Flags of Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, home to incredibly diverse cultures and flag designs. From Japan's minimalist rising sun to the dragon of Bhutan and the crescent-and-star motifs of Islamic nations, Asian flags reflect thousands of years of history, religion, and national identity.

48 Flags 45-75 min

Study the Flags

Japan

Capital: Tokyo

White field with a large red circle (representing the sun) in the center.

Adopted: 1999

Fun Facts

The red circle represents the sun - Japan is called "Land of the Rising Sun"
The flag is called "Nisshoki" (sun-mark flag) or "Hinomaru" (circle of the sun)
The simple design has been used for over 700 years by Japanese emperors

China

Capital: Beijing

Red field with five golden stars in the upper-left: one large star with four smaller stars in an arc beside it.

Adopted: 1949

Fun Facts

The large star represents the Communist Party; four small stars represent the four social classes
Red symbolizes the communist revolution and the blood of martyrs
The flag was adopted on September 27, 1949, just days before the People's Republic was proclaimed

India

Capital: New Delhi

Three horizontal stripes: saffron (deep orange), white, green. A navy blue 24-spoke wheel (Ashoka Chakra) centered on the white stripe.

Adopted: 1947

Fun Facts

The Ashoka Chakra (wheel) in the center has 24 spokes representing 24 hours of the day
Saffron represents courage, white truth and peace, green fertility and prosperity
The flag must only be made from khadi, a hand-spun cloth promoted by Gandhi

South Korea

Capital: Seoul

White field with a red and blue taegeuk (yin-yang) in the center, surrounded by four black trigrams in each corner.

Adopted: 1949

Fun Facts

The central symbol (taegeuk) represents the balance of yin and yang
The four trigrams represent heaven, earth, water, and fire
The white background represents peace and purity of the Korean people

Indonesia

Capital: Jakarta

Two horizontal stripes: red (top), white (bottom).

Adopted: 1945

Fun Facts

The flag is called "Sang Merah Putih" (the Red and White)
Red represents courage and the physical world, white purity and the spiritual world
Indonesia's flag is identical to Monaco's - only the proportions differ slightly

Turkey

Capital: Ankara

Red field with a white crescent moon and a white five-pointed star slightly to the right of center.

Adopted: 1936

Fun Facts

The crescent and star were Ottoman Empire symbols adopted by the republic
Legend says the flag's design came from the reflection of the moon and a star in a pool of blood after battle
Turkey's flag inspired many other Muslim-majority nations to use the crescent-and-star motif

Thailand

Capital: Bangkok

Five horizontal stripes: red, white, blue (double width), white, red.

Adopted: 1917

Fun Facts

The flag is called "Trirong" meaning tricolor
The blue stripe was added in 1917 to show solidarity with the Allies in World War I
Red represents the nation, white religion, blue the monarchy

Vietnam

Capital: Hanoi

Red field with a large gold five-pointed star in the center.

Adopted: 1955

Fun Facts

The five points of the star represent workers, peasants, soldiers, intellectuals, and youth
The red background represents the revolution and blood of those who fought for independence
The flag was first used during the uprising against French colonial rule in 1940

Philippines

Capital: Manila

Two horizontal bands: blue (top) and red (bottom). A white triangle at the hoist with a golden sun and three stars.

Adopted: 1898

Fun Facts

The Philippines is the only country that flips its flag during wartime (red on top means war)
The three stars represent Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao island groups
The sun's 8 rays represent the first 8 provinces that revolted against Spain

Pakistan

Capital: Islamabad

Dark green field with a white crescent and star. A white vertical stripe at the hoist side.

Adopted: 1947

Fun Facts

The green represents Islam and the Muslim majority, white represents minorities
The crescent symbolizes progress, the star light and knowledge
The white stripe at the hoist represents religious minorities in Pakistan

Bangladesh

Capital: Dhaka

Dark green field with a large red circle slightly offset toward the hoist side.

Adopted: 1972

Fun Facts

The red circle represents the blood of those who died for independence
The green represents the lush vegetation of Bangladesh
The circle is offset slightly toward the hoist so it appears centered when the flag flies

Singapore

Capital: Singapore

Two horizontal stripes: red (top), white (bottom). A white crescent moon and five stars in the upper-left red portion.

Adopted: 1959

Fun Facts

The five stars represent democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality
The crescent moon represents a young nation on the rise
Red stands for universal brotherhood, white for purity and virtue

Afghanistan

Capital: Kabul

Vertical stripes black, red, and green with the national emblem centered on the red stripe.

Adopted: 2004

Fun Facts

Black recalls darkness of the past; red blood of independence; green Islam and prosperity
The central emblem includes the national mosque and sheaves
Landlocked crossroads linking South and Central Asia

Armenia

Capital: Yerevan

Three horizontal stripes: red, blue, orange.

Adopted: 1990

Fun Facts

Red recalls Armenian sacrifice; blue peaceful skies; orange fertile soil and courage
One of the world's oldest Christian cultures
Located in the South Caucasus between the Black and Caspian seas

Azerbaijan

Capital: Baku

Three horizontal stripes: blue (top), red (middle), green (bottom), with a white crescent and eight-pointed star centered on the red stripe.

Adopted: 2013

Fun Facts

Blue recalls Turkic heritage and the Caspian; red progress and sacrifice; green Islam and growth
The eight-pointed star and flame evoke the word Allah in stylized form
Rich Caspian Sea oil and gas resources

Bahrain

Capital: Manama

Red field with a white serrated band along the hoist.

Adopted: 2002

Fun Facts

Five white triangles recall the five pillars of Islam along the serrated edge
One of the smallest Asian states by land area
Historic pearl-diving economy gave way to finance and energy

Bhutan

Capital: Thimphu

Diagonal yellow and orange field with a white dragon bearing jewels along the dividing line.

Adopted: 1969

Fun Facts

The thunderdragon (Druk) gives Bhutan its poetic name: Land of the Thunder Dragon
Yellow civil tradition; orange Buddhist spiritual heritage
Bhutan famously prioritizes Gross National Happiness alongside development

Brunei

Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan

Yellow field with diagonal black and white stripes and the national emblem (crest, crescent, and motto) in red.

Adopted: 1959

Fun Facts

Yellow recalls the Sultan; black and white stripes are ministerial symbols
The crest includes wings, hands, and a parasol under a crescent bearing national motto
Tiny oil-rich monarchy on Borneo's north coast

Cambodia

Capital: Phnom Penh

Three horizontal stripes blue (narrow), red (wide), blue (narrow) with Angkor Wat in white centered.

Adopted: 1993

Fun Facts

Angkor Wat appears in silhouette at the center
Blue bands represent royalty and the Mekong River and Tonlé Sap
Design echoes older Cambodian flags while stressing heritage after conflict

Cyprus

Capital: Nicosia

White field with a copper-colored outline map of the island above crossed green olive branches.

Adopted: 2006

Fun Facts

The copper-colored map reflects Cyprus's historic copper exports (Latin aes cyprium)
Olive branches underline peaceful coexistence after division
UN-classified Western Asian island state at the eastern Mediterranean crossroads

Georgia

Capital: Tbilisi

White field with a large red cross and four smaller red crosses in the quadrants.

Adopted: 2004

Fun Facts

Five crosses recall medieval imagery linked to Georgia's Christian tradition
Wine-making in Georgia traces back thousands of years
South Caucasus nation between the Black Sea and the Greater Caucasus range

Iran

Capital: Tehran

Three horizontal stripes green, white, red with the national emblem centered on white and stylized edge script.

Adopted: 1980

Fun Facts

The phrase Allahu Akbar (God is Great) is repeated in stylized Kufic script 22 times along the borders
Green Islam; white peace; red courage
Persian civilization strongly influences language and culture

Iraq

Capital: Baghdad

Three horizontal stripes red, white, black with green Arabic inscription centered on the white stripe.

Adopted: 2008

Fun Facts

Pan-Arab colors tie Iraq to broader Arab nationalism
Green Arabic text proclaims Allahu Akbar on the white stripe
Mesopotamia (land between rivers) hosted early urban civilization

Israel

Capital: Jerusalem

White field with two blue stripes and a blue Star of David centered.

Adopted: 1948

Fun Facts

Blue stripes echo the tallit prayer shawl
The Star of David (Magen David) is an ancient Jewish emblem
High-tech economy alongside ancient historic sites

Jordan

Capital: Amman

Horizontal black, white, and green with red triangle at hoist bearing a white seven-pointed star.

Adopted: 1928

Fun Facts

Based on the Arab Revolt banner of 1916
Seven-pointed star refers to the opening chapter of the Quran
Hosts Petra and key desert trade routes historically

Kazakhstan

Capital: Astana

Sky-blue field with golden sun and soaring eagle above a national ornamental vertical stripe near the hoist.

Adopted: 1992

Fun Facts

Sky-blue field and golden sun evoke steppe skies and nomadic heritage
The ornamental eagle (koshkar muyiz) wings flank a vertical ornamental band
Largest landlocked country globally

Kuwait

Capital: Kuwait City

Horizontal green, white, red with black trapezoid at the hoist.

Adopted: 1961

Fun Facts

Pan-Arab colors with black trapezoid at hoist distinguishing Kuwait among Gulf neighbors
Green fertility; white deeds; red valor
Pearl trade shaped Kuwait before oil transformed the Gulf

Kyrgyzstan

Capital: Bishkek

Red field with a golden sun disk bearing a crossed latticed pattern (tunduk) at the center.

Adopted: 1992

Fun Facts

The sun disk has 40 rays honoring forty Kyrgyz tribes united in epic tradition
The crossed lines inside the disk recall the crown of a yurt roof
Mountain ranges cover much of this Central Asian republic

Laos

Capital: Vientiane

Horizontal stripes red, blue (double width), red with white circle centered on the blue stripe.

Adopted: 1975

Fun Facts

White disc stands for unity under bright Mekong-referenced blue bands
Only landlocked Southeast Asian state besides variants with maritime borders
Known as Lan Xang (million elephants) historically

Lebanon

Capital: Beirut

Horizontal red, white (double width), red with green cedar centered on white.

Adopted: 1943

Fun Facts

Green cedar appears in ancient texts and coins
White snow and peace between red sacrifice stripes
Small Mediterranean country with outsized cultural influence

Malaysia

Capital: Kuala Lumpur

Fourteen alternating red and white horizontal stripes with blue canton bearing crescent and fourteen-point star.

Adopted: 1963

Fun Facts

Fourteen stripes honor Malaysia's states and federal territories as traditionally counted when adopted
Crescent and fourteen-point star highlight Islam and unity
The federation spans Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo regions

Maldives

Capital: Malé

Green rectangle centered on red field with white vertical crescent enclosing the green.

Adopted: 1965

Fun Facts

Green rectangle recalls palm groves; white crescent Islam
Red border honors solidarity and sacrifice
Low-lying Indian Ocean archipelago nation

Mongolia

Capital: Ulaanbaatar

Vertical stripes red, blue, red with national Soyombo emblem in gold on the hoist stripe.

Adopted: 2011

Fun Facts

Soyombo emblem packs symbols for sun, moon, fire, and strength
Blue stripe stands for eternal sky in Mongol tradition
Most citizens historically lived as pastoral nomads on the steppe

Myanmar

Capital: Naypyidaw

Horizontal yellow, green, red with large white five-pointed star centered.

Adopted: 2010

Fun Facts

Yellow unity; green peace and fertility; red courage
Large white star signals union of ethnic communities
Between Bay of Bengal neighbors and mainland Southeast Asia

Nepal

Capital: Kathmandu

Two stacked triangular pennons crimson with blue border; moon and sun emblems.

Adopted: 1962

Fun Facts

Only national flag that is not a simple quadrilateral - two stacked pennons
Crimson evokes rhododendron and bravery; blue peace
Sun and moon symbols evolved from earlier royal arms

North Korea

Capital: Pyongyang

Horizontal blue stripes framing broad red band with white edges and red star near hoist on white canton.

Adopted: 1948

Fun Facts

Red star recalls socialism; red stripe revolution; white purity
Blue stripes reference sovereignty and friendship
Korean Peninsula divided since the Korean War armistice

Oman

Capital: Muscat

Vertical red stripe at hoist with emblem; horizontal stripes white, red, and green.

Adopted: 1995

Fun Facts

National emblem shows khanjar dagger and crossed swords
Vertical red panel recalls historic banner colors
Long Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea coastline

Palestine

Capital: Ramallah

Black, white, and green horizontal stripes with red triangle at hoist.

Adopted: 1988

Fun Facts

Pan-Arab colors echo banners widely used across the Arab world during the 20th century
Red triangle at hoist follows a common liberation-era layout
Flag widely associated with Palestinian national identity

Qatar

Capital: Doha

Maroon field with broad white serrated hoist edge (nine points).

Adopted: 1971

Fun Facts

Nine serrated points distinguished Qatar from Bahrain's five points historically
Maroon replaced brighter red after dyes weathered in Gulf sunlight
Among the world's highest GDP per capita economies due to gas exports

Saudi Arabia

Capital: Riyadh

Green field with white Arabic shahada above white horizontal sword.

Adopted: 1973

Fun Facts

Green recalls Islam; shahada script proclaims faith
Sword represents justice and founding dynasty strength
Custodian of Islam's two holiest cities

Sri Lanka

Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

Golden lion with sword on maroon field bordered gold with green and orange vertical stripes at hoist bearing bo leaves.

Adopted: 1972

Fun Facts

Golden lion with sword recalls Sinhalese heraldry
Bo leaves honor Buddhism linked with enlightenment tradition
Teardrop-shaped island bridged historically by Tamil and Sinhalese cultures

Syria

Capital: Damascus

Horizontal red, white, black with two green stars centered on white.

Adopted: 1980

Fun Facts

Pan-Arab horizontal stripes shared with Egypt-era inspirations historically
Two green stars once referenced unity republic experiments
Ancient cities like Damascus among world's longest continually inhabited

Tajikistan

Capital: Dushanbe

Horizontal red, white (with gold crown and arc of seven stars), and green stripes.

Adopted: 1992

Fun Facts

Crown and seven stars nod to Persian poetic heritage and virtues
Red recalls victory and sunrise; white purity; green fertility
Mountainous Pamir ranges include some of the highest terrain on Earth

Timor-Leste

Capital: Dili

Red field with black isosceles triangle along hoist bordered yellow bearing white star.

Adopted: 2002

Fun Facts

Black recalls colonial struggles; yellow colonial traces; red liberation
White star lights the way as youth guiding nation building
Young Southeast Asian state that restored sovereignty in the 2000s

Turkmenistan

Capital: Ashgabat

Green field with vertical ornamental stripe bearing carpet patterns beside wheat-cotton emblem and crescent stars.

Adopted: 2001

Fun Facts

Five carpet guls recall major tribes or traditions
Two olive branches flank cotton and wheat symbols near hoist
Vast Karakum Desert covers much of the republic

United Arab Emirates

Capital: Abu Dhabi

Horizontal green, white, black with vertical red stripe along hoist.

Adopted: 1971

Fun Facts

Uses all four Pan-Arab colors together
Vertical red links member emirates along hoist
Federation formed December 1971 on the southern Gulf

Uzbekistan

Capital: Tashkent

Horizontal azure, white, and green separated by narrow red lines with white crescent and twelve stars on azure canton.

Adopted: 1991

Fun Facts

Blue recalls Turkic sky banners; white purity; green Islam and renewal
White crescent and twelve stars reference calendar months and equality ideals
Silk Road cities like Samarkand shaped global trade

Yemen

Capital: Sanaa

Three horizontal stripes: red, white, black.

Adopted: 1990

Fun Facts

Pan-Arab horizontal stripes without central symbol keep design stark
Red recalls blood of unity struggles; white bright future; black dark past
Southern Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula geography

Test Your Knowledge

How well do you know Asian flags? Test yourself with this quiz.

About Asian Flags

Asian flags display remarkable diversity, reflecting the continent's vast cultural, religious, and political spectrum. East Asian flags tend toward bold simplicity (Japan's red dot, China's stars, Vietnam's star). South Asian flags incorporate religious and cultural symbols (India's Ashoka Chakra, Pakistan's crescent). Southeast Asian flags often combine revolutionary symbols with traditional elements. West Asian and Central Asian flags frequently feature Islamic symbolism like the crescent and star, a tradition that spread from the Ottoman Empire. Several Asian flags are unique worldwide - Nepal's double-pennant shape is the only non-rectangular national flag, and the Philippines is the only country that officially uses its flag differently in wartime.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do many Asian flags feature crescents and stars?

The crescent and star motif spread through the influence of the Ottoman Empire and Islamic culture. Countries like Turkey, Pakistan, Malaysia, and others adopted these symbols to represent Islam and their Muslim-majority populations. However, the specific meanings vary by country.

Which Asian flags are most easily confused?

Indonesia and Monaco have nearly identical flags (red over white). Japan and Bangladesh both feature a colored circle on a plain background. The flags of China and Vietnam both use red with gold stars. Singapore and Turkey both feature crescents with stars on red backgrounds.

How many countries are in Asia?

There are 48 countries in Asia, making it the most populous continent with over 4.7 billion people. The countries range from massive nations like China and India to small city-states like Singapore and Brunei.