Overview

The flag of Nepal is the country’s national banner and the only sovereign national flag that is not a rectangle. Instead of the conventional four-sided shape, it consists of two stacked triangular pennants. The modern form was officially adopted on 16 December 1962 and remains a distinctive emblem of Nepali identity and statehood. The Nepali name for the flag is नेपालको झण्डा.

Design and symbolism

The flag has a crimson red field edged in a dark blue border. Set on the two triangular sections are white stylized symbols: a crescent-like moon in the upper pennant and a twelve-pointed sun in the lower pennant. Colors and motifs carry traditional meanings: crimson is widely associated with bravery and is a national color, blue suggests peace and harmony, and the moon and sun are commonly interpreted as symbols of the permanence of the country and the hope that Nepal will last as long as these celestial bodies.

Nepal’s national flag is precisely described in law and the constitution; its proportions and the relative placement of symbols are prescribed to ensure consistent reproduction. Because of its unique geometry, formal construction diagrams are often used by flag makers. The current legal description draws on an older, traditional design that was standardized in the 20th century.

History and origin

The two-pennant layout derives from historic heraldic and military standards used in the Himalayan region. Over centuries, versions of triangular pennants appeared in local principalities and among ruling families. The 1962 adoption consolidated these traditional elements into a single national design, combining forms that had long been associated with different branches of leadership. Official and historical summaries explain this development and the rationale for keeping the non-rectangular form.

Uses and notable facts

The same flag is used in civil, state and military contexts; there are not separate civil or state variants. Its unusual shape makes it readily identifiable in international contexts and often a subject of interest in vexillology. For more on its uniqueness compared to other national flags, see comparative notes.

  • Colors: crimson red field, blue border
  • Symbols: white moon and sun
  • Shape: two stacked pennants — non-rectangular