The flag of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is the banner of the producer cartel founded in Baghdad in September 1960. OPEC coordinates oil production policy among its member states, which together hold the majority of the world's proven crude reserves.
The design
The Flag of OPEC is a national emblem rendered in the colours and proportions defined by the country’s flag law. Its official aspect ratio is 2:3, the height-to-length ratio that fixes how the flag should be cut and flown. The colour scheme uses blue, white, with each shade specified to particular Pantone or RGB values for official reproduction.
Colour palette
| Colour | Name | Common symbolism |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | blue | Frequently symbolises sky, sea, freedom, vigilance or perseverance. |
| White | white | Commonly represents peace, purity, honesty or snow-capped landscapes. |
| Source | Official flag law | The country’s own statute or constitutional appendix specifies exact shades and proportions. |
Symbolism & heraldry
A light blue field bearing the white acronym "OPEC" in a stylised modern typeface. The minimal design — letters only, no national or regional reference — was deliberate: OPEC was founded as a producer cartel that explicitly cuts across regional and continental groupings, and its flag avoids any visual hint of one geographic origin.
Heraldic elements on the Flag of OPEC — bands, charges, emblems or stars — each carry meaning agreed at the moment of the flag’s adoption. Re-readings happen across generations: a colour or a symbol that began with one meaning often picks up further layers as the country’s history unfolds.
Adoption & history
The current flag was adopted in 1970. It is credited to OPEC Secretariat. Earlier banners flown by reflected the politics of their day; each redesign typically marked a moment of independence, regime change or constitutional reform. The current flag was chosen, debated and codified through the country’s official channels and is now protected by flag law.
Etiquette & protocol
The Flag of OPEC should be flown with respect: never allowed to touch the ground, never used as drapery for ceremonies it was not made for, and lowered or removed at sundown unless illuminated. When flown alongside other national flags, it takes precedence on home soil and is hoisted first and lowered last. On days of national mourning, the flag is flown at half-mast in line with directives from the head of state. These conventions are common to most nations and are usually written into the flag’s founding statute.
Specifications
| Field | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Country | — | |
| Continent | International | — |
| ISO alpha-2 | 2-letter code | |
| ISO alpha-3 | 3-letter code | |
| Adopted | 1970 | year of current design |
| Proportion | 2:3 | height : length |
| Colours | blue, white | — |
| Designer | OPEC Secretariat | — |
| Emoji | Unicode codepoint sequence |
Did you know?
The light blue is sometimes called "OPEC blue" and is identifiable from the colour of the official tankers and barrels used in member-state coordination.
About the organisation
OPEC was founded in 1960. Its headquarters are in Vienna, Austria.
Member states
OPEC has 12 member states. Membership current as of 2024-01.
