|2p=122}} In [[Psalm 92|Psalms 92:12]], it is written, "[t]he righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon", and in [[Psalm 104|Psalms 104:16]], "[t]he trees of the Lord are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted". The cedar's wood, known for its durability and resistance to pests, was used to build sacred structures, including [[Solomon's Temple]] in [[Jerusalem]].{{sfn|ESV|2001|loc=1 Kings 6:9–20}}{{sfn|ESV|2001|loc=1 Kings 7:2–12}} Its significance extends beyond biblical narratives into ancient Mesopotamian literature, where it plays a pivotal role in the [[Epic of Gilgamesh]] as divine wood guarded in a sacred forest.{{sfn|George|2003|p=61, 266}} Ancient Egyptians particularly valued Lebanese cedar, using its resin in mummification processes and its wood in shipbuilding and ceremonial barges, as evidenced by cedar planks found near the [[Great Pyramid of Giza]].{{sfnm|1a1=Lucas|1a2=Harris|1y=1999|1pp=429–432|2a1=Meiggs|2y=1982|2pp=57,59|3a1=Farmer|3y=2023|3loc=Cedar|4a1=Erman|4y=1927|4pp=293, 154–160}}

The cedar has inspired writers, poets, and political leaders. The French author and statesman [[Alphonse de Lamartine]], marveling at the cedars during his trip to Lebanon in 1832, wrote, "[t]he cedars of Lebanon are the relics of centuries and nature, the most famous natural landmarks in the universe."{{sfn|Lamartine|1861|pp=274–275}} Similarly, the French writer and aviator [[Antoine de Saint-Exupéry]], who visited Lebanon in 1935, reflected on the cedar's symbolism in his work ''{{Ill|Citadelle (book)|lt=Citadelle|fr|Citadelle (livre)}}'': "[t]he peace is a long-growing tree. We need, as the cedar, to rock its unity."{{sfn|Saint-Exupéry|1948|p=77}}{{sfn|Kairouz|2014}} In 1920, during the proclamation of the [[State of Greater Lebanon]], the cedar was described as a symbol of resilience and unity: "[a]n evergreen cedar is like a young nation despite a cruel past. Although oppressed, never conquered, the cedar is its rallying. By the union, it will break all attacks."{{sfn|Kairouz|2014}}<!-- Hiding until source accessible -- This sentiment was echoed in the design of the Lebanese flag, which merged the French tricolor with the cedar to reflect Lebanon's ties to France under the mandate.<ref name="leagueofnations" /> -->

Writing in 1926, the Lebanese-born [[Jesuits|Jesuit]] Pierre Raphaël emphasized the cedar's role as a unifying national symbol during the French Mandate period, when the flag featured a cedar on a [[Flag of France|French tricolor]] background. He described the cedar as "a witness of the past, present and future," calling for all Lebanese to 'hold it high' as a symbol of national pride worthy of ultimate sacrifice. While interpreting the French inspired flag symbolism in a Lebanese context, he associated the blue with the Phoenician maritime legacy and 'the horizon of peace and heaven of liberty,' the white with Lebanon's snow-capped mountains and principles of justice and faith, and the red with both Phoenician purple and ancestral blood shed for traditions.{{sfn|Raphaël|2008|p=221–222}}{{Sfn|Kaufman|2004}} Some of these symbolic associations, would later carry over into interpretations of the current flag design, which was adopted in 1943.{{Sfn|Lebanese Ministry of Information|2020}}{{sfn|Nehme|Nehme|2013}}

Interpretations of the current flag's colors vary. Some accounts link the red and white to the [[Qays–Yaman rivalry#Mount Lebanon|historical conflict]] between the [[Qays]]i and [[Yaman (tribal group)|Yamani]] factions, with red representing the Qaysi and white the Yamani. The combination of these colors with the cedar is seen as a resolution of Lebanon's divisions and a symbol of national unity.{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=97}} Vexillologist [[Whitney Smith]], in ''Flags and Arms Across the World'', supports this interpretation.{{efn|"The red and white colors are those associated, respectively, with the Kayssites and Yemenites, opposing clans that divided Lebanese society between 634 and 1711."{{sfn|Smith|1980|p=130}}}}{{sfn|Smith|1980|p=130}} Broader symbolism associates white with the snow cap of the Lebanon mountains, purity, peace, and spiritual authority, red with sacrifice, and strength, and green with hope and renewal. The green cedar stands for immortality, steadfastness, and hope, serving as a unifying national symbol. For Christians, green represents hope, while in Islamic tradition, it signifies salvation.{{Sfn|Lebanese Ministry of Information|2020}}{{sfn|Klimeš|2013|p=25}}

==Protocol==
The protocol governing the use and display of the flag of Lebanon is outlined in Decree No. 4081, originally issued on 2 August 1944 and amended twice: first on 12 June 1959 during the presidency of [[Fouad Chehab]], and again on 14 October 2000 under President [[Émile Lahoud]].{{sfn|Khalife|2019|pp=24–26}} The 2000 amendment was prompted by the absence of unified standards for state ceremonies and protocols.{{sfn|Khalife|2019|pp=24–26}} This decree, rooted in the Lebanese Constitution and informed by earlier decrees related to state protocol and the organization of the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants (Lebanon)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]], establishes specific guidelines for the flag's display in official, diplomatic, and ceremonial contexts.{{sfn|Presidency of the Republic of Lebanon|2000}} In 2019, a proposal was introduced to further amend the protocols, with the intention of implementing the updates in 2020. The proposed changes aimed to modernize Lebanon's ceremonial practices, enhancing precision, addressing contemporary needs, and ensuring alignment with evolving national and international standards while maintaining the foundational principles of Lebanese traditions.{{sfn|Khalife|2019|pp=24–26}} However, as of 2025, these updates have not yet been formally put into effect.{{Sfn|Presidency of the Republic of Lebanon|2025}}

===Display===
[[File:Secretary Tillerson Participates in a Joint Press Availability With Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Al Hariri (40283248261).jpg|alt=Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson standing at podiums during a joint press conference at the Grand Serail in Beirut on February 15, 2018.|thumb|Lebanese Prime Minister [[Saad Hariri]] and [[United States Secretary of State|U.S. Secretary of State]] [[Rex Tillerson]] hold a joint press conference at the [[Grand Serail of Beirut|Grand Serail]] in Beirut, on February 15, 2018]]
The Lebanese flag is prominently displayed in the offices of the [[President of Lebanon|President]], the [[Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon|Speaker of Parliament]], the [[Prime Minister of Lebanon|Prime Minister]], and [[List of diplomatic missions of Lebanon|Lebanese ambassadors abroad]], with a large flagpole placed to the right of the desk in these offices. A portrait of the President featuring the flag is also displayed in the offices of high-ranking officials, meeting halls of ministries, embassies, consulates, public institutions, and security agencies. The flag is raised daily from sunrise to sunset on all official government buildings, border stations, airports, and seaports, and remains raised day and night at the Presidential Palace while the President is in Lebanon. It is displayed on the right side of the President's vehicle and the front right side of the vehicles of the Speaker of Parliament and the Prime Minister. The display of faded or torn flags is prohibited, and the flag is flown at half-mast during periods of mourning, as directed by the Prime Minister's Office.{{sfn|Presidency of the Republic of Lebanon|2000}}

When displayed alongside foreign flags, the Lebanese flag takes precedence. It is positioned in the center when raised with multiple foreign flags within Lebanon. During official visits by foreign heads of state, their national flag is displayed at the reception venue and their residence, with the Lebanese flag to its left. On vehicles, the foreign flag is displayed on the right side, while the Lebanese flag is displayed on the left. No foreign flag may be displayed above the Lebanese flag.{{sfn|Presidency of the Republic of Lebanon|2000}}

===Ceremonial use===
The flag plays a central role in state ceremonies and official visits. During the [[Letter of credence|presentation of credentials]] by a new [[ambassador]], the flag of the ambassador's country is raised to the right of the Lebanese flag in the courtyard of the Presidential Palace. The ambassador is escorted in a [[motorcade]] with their national flag on the right side of the vehicle and the Lebanese flag on the left. Upon arrival, the ambassador is greeted with military honors, and the national anthems of both countries are played. The flag is also draped over the coffins of deceased high-ranking officials, including former presidents, during state funerals. The funeral processions, accompanied by military honors, feature the flag prominently as a symbol of national mourning and respect.{{sfn|Presidency of the Republic of Lebanon|2000}}

During state visits, the Lebanese flag and the flag of the visiting dignitary's country are displayed prominently at the arrival venue and along the motorcade route. The visiting dignitary is greeted with a [[21-gun salute]] and a military [[guard of honour]]. The national anthems of both countries are played, and the dignitary inspects the guard of honor, pausing to bow before the Lebanese flag as a sign of respect. The flag is also used to adorn the venue for official receptions and state dinners hosted in honor of the visiting dignitary.{{sfn|Presidency of the Republic of Lebanon|2000}}

==History==
The cedar tree has long been a symbol of Lebanon, with its roots tracing back to the 18th century when it became emblematic of the [[Maronites]], an [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Eastern Catholic]] community originating from the [[Levant]].{{efn|"In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries Maronite Christians in Lebanon used a white flag bearing a cedar."{{sfn|Smith|1980|p=130}}}}{{sfn|Smith|1980|p=130}} The first recorded use of the Maronite flag – a white field charged with a green cedar tree – was in October 1848, reflecting the cedar's growing significance as a national symbol.{{sfn|Burton|Nehme|Kelly|1996|pp=78–96}} 

=== Early national consciousness (1907–1913) ===
[[File:Lebanon League of Progress Executive Committee in São Paulo (1914).png|thumb|Executive Committee of the Lebanon League of Progress in [[São Paulo]]. {{Ill|Shukri El Khoury|ar|شكري الخوري}} is in the window while Shukri Bakhash is in the front row, second from right (1914).]]
The development of a Lebanese flag emerged from growing national consciousness in the early 20th century.{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=92}} At this point in history, Mount Lebanon was a semi-autonomous district ([[Mutasarrif]]ate) under the Ottoman Empire.{{Sfn|Fawaz|1994|p=232}} Despite the empire's overarching rule, local councils such as the [[Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate#List of Administrative Council members|Administrative Council of Mount Lebanon]] were pushing for more autonomy and recognition of the unique sociopolitical and religious identity of Mount Lebanon's primarily Christian population – particularly the Maronites.{{Sfn|Traboulsi|2012|pp=41, 47, 49, 93–94, 96}} In Mount Lebanon, members of the Administrative Council began pursuing a "Lebanese policy" to achieve greater sovereignty of the [[Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate]] within the Ottoman Empire.{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=92}}{{Sfn|Traboulsi|2012|pp=|p=41}}

In 1907, {{Ill|Shukri El Khoury|ar|شكري الخوري}}, a [[Lebanese Brazilians|Lebanese Brazilian]] journalist, proposed in "Les Trésors cachés du Liban" that Lebanon could add a cedar branch to the Ottoman flag as recognition of Lebanese privileges.{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=92}} The [[Committee for the Defense of Lebanese Interests]] emphasized Lebanon's "distinct personality" from Syria, citing centuries of historical privileges that neither Arab invasion nor Turkish domination could eliminate.{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=92}} In 1913, El Khoury, publishing from Brazil in his journal ''[[Le Sphynge]]'', proposed a white flag with a central cedar, which was adopted by Lebanese emigrants in America and consequently presented to [[Allies of World War I|Allied Powers]] representatives.{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=92}}

=== Post-Ottoman period and French Mandate (1918–1943) ===
[[File:Émile Eddé & Emir Khaled Chehab.jpg|thumb|Lebanese president [[Émile Eddé]] and prime minister [[Khaled Chehab]] during an official celebration at the [[Martyrs' Square, Beirut]] (1938)]]
When [[World War I]] ended in 1918, the Ottoman Empire collapsed, creating a power vacuum in the Levant.{{Sfn|Sorenson|2018|p=18}} Allied Powers, notably France and Britain, established mandates over former Ottoman territories in accordance to the [[Sykes–Picot Agreement]].{{Sfn|Traboulsi|2012|p=75}} Lebanon fell under the French Mandate, fueling debates among Lebanese communities: some advocated complete independence, others favored strong ties to France based on historical and religious connections,{{Sfn|Traboulsi|2012|p=75}} while some advocated for a union with Syria – a position considered extreme by some.{{Sfn|Ufheil-Somers|1985}}

Moreover, the political spectrum in Lebanon during this period was broad, with significant portions of the population holding differing views. Most [[Islam in Lebanon|Lebanese Muslims]], along with members of the [[Lebanese Druze|Druze]] and [[Lebanese Greek Orthodox Christians|Greek Orthodox]] communities, generally retained a commitment to Arab unity in some form. Many acknowledged Lebanon's unique role in the [[Arab world]], shaped by its confessional diversity, commercial importance, and relatively small size.{{Sfn|Ufheil-Somers|1985}}

In the aftermath of the Allied victory in 1918, Shukri El Khoury modified his 1913 proposal, incorporating elements of the French tricolor by adding red and blue triangles on the left side of the white flag with a central cedar. In an editorial, he described the cedar as making the flag's beauty "more radiant," with the new colors borrowed from the French tricolor representing Lebanon's attachment to France as its "liberator and zealous guardian of independence".{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=92–93}} On the other hand, [[Rachid Nakhle]], a poet and journalist, recorded that the plain white flag with a green cedar flew at the [[Seraglio of Baabda]], then capital of the autonomous Ottoman Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate, from 2 November 1918 until May 1919.{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=93}}

Lebanese communities abroad, influenced by the shifting global political landscape and diplomatic pressures, adopted the French flag's colors. By July 1919, French Consul Jean Brillouin in [[Santiago de Cuba]] reported to the [[Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (France)|French Foreign Minister]] [[Stephen Pichon]] that Lebanese communities there were advocating for a French protectorate over Lebanon, separate from Syria, and proposed a national flag consisting of the French flag with a central cedar.{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=93}} The same design was adopted by the Lebanese community in Sydney as of November 1918.{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=93}}

In May 1919, [[Naoum Mokarzel]], the New York-based owner of [[al-Hoda]] newspaper and president of the [[Lebanese League of Progress]], wrote to Patriarch [[Elias Peter Hoayek]], head of the second Lebanese delegation to the [[Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920)|Paris Peace Conference]], assuring him that "the goal of the majority of Lebanese outside Lebanon is the independence of Lebanon within its ancient natural and historical borders with a national flag." Moukarzel later specified that "the Lebanese flag will be of the same colors as the French flag with emblematic cedar on the white...".{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=93}} Later that year, in October 1919, the Lebanese delegation, led by Maronite Patriarch Hoayek, presented their aspirations for independence in a memorandum to the Paris Peace Conference.{{sfn|Salibi|1990|p=26}} During the conference, Mokarzel proposed the tricolor flag to French President [[Raymond Poincaré]], who enthusiastically embraced the idea. The design later became the official flag of Lebanon under the [[League of Nations]].{{sfn|Burton|Nehme|Kelly|1996|pp=78–96}}

The choice of the French tricolor with a cedar faced opposition in Lebanon. In May 1919, Lebanese Christians, feeling threatened by a [[Hashemites|Hashemite]] takeover, intensified advocacy for independence.{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=93}}{{Sfn|Loheac|2001}} [[Faisal I of Iraq|Emir Faisal]] (later Faisal I of Iraq) was a member of the Hashemite family – leaders of the [[Arab Revolt]] against the Ottomans during World War I.{{sfn|Fromkin|2009|pp=218–219}} He was supported by the British and sought to establish an [[Arab Kingdom of Syria|Arab kingdom]] encompassing Syria (including modern-day Lebanon).{{Sfn|Hourani|2002|p=318}} The Administrative Council of Mount Lebanon, municipalities, and Maronite clergy protested the plan, and led a movement, displaying the white flag with a cedar to symbolize their desire for a distinct Lebanese identity, and the creation of an independent [[Greater Lebanon]].{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=94}}{{Sfn|Loheac|2001}} This shift reflected growing anxiety over France's perceived hesitation to support Lebanon's nationalists.{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=94}}

On 4 June, crowds protested in front the [[Seraglio of Baabda]] against the rapprochement between Faisal and the French. Christian crowds chanted anti-French slogans and flew a flag with a cedar on a white background. A French official intervened to remove the flag to avoid incidents, and the Lebanese press was consequently censored. French priorities did not appear to correspond to those of the Lebanese nationalists, and [[François Georges-Picot]], a French diplomat who negotiated the [[Sykes–Picot Agreement|Sykes-Picot Agreement]] to [[Partition of the Ottoman Empire|partition the Ottoman Empire]], declared: "If the Lebanese want complete independence, let them stop demanding Greater Lebanon and be content with Little Lebanon."{{Sfn|Mouawad|2020|pp=57–58}} The white cedar flag was especially flown in the [[Batroun District|Batroun]] and [[Keserwan District|Keserwan]] districts, regions with strong Maronite communities that had previously supported French annexation or protectorate but now sought greater independence.{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=93}}

On 8 March 1920,{{Sfn|University of Central Arkansas|2023}} the [[Syrian National Congress]] in Damascus declared Syria's independence within its natural borders, while also recognizing Lebanese national aspirations for independence within its existing borders, on the condition that Lebanon remains free from foreign influence.{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=94}} The Congress also crowned Faisal [[List of Syrian monarchs|King of Syria]], a short-lived monarchy that further alarmed Lebanese Christian communities.{{Sfn|Khoury|1987|p=220}} This proclamation had a profound impact in Lebanon, leading many Lebanese to believe that France was aligning with Emir Faisal and potentially abandoning its support for Lebanese independence, which heightened tensions and mistrust between the Lebanese population and French authorities.{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=94}} 

In this uncertain situation, and to address the growing mistrust between the Lebanese population and France, the Administrative Council, in coordination with the French authorities, decided to take action. On 22 March 1920, a demonstration to counter the Syrian Congress of Damascus was organized in the seraglio of Baabda, where demonstrators raised the cedar-bearing tricolor flag featuring a cedar tree demanding "the affirmation of the union of Lebanon with France, consecrated by the choice, as a national emblem, of the tricolor flag with the Cedar in a white band."{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=94}}{{Sfn|The Near East|1920|p=533}}

This flag was officially adopted on 23 May 1926, as described in Article 5 of the Lebanese Constitution: "The Lebanese flag is blue, white, and red in vertical bands of equal width, with a cedar on the white part."<ref name="leagueofnations">{{Cite journal |date=September 1930 |title=Official Journal |journal=[[League of Nations]] |location=Geneva |volume=11 |issue=9 |pages=1101 |quote=Constitution of the Lebanese Republic promulgated on 23 May 1926 amended by the Constitutional Laws of 17 October 1927, and 8 May 1929.}}</ref> Although the constitution did not specify the cedar's color, most contemporary depictions showed it as green with a brown trunk.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Flaggenbuch |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4MlBtwAACAAJ|publisher=[[Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine]] |year=1939 |isbn=9783944289663 |location=Berlin |pages=109 |chapter=Marine Dienstvorschrift Nr. 377}}</ref>
{{clear}}
<gallery mode="nolines" perrow="5" widths="130" style="background:lightgray; padding:15px; text-align:left">
File:Flag of Lebanon (1918-1920).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag used by Lebanese Maronites in the 19th century, and first raised as a Lebanese flag in 1918 (1918–1920)
File:Flag of Lebanon (1918-1920; variant).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} ({{FIAV|variant}}) Flag used by Lebanese Maronites in the 19th century, and first raised as a Lebanese flag in 1918 (1918–1920; variant)
File:Flag of Lebanon (Shukri El Khoury's proposal).svg|{{FIAV|proposal}} {{Ill|Shukri El Khoury|ar|شكري الخوري}}'s proposed flag featuring red and blue triangles added to honor the French mandate (1918)
File:Flag of Lebanon (1920-1943).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of the [[Greater Lebanon|State of Greater Lebanon]] during the French mandate (1920–1943)
File:Flag_of_Lebanon_during_French_Mandate_(1920-1943).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} ({{FIAV|variant}}) Flag of the [[Greater Lebanon|State of Greater Lebanon]] during the French mandate (1920–1943; variant)
</gallery>

===Republic of Lebanon (1943–present)===
[[File:Sabrihamadeh2.jpg|thumb|alt=Emir Majid Arslan kneeling and kissing a flag, with Sabri Hamadeh and other officials standing nearby.|Emir [[Majid Arslan]], left, kissing the new flag of Lebanon, and [[Sabri Hamadeh]] on the right (1943)]]
During [[World War II]], [[Vichy France|Vichy French]] authorities allowed [[Nazi Germany|Germany]] to move aircraft and supplies through Syria and Lebanon.{{sfn|Sutton|2022|loc=Origins of the campaign}} In response, British troops moved into the region,{{sfn|Sutton|2022|loc=Origins of the campaign}} and by late 1941, the [[Free France|Free French government]] supported Lebanese independence.{{sfn|Office of the Historian, Foreign Service Institute|1943}} Elections were held in 1943, and in November of that year, the newly formed Lebanese government unilaterally abolished the French mandate. In reaction, French authorities briefly imprisoned key government leaders, including President [[Bechara El Khoury]], Prime Minister [[Riad Al Solh]], and several ministers. Under international pressure, France eventually agreed to Lebanon's independence weeks later.{{sfn|Klimeš|2013|p=25}}

The Lebanese flag emerged during this period of political tension. Accounts of the flag's creation vary, with different figures claiming credit for its design. On 11 November 1943, seven members of parliament managed to meet in the French-occupied Parliament and hastily devised a colored version of the flag, preserving the cedar as a national symbol.{{sfn|Takieddine|1953}}<ref>{{cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Ian |date=December 7, 2024 |title=Lebanon |website=Flags of the World |url=https://www.fotw.info/flags/lb.html |access-date=July 4, 2025}}</ref> The flag was formally introduced into the Lebanese Constitution on 7 December 1943, with its composition specified as three horizontal stripes (red, white, and red) and a cedar tree occupying one-third of the white stripe.{{sfn|Constitution of Lebanon 1995, Section 1, Article 5}}

[[Henri Pharaon]], a member of parliament, claimed that he proposed the flag's design.{{sfn|The Associated Press|1993}} According to Pharaon, the Muslim elected officials initially proposed four colors – green, white, red, and black – based on the [[pan-Arab colors]], while the Christian representatives demanded a single color with the cedar in the center.{{sfn|Nehme|Nehme|2013}} Drawing on his Austrian connections as a former consul for the [[Austro-Hungarian Empire]] and founder of the Austro-Lebanese Friendship Association, Pharaon suggested using the [[Austrian flag]] as a model, with its red and white horizontal stripes, and placing a green cedar tree in the center.{{sfn|Der Standard staff|2005}} This proposal was reportedly assisted by [[Saadi Al Munla]] and Mohamad Al Fadl. The original drawing of the flag, signed by the seven parliament members, was executed by Al Munla.{{sfn|Takieddine|1953}} The seven MPs – {{Ill|Maroun Kanaan|fr}}, Mohamad Al Fadl, Rachid Baydoun, [[Sabri Hamadeh]], Henri Pharaon, Saadi Al Munla, and [[Saeb Salam]] – entered Parliament despite the French blockade, finalized the design with colored pencils, and adopted it as the national flag. Ten days later, Lebanon achieved independence.{{sfn|Nehme|Nehme|2013}}

[[Pierre Gemayel]], leader of the [[Kataeb Party]], offered a different account. He asserted that his party conceived the flag's design, which was later adopted by the government. According to Gemayel, on the morning of 11 November 1943, he presented a drawing of the new flag to members of parliament and urged them to formally adopt it.{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=97}} Gemayel reportedly consulted [[Maurice Chehab]], director of antiquities of Lebanon, who advised that the flag's design should reflect Lebanon's traditions. Chehab suggested combining the colors red and white, representing the historical conflict between the Qaysi and Yamani factions,{{sfn|Smith|1980|p=130|}} with the cedar tree as a unifying national symbol. Gemayel also enlisted Sami Dahdah to draw the new flag, which was then sewn by the wife of Felix Hobeyka.{{sfn|Charaf|2004|p=98}}
[[File:A Mother Sewing the Flag in Front of Her Daughter.jpg|thumb|''A Mother Sewing the Flag in Front of Her Daughter'' by [[Moustafa Farroukh]] ({{circa}} 1950–1951)]]
The Lebanese flag was first raised in [[Bechamoun]] on 21 November 1943 at 11:20 pm.{{sfn|Nehme|Nehme|1995}} In 1979, the [[Ministry of Education and Higher Education (Lebanon)|Minister of National Education]], [[Boutros Harb]], declared 21 November as [[National Flag Day]].{{sfn|Nehme|Nehme|1995}}

From 1943 to 1990, the cedar tree on the flag was depicted naturalistically with a brown trunk, as seen in versions registered with the WIPO and on official postcards of the United Nations.{{sfn|Klimeš|2013|p=25}} On 21 September 1990, the Lebanese government standardized the cedar's color to entirely green, replacing the earlier depiction.{{sfn|Constitution of Lebanon 1990, Section 1, Article 5}}{{sfn|Healy|1995|p=4}} Discussions at the 16th [[International Federation of Vexillological Associations|FIAV]] meeting in [[Warsaw]] suggested that the previous design had become too strongly linked to the [[Lebanese Forces]], a faction from the [[Lebanese Civil War]]. The updated, all-green cedar may have been intended as a more inclusive and neutral symbol.{{sfn|Healy|1995|p=4}}
<gallery mode="nolines" perrow="6" widths="130" style="background:lightgray; padding:15px; text-align:left">
File:Lebanese flag (cropped).JPG|Flag as drawn and approved by the members of the parliament during the declaration of independence (1943)
File:Flag of Lebanon (1943-1990).svg|{{FIAV|historical}} Flag of Lebanon (1943–1990)
File:Flag of Lebanon, 1943–1990 (WIPO).jpg|{{FIAV|historical}} {{FIAV|variant}} Design stored at [[WIPO]] (1943–1990)
File:Flag of Lebanon.svg|Flag of Lebanon (1990–present)
File:Flag of Lebanon, 1995 (variant).jpg|{{FIAV|variant}} Common variant of the flag of Lebanon (1990–present)
File:Flag of Lebanon vertical (1).png|{{FIAV|Vertical exclusive}} Vertical flag of Lebanon
</gallery>

==Gallery==
<gallery class="8" heights="180" widths="180">
File:Byblos Castle, 2016 14.jpg|Lebanese flag flying over [[Byblos Castle]], overlooking the city
File:Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces Gen. Joseph K. Aoun Participates in an Armed Forces Full Honors Wreath-Laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (28155189127).jpg|Flag of Lebanon flown during General [[Joseph Aoun]]'s 2018 [[Wreath Laying Ceremony|wreath-laying]] at the [[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Arlington National Cemetery)|Tomb of the Unknown Soldier]]
File:DLIFLC Language Day 2012 (7206139888).jpg|Lebanese flags flying in the background, while dancers in Lebanese traditional attire perform in the foreground
File:Lebanese embassy Lazarska 6211v.jpg|The flag of Lebanon flying over the Embassy of Lebanon in [[Prague]]
File:Beirut protests 2019 - 1.jpg|Protestors flying Lebanese flags during the [[17 October Revolution]] in [[Beirut]]
File:World Youth Day 2008 - Sydney, Australia.jpg|Lebanese celebrating [[World Youth Day 2008]] in [[Sydney]] while holding the national flags
File:Iran v Lebanon, 29 March 2022 (Fars) 26.jpg|Football supporters holding flags of Lebanon during the [[2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers]] in Iran
File:MonaKhalil-MansouriBeach RomanDeckert13082019-009.jpg|An elderly couple, each holding a flag of Lebanon while walking on the beach
</gallery>

==See also==
{{portal|Lebanon}}
* [[List of Lebanese flags]]
* [[Coat of arms of Lebanon]]
* [[Republican Guard (Lebanon)#Insignia|Insignia of the Republican Guard Brigade]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
{{refbegin}}
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* {{Cite web |last=Office of the Historian, Foreign Service Institute |date=1943 |title=The British Embassy to the Department of State |url=https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1943v04/d1045 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250211212726/https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1943v04/d1045 |archive-date=11 February 2025 |access-date=7 March 2025 |website=Office of the Historian |series=Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1943, The Near East and Africa, Volume IV |publisher=United States Department of State |quote=To this the French reply is likely to be that we have ourselves pressed and encouraged them to promise independence to the Levant States and that it would hardly be logical now to object to their taking steps to implement that promise. Indeed the conclusion of treaties for this purpose was specifically mentioned in General Catroux’s proclamation on entry into Syria and the Lebanon in 1941, and in the declaration made by His Majesty’s Ambassador at Cairo on behalf of His Majesty’s Government. }}
* {{Cite web |last=Presidency of the Republic of Lebanon |date=1990 |title=Constitution of Lebanon |url=https://wipolex-resources-eu-central-1-358922420655.s3.amazonaws.com/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/lb/lb018en.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250128095542/https://wipolex-resources-eu-central-1-358922420655.s3.amazonaws.com/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/lb/lb018en.pdf |archive-date=28 January 2025 |access-date=8 March 2025 |website=Presidency of the Republic of Lebanon |language=en |ref={{harvid|Constitution of Lebanon 1990, Section 1, Article 5}} }}
* {{Cite web |last=Presidency of the Republic of Lebanon |date=1995 |title=Constitution of Lebanon |url=https://www.presidency.gov.lb/English/LebaneseSystem/Documents/Lebanese%20Constitution.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250307065447/http://www.presidency.gov.lb/English/LebaneseSystem/Documents/Lebanese%20Constitution.pdf |archive-date=7 March 2025 |access-date=8 March 2025 |website=Presidency of the Republic of Lebanon |language=en |ref={{harvid|Constitution of Lebanon 1995, Section 1, Article 5}} }}
* {{Cite web |last=Presidency of the Republic of Lebanon |date=14 October 2000 |title=التشريفات والمراسم – مرسوم رقم 4081 |trans-title=Protocol and Ceremonies – Decree No. 4081 |url=https://www.presidency.gov.lb/Arabic/PresidentoftheRepublic/Documents/Protocols.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250307160755/https://www.presidency.gov.lb/Arabic/PresidentoftheRepublic/Documents/Protocols.pdf |archive-date=7 March 2025 |access-date=5 March 2025 |website=Presidency of the Republic of Lebanon |language=ar }}
* {{Cite web |last=Presidency of the Republic of Lebanon |date=2025 |title=التشريفات والمراسم |trans-title=Protocol and Ceremonies |url=https://www.presidency.gov.lb/Arabic/PresidentoftheRepublic/Pages/Protocol.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250309112217/https://www.presidency.gov.lb/Arabic/PresidentoftheRepublic/Pages/Protocol.aspx |archive-date=9 March 2025 |access-date=9 March 2025 |website=Presidency of the Republic of Lebanon |language=ar }}
* {{Cite book |title=Le cèdre du Liban dans l'histoire |last=Raphaël |first=Pierre |publisher=Geuthner |year=2008 |isbn=9782705338091 |language=fr |trans-title=The Cedar of Lebanon in History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CkCWPQAACAAJ |editor-last=Kolvenbach |editor-first=Peter-Hans |oclc=286349772 |orig-date=1924 |editor-last2=Richard |editor-first2=Jean }}
* {{Cite book |last=Saint-Exupéry |first=Antoine de |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1LNEAAAAYAAJ |title=Citadelle |date=1948 |publisher=Gallimard |location=Paris |language=fr |oclc=781606958 }}
* {{Cite book |last=Takieddine |first=Mounir |author-link=:ar:منير تقي الدين |url=https://archive.org/details/skrdieh_lau_20160925_1041 |title= |publisher={{ill|Dar El Ilm Lilmalayin|ar|دار العلم للملايين}} |year=1953 |location=Beirut |language=ar |script-title=ar:ولادة إستقلال |trans-title=Birth of Independence |oclc=15432235 }}
* {{cite book |last=Salibi |first=Kamal |author-link=Kamal Salibi |title=A House of Many Mansions: The History of Lebanon Reconsidered |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4vOJ15vTZV4C&pg=PA26 |date=1990 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=9780520071964 |location=Berkeley |oclc=18322172 }}
* {{Cite book |last=Service hydrographique et océanographique de la marine (SHOM) |title=Album des pavillons nationaux et marques distinctives |date=2023 |publisher=Service hydrographique et océanographique de la marine |location=Paris |language=fr |trans-title=National Flags and Distinctive Markings}}
* {{Cite book |last=Smith |first=Whitney |author-link=Whitney Smith |url=https://archive.org/details/flagsarmsacrossw0000smit/page/130/mode/1up |title=Flags and Arms Across the World |publisher=[[McGraw-Hill]] |year=1980 |isbn=9780070590946 |edition=1st |location=New York |pages=130 |oclc=4957064 }}
* {{Cite book |last=Sorenson |first=David S. |author-link= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jOlgDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22rival+European+powers+and+Arab+nationalists+would+try+to+fill+%22%22&pg=PA18 |title=An Introduction to the Modern Middle East: History, Religion, Political Economy, Politics |date=2018 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9780429495410 |language=en |oclc=8162297705 }}
* {{Cite book |last=Sutton |first=David |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nrYsEAAAQBAJ |title=Syria and Lebanon 1941: The Allied Fight against the Vichy French |date=2022 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=9781472843852 |location=London |language=en |oclc=1314616414 }}
* {{Cite book |last=Traboulsi |first=Fawwaz |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vfV0tgAACAAJ |title=A History of Modern Lebanon |date=2012 |publisher=Pluto Press |isbn=9780745332741 |edition=2nd |location=London |language=en |oclc=1334656221 |orig-date=2007 }}
* {{Cite web |last=Ufheil-Somers |first=Amanda |date=31 July 1985 |title=Syria and Lebanon, 1943-1975 |url=https://merip.org/1985/07/syria-and-lebanon-1943-1975/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241113193957/https://merip.org/1985/07/syria-and-lebanon-1943-1975/ |archive-date=13 November 2024 |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=[[Middle East Research and Information Project]] |language=en-US }}
* {{Cite web |last=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |date=2005 |title=Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab) |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/850 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250218102655/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/850/ |archive-date=18 February 2025 |access-date=2 March 2025 |website=[[UNESCO]] |quote= }}
* {{Cite web |last=University of Central Arkansas |date=2023 |title=11. French Syria (1919–1946) |url=https://uca.edu/politicalscience/home/research-projects/dadm-project/middle-eastnorth-africapersian-gulf-region/french-syria-1919-1946/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250204220800/https://uca.edu/politicalscience/home/research-projects/dadm-project/middle-eastnorth-africapersian-gulf-region/french-syria-1919-1946/ |archive-date=4 February 2025 |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=uca.edu |language=en-US }}
* {{Cite web |last=World Intellectual Property Organization |date=1967 |title=Article 6ter |url=https://6ter.wipo.int/result-detail?offset=0&limit=1&keywords=%7B%22offset%22:0,%22limit%22:25,%22searchText%22:%22*%22,%22sortBy%22:%22KEY%22,%22searchFields%22:%5B%7B%22key%22:%22CC%22,%22val%22:%22LB%22,%22operator%22:%22AND%22%7D,%7B%22key%22:%22STATUS%22,%22val%22:%22active%22%7D%5D%7D&queryType=STRUCT&sortBy=KEY |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250308213501/https://6ter.wipo.int/result-detail?offset=0&limit=1&keywords=%7B |archive-date=8 March 2025 |access-date=8 March 2025 |website=6ter.wipo.int |publisher=World Intellectual Property Organization }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
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{{Lebanon topics}}

{{Asia topic|Flag of|title=[[Flags of Asia]]}}
{{Arab flags}}

[[Category:National symbols of Lebanon|Flag]]
[[Category:National flags|Lebanon]]
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1943|Lebanon]]
[[Category:Flags with green, red and white|Lebanon]]
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[[Category:Flags of Asia|Lebanon]]