Flag of Nepal

The flag of Nepal is a special concave pentagonal flag with red, white, and blue colors. It is used as both the state and civil flag of Nepal and is the only non-rectangular national flag in the world. Its unique shape looks like two single pennants joined together, known as a double-pennon.

The red color stands for bravery and Nepal's national flower, the rhododendron, while the blue border represents peace. The current flag was adopted on 16 December 1962 when Nepal formed a new government. Shankar Nath Rimal, a civil engineer, helped make the flag look the way it does today at the request of King Mahendra. The design comes from older traditional flags.

History

Further information: List of flags of Nepal

Historically, triangular flags were popular in South Asia because they were small and easy to see, even when the wind was low. Nepal has used many different flag shapes over time, including some that were not rectangles. The current flag of Nepal was officially adopted on December 16, 1962. It combines parts from old flags of the Mustang Kingdom and the Gorkha Kingdom. The colors and symbols on the flag have important meanings, though we do not know exactly how the design began.

Symbolism

The flag of Nepal uses red, white, and blue. The red color shows the bravery of the Nepali people. It is the country’s national color. The blue border stands for peace. The flag also includes symbols of the moon and the sun. Many people believe the moon stands for calm, and the sun stands for hard work.

For a long time, rulers in Nepal used triangular banners. Today, some think the moon and sun on the flag represent Nepal’s two main religions, Hinduism and Buddhism. The moon and sun also show the hope that Nepal will last forever, like these celestial bodies. The moon is linked to the cool mountains of the Himalayas, and the sun to the warm lowlands of the Terai.

Flag layout

The flag of Nepal has a special shape and size set by rules.

The flag's height compared to its width is a special number that cannot be written as a simple fraction. This comes from the flag's design, which includes a thin blue border around the main red part. Without the blue border, the red part alone would have a simpler ratio of 3:4.

Non-standard versions

The flag of Nepal has a unique shape, which can make it hard to use at big events. For example, in the Olympic Games, most flags are rectangles, but Nepal’s flag is allowed to keep its special shape. In some past Olympics, people printed the flag on a white background to fit a rectangle.

In 2018, when an important leader from India visited Janakpur, someone flew a version of the flag with the wrong shape. This upset many people online and in Nepal.