Coat of arms of Iraq Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Coat of arms of Iraq

Armiger	Republic of Iraq
Adopted	1965; 60 years ago (1965) (original version) 2008; 17 years ago (2008) (current version)
Blazon	Tierced per fess Gules, Argent and Sable, on the fess point the words 'Allahu Akbar' in Arabic Kufic script Vert.
Supporters	The Eagle of Saladin, wings inverted Or.
Motto	The words 'Jumhuriyat Al-`Iraq' in Arabic script (Arabic: 'Republic of Iraq'

The National Emblem of Iraq is a special symbol that represents the country. It features a golden eagle, known as the Eagle of Saladin. This eagle is a symbol of Arab unity and strength. It holds a shield that looks like the Iraqi flag. Below the eagle, a scroll says "Republic of Iraq" in Arabic. This emblem has changed a few times over the years, in 1991, 2004, and 2008.

Understanding Iraq's National Emblem
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Understanding Iraq's National Emblem

The First Emblem: Kingdom of Iraq (1921–1958)

The emblem of the Kingdom of Iraq (1921–1958)

When Iraq became a kingdom in 1921, it adopted its first national emblem. This emblem showed Iraq's long history, from ancient times to more recent periods. It was full of symbols representing the royal family and the country's heritage.

At the top, a golden crown with five arches represented the monarchy. It had designs that looked like rubies and emeralds. A spear tip on the crown symbolized the royal banner. The crown rested on a royal cloak, called a mantle, which stood for sacrifice and purity. This cloak was decorated with golden threads.

Two stars floated above the central shield. These stars represented ancient gods, Ishtar and Shamash. On either side of the shield were two powerful animals. A Lion of Babylon stood on one side, and an Arabian horse on the other. Both were traditional symbols of a king's strength.

The shield itself showed a picture of Mesopotamia, the land where Iraq is located. It featured the two famous rivers, the Euphrates and the Tigris. These rivers flowed through the desert and met at a place called the Shatt al-Arab. A tree at this meeting point symbolized the large date palm forests that once grew there. Below the tree, a scimitar (a curved sword) and a spear represented the defense of the land.

Around the top of the shield, words in Kufic script (an old Arabic writing style) read "Justice is the basis of ruling." Below that, the year 1339 in the Hijri year calendar marked Iraq's independence. Underneath the entire shield, golden wheat stalks and a palm frond completed the design.

A New Look: Republican Emblem (1959–1965)

After the monarchy ended in 1958, Iraq became a republic and adopted a new emblem in 1959. This emblem was very different from the royal one. It was inspired by ancient symbols like the sun-disk of Shamash and Ishtar. It also included ideas from socialist art, moving away from symbols of pan-Arab unity at that time.

The 1959 emblem was a circle with eight golden-yellow beams shining outwards. Between these beams, deep red stars appeared. In the center of the circle was a blue area with a golden spike. This spike was surrounded by a black wheel with eight inner projections. A white ring encircled this wheel.

Inside the white ring, an Arabic sword was on the left, and a Kurdish dagger was on the right. These weapons represented different groups within Iraq. Between the tops of the sword and dagger, the words "THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ" were written in Kufic script. Between their handles, "JULY 14" and "1958" were written, marking the date of the Iraqi Revolution. All the writing, the sword, and the dagger were black.

Iraq's emblem from 1959 to 1965, featuring ancient symbols.
The Iraqi flag from 1959 to 1963, which included the star of Ishtar.

The Eagle of Saladin: Modern Emblems (1965–Present)

In 1965, Iraq changed its emblem again, adopting the Eagle of Saladin. This eagle became a popular symbol of Arab unity after the Egyptian Revolution of 1952. The new Iraqi emblem was very similar to the emblem of the United Arab Republic (UAR).

The main difference was that Iraq's eagle held a shield with three green stars on a white stripe. The UAR's emblem had two stars. The scroll below the eagle also had Iraq's official name in Arabic.

Changes in 1991

This eagle emblem was updated in January 1991. At this time, the phrase "Takbir" (Allahu Akbar, meaning "God is the greatest") was added to the flag of Iraq. To include the Takbir on the emblem's shield, the stripes on the shield were changed from vertical to horizontal. This made Iraq unique among countries using the Eagle of Saladin, as its flag on the shield was horizontal.

Changes in 2004

In 2004, the Takbir on both the flag and the emblem was changed. It was rewritten in Kufic script, an older, more decorative style of Arabic writing.

Changes in 2008

The most recent change happened in 2008. The three green stars were removed from both the Iraqi flag and the national emblem. This left only the Takbir in the central white band of the shield. This is the version of the emblem that Iraq uses today.