Flag of Bhutan

The national flag of Bhutan (Dzongkha: འབྲུག་ཡུལ་རྒྱལ་དར) is a key symbol of the country. It shows the Druk, a dragon from Bhutanese mythology. This dragon ties to the name of the country in Dzongkha: འབྲུག་ཡུལ་ Druk Yul, meaning 'The Thunder Dragon Kingdom'. It also stands for the Drukpa Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, which is Bhutan's main religion.

The flag's design was made by Mayum Choying Wangmo Dorji in 1947. A version of it was first used in 1949 when Bhutan signed a treaty with India, called the Indo-Bhutan Treaty. In 1956, a new version was made for a visit by the king, Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. The current design was finished in 1969 by Shingkhar Lam Kuenzang Wangchuk, who worked as a secretary for the king. The flag was made to look like the flag of India and was officially approved by the National Assembly of Bhutan in 1972.

Current national flag

The flag of Bhutan is split into two colors: yellow at the top and orange at the bottom. In the middle of the flag is a large black and white dragon, called the Druk, facing away from the flag’s left side. The dragon holds a jewel in each claw.

The yellow color stands for Bhutan’s civil traditions and its king. The orange color represents the country’s Buddhist spiritual traditions. The dragon sits on the line between the two colors to show that both traditions are equally important in Bhutan. The white dragon symbolizes pure thoughts and actions, uniting all people in the country. The jewels it holds represent Bhutan’s wealth and the safety of its people.

Historical evolution

The flag of Bhutan has changed a few times since it was first used. In 1949, the first flag was made for a treaty signing. It was square, with yellow and red parts and a green dragon in the middle. In 1956, the dragon’s color was changed to white for a royal visit.

Later, the flag was changed to look more like the Indian flag. The dragon was moved so it would not face down when the flag hung still. These changes led to the flag we see today.

Code of conduct

In 1972, Bhutan made rules to help people use the national flag properly. These rules talk about the flag’s colors and design and say when and where the flag can be shown. The flag is treated with respect, like how people treat their country and its leader. For example, no other flag should be higher than the Bhutanese flag, and the flag should never touch the ground.

The rules say that some government buildings and leaders may display the flag. The main flag day each year is National Day on December 17. This day marks when the first king of Bhutan was crowned in 1907.