Flag of Bhutan

The national flag of Bhutan (Dzongkha: འབྲུག་ཡུལ་རྒྱལ་དར) is one of the important symbols that represent the country. It features the Druk, a dragon from Bhutanese mythology. This dragon connects to the name of the country in Dzongkha: འབྲུག་ཡུལ་ Druk Yul, meaning 'The Thunder Dragon Kingdom'. It also represents the Drukpa Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, which is the main religion of Bhutan.

The design of the flag was created by Mayum Choying Wangmo Dorji in 1947. A version of it was first shown in 1949 when Bhutan signed a treaty with India, called the Indo-Bhutan Treaty. Later, in 1956, a new version was made for a visit by the king, Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. The current design was completed in 1969 by Shingkhar Lam Kuenzang Wangchuk, who worked as a secretary for the king. The flag was designed to match the shape of the flag of India and was officially recognized by the National Assembly of Bhutan in 1972.

Current national flag

The flag of Bhutan is split diagonally 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, known as the Druk, which faces away from the flag’s hoist side. The dragon holds a jewel in each of its claws.

The yellow color represents Bhutan’s civil traditions and its king, while the orange color stands for the country’s Buddhist spiritual traditions. The dragon is placed right 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, and the jewels it holds represent Bhutan’s wealth and the safety of its people.

Historical evolution

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

Later changes made the flag more like the Indian flag, with a new shape and the dragon moved to avoid facing down when the flag hung still. These changes led to the flag we see today.

Code of conduct

In 1972, Bhutan created rules to guide the proper use of its national flag. These rules explain the flag’s colors and design and describe when and where the flag should be displayed. The flag is treated with great respect, similar to how people treat their country and its leader. For example, no other flag should be placed higher than the Bhutanese flag, and the flag should never touch the ground.

The rules also state that certain government buildings and officials may display the flag. The main flag day each year is National Day on December 17, which marks the anniversary of the first king of Bhutan being crowned in 1907.