Nepal Flags

The fields of the two triangles are crimson red, inspired by the color of the rhododendron which is the national flower of Nepal. They are enclosed by a deep blue border. The upper pennant bears the symbol of a rising sun on a horizontal crescent moon while the lower triangle, which is larger, depicts a twelve-rayed sun. Both signs are white. The flag is known as the Triangle Flag. It was officially adopted on December 16, 1962, when a new constitutional government was formed in Nepal. However, it is believed that the triangular design of the Nepali Flag has existed for more than 2,000 years.

The two triangles portray the Himalaya Mountains, which bear great importance to the people of Nepal. The celestial bodies illustrated in the red fields are a symbol of permanence, indicating that Nepal will last as long as the moon and the sun. The moon is also a representation of the soothing and calm nature of the Nepalese while the sun portrays their fierce resolve. The crimson color of the two fields symbolizes the brave spirits of the people of Nepal, while the thick blue border represents peace and harmony. The Nepalese people also interpret the shape of the Nepali Flag as a symbol of a Nepalese pagoda.

The designer of the current Nepali flag is unknown, but the Nepalese people believe that the earlier version of the flag came into use as the official flag of unified Nepal when Prithvi Narayan Shah conquered Kathmandu Valley. Prithvi was a ruler of the Shah Dynasty, and the first king of the Hindu Kingdom of Nepal founded in 1768. However, according to Professor Daya Ram Shrestha who was honored with the Madan Puraskar award in 1997 for his book on the history of the Nepali Flag, the unique double triangle banner was first used in the country 1,500 years ago by King Lichchhavi Mandev and his followers.

The old version of the national flag of Nepal resembled the current version, with the exception that the white emblems of the sun and moon depicted human faces. In the earlier design, the crescent moon on the upper triangle had eleven rays and a human face sitting atop while the 1962 version has a smooth crescent moon with an eight-rayed sun on top of it. The earlier design also had a sixteen-rayed sun with a human face on the inside, but it was replaced by a 12 pointed sun in the current design. Another difference between the two flags is that the blue border did not extend to the fly as it does in the current version.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Kathmandu
Languages	Nepali (official) 44.6%, Maithali 11.7%, Bhojpuri 6%, Tharu 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.2%, Magar 3%, Bajjika 3%, Urdu 2.6%, Avadhi 1.9%, Limbu 1.3%, Gurung 1.2%, other 10.4%, unspecified 0.2%
Ethnic Groups	Chhettri 16.6%, Brahman-Hill 12.2%, Magar 7.1%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.8%, Newar 5%, Kami 4.8%, Muslim 4.4%, Yadav 4%, Rai 2.3%, Gurung 2%, Damai/Dholii 1.8%, Thakuri 1.6%, Limbu 1.5%, Sarki 1.4%, Teli 1.4%, Chamar/Harijan/Ram 1.3%, Koiri/Kushwaha 1.2%, other 19%
Religion	Hindu 81.3%, Buddhist 9%, Muslim 4.4%, Kirant 3.1%, Christian 1.4%, other 0.5%, unspecified 0.2% (2011 est.)
Government	Federal parliamentary republic
Independance	1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)
Area	147,181.00 km²
Water Area	3,830.00 km²
Land Area	143,351.00 km²
Population	29,033,914.00 Most of the population is divided nearly equally between a concentration in the southern-most plains of the Tarai region and the central hilly region; overall density is quite low
Location	Southern Asia, between China and India
No. Bordering Countries	2
Bordering Countries	China 1,389 km, India 1,770 km
GDP(PPP)	$71,520,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$2,500.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are India, the United States, and Germany.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are clothing, pulses, carpets, textiles, and juice.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are India and China.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include petroleum products, machinery and equipment, gold, and electrical goods.
Climate	Varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south
Terrain	Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south; central hill region with rugged Himalayas in north
Learn More	Nepal

Nepal Flags

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