The national flag of Bahrain was modified in 2002. The flag consists of a white band on the left seperated from a red area on the right by five triangles that serve as a serated line. The older flag of Bahrain had more than five triangles, but this was modified in 2002 to stand for the Five Pillars of Islam. The color red apparently stands for the Kharijite sect of Islam, and the oldest known flags of Bahrain were simply red. But during the 19th century, a white stripe was added to indicate truces made with neighboring countries, and the serrated triangles were added to distinguish the flag of Bahrain from that of it's neighbors.