Adopted in 1971. The flag of Qatar is maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side. Maroon represents the blood shed in Qatari wars, white stands for peace. The nine-pointed serrated edge signifies Qatar as the ninth member of the "reconciled emirates" in the wake of the Qatari-British treaty of 1916. The other eight emirates are the seven that compose the UAE, and Bahrain. (ref: CIA World Factbook)