In Sumerian mythology, a vegetation god representing the decay and growth of natural life; he died at midsummer and was rescued from the underworld the following spring by his lover Ishtar. His cult spread over Babylonia, Syria, Phoenicia, and Palestine. He was possibly identified with the Egyptian Osiris and the Greek Adonis.
The flag was said to represent the nation's hope for a green revolution in agriculture. Green expresses the people's Muslim faith. Effective date: 20 November 1977.