Qatar breaks record for world's largest flag Published duration 17 December 2013

image copyright AFP image caption The Qatari flag was almost 30% bigger than the previous record holder

The Gulf state of Qatar has created the world's largest flag as part of festivities to mark its national day.

The maroon and white flag has been draped over an area of 101,978 sq m - the size of 14 football pitches - in an industrial zone north of Doha.

It weighs 9.8 tonnes and was stitched from three plane-loads of material, according to the al-Sharq newspaper.

After Wednesday's national day the flag will be recycled into 200,000 satchels for schoolchildren in 60 countries.

The flag broke the record of 79,000 sq m, set in Romania in May

"This is a big challenge and one of the most difficult records I have seen," Marco Frigatti of Guinness World Records was quoted as saying.

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