Turkey

The national flag of Turkey consists of a red coloured flag inside which sits a white coloured five point star and a white coloured crescent. The Turkish flag is sometimes called the "al bayrak" (translating to "red flag") and is referenced in the Turkish national anthem through the phrase "al sancak" (translating to "the red banner"). The flag's ratio is 2:3.

The present day flag of Turkey has its origins in the late stages of the Ottoman Empire. The star and crescent seen on the Turkish flag began to be used on Ottoman Empire flags in the 18th century, eventually coming together to form what is now the present day flag of Turkey in 1844. When the Republic of Turkey was declared in 1923, the new state adopted the old flag of the Ottoman Empire as its own. The flag was officially recognised by the Turkish Flag Law, enacted on 29 May 1936.

The Turkish flag's crescent and star emblems hold various symbolism. The crescent and star are considered Pan-Islamic symbols and have come to be associated with Islam and thus appear on many flags representing Islamic nations. The crescent is also associated with Osman, the founder of the Ottoman Empire.

The flag of Turkey flying close to the Bosphorus Bridge