Flag of Nepal

The flag of Nepal was adopted on December 16, 1962. It is the only flag in the world with this shape - not a quadrangular and bifurcated pennant.

What are the symbols and colors of the Nepalese flag?

The national flag of Nepal consists of crimson, red, white and blue colors, the moon, the sun and triangles:

• red symbolizes bravery and reflects the national flower of Nepal - the rhododendron;
• the two triangles on the flag symbolize the Himalayan Mountains and reflect Hinduism and Buddhism, which are the main religions in Nepal; 
• the blue border symbolizes the peace and harmony that exist in the country, as well as the sky above the Himalayas;
• the crescent moon and the sun symbolize the permanence of Nepal and its duration. The moon also indicates the cold weather in the Himalayas, and the sun indicates the warm weather of the Terai lowlands;
• the moon is a symbol of calmness, restraint and purity of spirit of the Nepalese people;
• the sun is a symbol of the people's determination.

History of the Nepalese flag

Nepal is one of the countries that has never been colonized. The British East India Company focused its attention on India, but a dispute arose with Nepal over the border areas. This was a difficult task because there was anti-British sentiment on the peninsula. The power in Nepal belonged to King Prithvi Narayan, who united the states that make up Nepal today.

In 1767, there was a short war between Nepal and the East India Company, where the Nepalese army under King Narayan won. However, the fight against the British prevented Nepal's expansion. External confrontations intensified internal strife, leading to defeat. Nevertheless, the British had no intention of colonizing Nepal. In 1923, a treaty was signed between Britain and Nepal to preserve the latter's independence.

Nepal had been using the flag since 1774, but officially adopted it in 1928. Initial versions of the flag featured illustrations of male faces. However, in 1962, these images were removed to make the flag more modern. The shape of the flag is important to Nepalis as it reflects their culture. Nepalese flags are traditionally triangular in shape, making them compact but long and visible. They have been in use for about 2000 years, so Nepalese have kept the tradition of triangular flags alive. Thus, the design of the Nepalese flag has deep historical and cultural roots.

Interesting facts about the flag of Nepal

• 12 rays of the sun represent 12 months and 12 zodiac signs;
• the flag was created from a combination of two flags;
• On August 23, 2014, a record flag created by people was recorded. The flag of Nepal was created by 35 thousand people;
• the flag of Nepal has been rectangular only once. At the 2016 Summer Olympics, the Nepalese flag was the same shape as the other flags at the Olympics - rectangular. The flag itself was placed near the flagpole, and the rest of the space was filled with white;
• the constitution contains instructions on how to draw the flag correctly, so it is considered the most mathematically complex flag in the world. Its ratio of height to greatest width is an irrational number and is approximately 1:1.21901033...
• The flag originates from Hinduism, but is officially interpreted as a symbol of the main two religions: Hinduism and Buddhism.