Flag of Cambodia
Encyclopedia
The national flag of Cambodia
was readopted in 1993, after elections returned the monarchy to rule.
in the center. The current flag, with a blue
border and red
central (the stripes are in the ratio 1:2:1) was adopted following Cambodia's independence in 1948. It was used until October 9, 1970, when a new flag was introduced for Lon Nol
's Khmer Republic
that lasted until the takeover of the Khmer Rouge
in 1975. The subsequent state of Democratic Kampuchea
, which existed from 1975 to 1979, used a red flag with a three-towered Angkor Wat design retained in yellow
.
The People's Republic of Kampuchea
was established in 1979, after the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia
. The Kampuchean National United Front for National Salvation (FUNSK) revived the flag adopted by the Khmer Issarak
in the days of anti-French resistance for the new state. This flag had the same color pattern as the DK flag, but with a yellow five-towered Angkor Wat silhouette. When the PRK renamed itself as "State of Cambodia" (SOC) in 1989, the flag's lower half became blue. The UNTAC flag was used during the 1992-1993 transitional period along with the flag of the SOC within Cambodia.
In 1993 the 1948 Cambodian flag was readopted. The current Cambodian flag, together with that of Afghanistan
, hold the distinction of being the only two flags in the world to feature a building in their design. Red and blue are traditional colors of Cambodia.
The flag used today is the same as that established in 1948, although since then 5 other designs have been used. These have almost all made use of the image of the temple of Angkor Wat in one form or another. This famous temple site, which dates from the 12th century, was built by the Mahidharapura monarchs. It has 5 towers, but these were not always all depicted in the stylized version used on flags. The temple also appears on the arms. The monarchy was restored in September 1993, the 1948 flag having been readopted in June of that year.
:ទង់ព្រះមហាក្សត្រ, literally translated: King's Flag) is the personal flag of the royal ruler of Cambodia. It was adopted in 1993, but originally adopted in 1941. It is also one of the national symbols of Cambodia
.
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
was readopted in 1993, after elections returned the monarchy to rule.
Brief history
Since around 1850, the Cambodian flag has featured a depiction of Angkor WatAngkor Wat
Angkor Wat is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu,...
in the center. The current flag, with a blue
Blue
Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal...
border and red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
central (the stripes are in the ratio 1:2:1) was adopted following Cambodia's independence in 1948. It was used until October 9, 1970, when a new flag was introduced for Lon Nol
Lon Nol
Lon Nol was a Cambodian politician and general who served as Prime Minister of Cambodia twice, as well as serving repeatedly as Defense Minister...
's Khmer Republic
Khmer Republic
The Khmer Republic or République Khmère, was the republican government of Cambodia that was formally declared on October 9, 1970. The Khmer Republic was disestablished in 1975 and was followed by the totalitarian communist state known as Democratic Kampuchea.-Background:Formally declared on October...
that lasted until the takeover of the Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
in 1975. The subsequent state of Democratic Kampuchea
Democratic Kampuchea
The Khmer Rouge period refers to the rule of Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen, Khieu Samphan and the Khmer Rouge Communist party over Cambodia, which the Khmer Rouge renamed as Democratic Kampuchea....
, which existed from 1975 to 1979, used a red flag with a three-towered Angkor Wat design retained in yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
.
The People's Republic of Kampuchea
People's Republic of Kampuchea
The People's Republic of Kampuchea , , was founded in Cambodia by the Salvation Front, a group of Cambodian leftists dissatisfied with the Khmer Rouge, after the overthrow of Democratic Kampuchea, Pol Pot's government...
was established in 1979, after the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia
Cambodian-Vietnamese War
The Cambodian–Vietnamese War was an armed conflict between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Democratic Kampuchea. The war began with isolated clashes along the land and maritime boundaries of Vietnam and Kampuchea between 1975 and 1977, occasionally involving division-sized military formations...
. The Kampuchean National United Front for National Salvation (FUNSK) revived the flag adopted by the Khmer Issarak
Khmer Issarak
The Khmer Issarak was an anti-French, Khmer nationalist political movement formed in 1945 with the backing of the government of Thailand. It sought to expel the French colonial authorities from Cambodia, and establish an independent Khmer state....
in the days of anti-French resistance for the new state. This flag had the same color pattern as the DK flag, but with a yellow five-towered Angkor Wat silhouette. When the PRK renamed itself as "State of Cambodia" (SOC) in 1989, the flag's lower half became blue. The UNTAC flag was used during the 1992-1993 transitional period along with the flag of the SOC within Cambodia.
In 1993 the 1948 Cambodian flag was readopted. The current Cambodian flag, together with that of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, hold the distinction of being the only two flags in the world to feature a building in their design. Red and blue are traditional colors of Cambodia.
The flag used today is the same as that established in 1948, although since then 5 other designs have been used. These have almost all made use of the image of the temple of Angkor Wat in one form or another. This famous temple site, which dates from the 12th century, was built by the Mahidharapura monarchs. It has 5 towers, but these were not always all depicted in the stylized version used on flags. The temple also appears on the arms. The monarchy was restored in September 1993, the 1948 flag having been readopted in June of that year.
Symbolism
| Symbols | Said by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports | Said by most People |
|---|---|---|
| Angkor Wat | Integrity Integrity Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions... , Justice Justice Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:... and Heritage Heritage Heritage refers to something inherited from the past. The word has several different senses, including:* Natural heritage, an inheritance of fauna and flora, geology, landscape and landforms, and other natural resources... |
Theravada Buddhism |
| Blue | Liberty Liberty Liberty is a moral and political principle, or Right, that identifies the condition in which human beings are able to govern themselves, to behave according to their own free will, and take responsibility for their actions... , Cooperation Cooperation Cooperation or co-operation is the process of working or acting together. In its simplest form it involves things working in harmony, side by side, while in its more complicated forms, it can involve something as complex as the inner workings of a human being or even the social patterns of a... and Brotherhood Fraternity A fraternity is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. An organization referred to as a fraternity may be a:*Secret society*Chivalric order*Benefit society*Friendly society*Social club*Trade union... |
the King |
| Red | Bravery and Trying | the People Khmer people Khmer people are the predominant ethnic group in Cambodia, accounting for approximately 90% of the 14.8 million people in the country. They speak the Khmer language, which is part of the larger Mon–Khmer language family found throughout Southeast Asia... |
Royal standard
The royal standard of the King of Cambodia (KhmerKhmer language
Khmer , or Cambodian, is the language of the Khmer people and the official language of Cambodia. It is the second most widely spoken Austroasiatic language , with speakers in the tens of millions. Khmer has been considerably influenced by Sanskrit and Pali, especially in the royal and religious...
:ទង់ព្រះមហាក្សត្រ, literally translated: King's Flag) is the personal flag of the royal ruler of Cambodia. It was adopted in 1993, but originally adopted in 1941. It is also one of the national symbols of Cambodia
National symbols of Cambodia
The national symbols of Cambodia includes the ancient monument of Angkor Wat, the national flag, the national anthem, and the national emblem and royal arms...
.
Historical national flags
| Flag | |Use | |
|---|---|---|
 |
1863- March 1945, October 1945-1948 | Flag of Cambodia under French protection |
 |
March - October 1945 | Flag of the short-lived Cambodian Pro-Tokyo puppet state established under the Japanese occupation of Cambodia Japanese occupation of Cambodia The Japanese occupation of Cambodia was the period of Cambodian history during World War II when the Empire of Japan established its authority over Cambodia.... |
 |
1948–1970, 1993–present | Flag of the Kingdom of Cambodia |
 |
1970–1975 | Flag of the Khmer Republic Flag of the Khmer Republic The flag of the Khmer Republic is one of the historical flags of the Kingdom of Cambodia. It consists of a blue field with a red rectangle in the canton. The red rectangle bears the Angkor Wat silhouette... |
 |
1975–1979 | Flag of Flag of Democratic Kampuchea The Flag of Democratic Kampuchea was adopted during Khmer Rouge rule under Cambodia.This flag is similar to the flag of Vietnam. It was among the communist state national flags without any symbolic red star or hammer and sickle.-History:... Democratic Kampuchea Democratic Kampuchea The Khmer Rouge period refers to the rule of Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen, Khieu Samphan and the Khmer Rouge Communist party over Cambodia, which the Khmer Rouge renamed as Democratic Kampuchea.... |
 |
1979–1989 | Flag of Flag of the People's Republic of Kampuchea The flag of the People's Republic of Kampuchea was a historical flag of Cambodia during its liberation of Khmer Rouge rule from 1979 to 1993.The flag that became the official flag of the PRK had been previously adopted by the Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation , who had revived the flag... the People's Republic of Kampuchea People's Republic of Kampuchea The People's Republic of Kampuchea , , was founded in Cambodia by the Salvation Front, a group of Cambodian leftists dissatisfied with the Khmer Rouge, after the overthrow of Democratic Kampuchea, Pol Pot's government... |
 |
1989–1991 | Flag of the State of Cambodia |
 |
1992–1993 | Flag of Flag of the UNTAC The Flag of the UNTAC was adopted during the period of United Nations transitional authority in Cambodia .- Symbolism :The flag derived from the UN flag meaning that the UNTAC is a United Nations protectorate. The map contains the word Kampuchea in Khmer script .... the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) |