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Flags of Asia

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A map of Asia with national flags, excluding dependent territories and partially recognized states (Taiwan not shown)

This is a list of international, national and subnational flags used in Asia.

Supranational and international flags

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An incomplete list of flags representing intra-Asian international and supranational organisations, which omits intercontinental organisations such as the United Nations:

Flag Date Use Description
1945 – Flag of the Arab League The flag of the League of Arab States is two olive branches and 22 chain-links encircling a crescent and the name of the organisation (written in Arabic).

The Arab League is an organization made up of countries in the Arab world in Northern Africa and Southwest Asia. Most, though not all of these countries use Arabic as their official language and concreted on Mediterranean sea and Arabian sea countries. The purpose is to find ways for the countries to have unity and to work together to solve their problems.

1997 – Flag of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations The flag of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is blue with the emblem of the organisation in the center. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is an international organization.

In August 1967, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines formed the ASEAN. At that time, communism was growing in Vietnam, and these five countries were also facing problems inside their own countries. Nowadays ASEAN consists of ten countries, the latter and Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar.

1991 – Flag of the Commonwealth of Independent States The flag of the Commonwealth of Independent States is blue with the emblem of the organisation in the centre.
1981 – Flag of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf Originally (and still colloquially) known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC; Arabic: مجلس التعاون الخليجي), is a regional, intergovernmental political and economic union that consists of five Arabian peninsula countries except Yemen.
2011 – Flag of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation The flag of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation is white with a green crescent and globe, with the Kaaba at the center of the globe. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation is an international group. It has over 55 member states. The organisation tries to be the voice of the Muslim world. They try to safeguard the interests and the progress and well-being of Muslims.
1960 – Flag of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries The Flag of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is a blue background with the acronym 'OPEC' in stylized white lettering. OPEC, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is an international organization. Since 1965, the headquarters of OPEC has been in Vienna, Austria. OPEC was established in September 1960 in Baghdad, Iraq.
2012 – Flag of the Organization of Turkic States The flag combines the symbols of the original four members: the light blue color of the flag of Kazakhstan, the sun of the flag of Kyrgyzstan, the star of the flag of Azerbaijan and the crescent of the Turkish flag.

Flags of Asian sovereign states

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Flag Date Use Description
2021 – Flag of Afghanistan Islamic Emirate: Readopted in 2021, the Shahada in black on a white background.
1918 – 1920
1991 –		 Flag of Armenia[a]
See also: List of Armenian flags		 After gaining independence, the First Republic of Armenia adopted the modern Armenian tricolor. The independent Armenian government selected the colours used during the last period of Rubenid Dynasty, red, blue and yellow. The red emblematizes the Armenian Highland, the Armenian people's continued struggle for survival, maintenance of the Christian faith, Armenia's independence and freedom. The blue emblematizes the will of the people of Armenia to live beneath peaceful skies. The orange emblematizes the creative talent and hard-working nature of the people of Armenia.
1918 – 1920
1991 –		 Flag of Azerbaijan[a]
See also: List of Azerbaijani flags		 Originally adopted in 1918 as the flag of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, was officially adopted again in 1991, after Azerbaijan gained its independence.

The flag of Azerbaijan is the national ensign of Azerbaijan. It consists of three equal horizontal bands colored blue, red, and green, with a white crescent and an eight-pointed star are centered in the red band. The blue band refers to Turkic heritage, the red is for progress and the green refers to Islam.

2002 – Flag of Bahrain Adopted in February 2002, the flag of Bahrain consists of a white band on the hoist, with red on the right. They are separated by five triangles forming a serrated line.
1972 – Flag of Bangladesh
See also: List of Bangladeshi flags		 Adopted in January 1972, the flag of Bangladesh consists of a slightly off-center red disc over a green field.
1969 – Flag of Bhutan Adopted in 1969, the flag of Bhutan consists of a diagonally-divided field, the upper left yellow and the lower right orange. Along the diagonal line is a white dragon, the Druk (Thunder Dragon), holding jewels in its claws.
1959 – Flag of Brunei Adopted in September 1959, the flag of Brunei consists of a yellow field divided by diagonal black and white stripes; superimposed over it is Brunei's crest, featuring a crescent facing upwards surrounded by hands and a parasol, all in red.
1948 – 1970
1993 –		 Flag of Cambodia
See also: List of Cambodian flags		 Adopted in 1993 and previously used between 1948 and 1970, the flag of Cambodia consists of a horizontal tricolor of blue, red (double width) and blue, with a white depiction of Angkor Wat in the center of the red band.
1949 – Flag of China
See also: List of Chinese flags		 Adopted in September 1949, the flag of China consists of a red field with five gold stars in the canton; one large star is surrounded by four smaller stars surrounded in a semicircle and set off towards the fly.
1960 – Flag of Cyprus[b] The flag was officially adopted on August 16, 1960.

The island is depicted in a copper shade representative of its name; the name Cyprus has roots in the Sumerian word for copper (zubar) from the large deposits of copper found on the island. The crossed green olive branches symbolise the hope for peace between the Turks and the Greeks. It was designed by İsmet Güney, a Turkish Cypriot painter.

1975
2002–		 Flag of East Timor Adopted in May 2002 (originally in November 1975), the flag of East Timor consists of a red field; at the hoist is a white five-pointed star inside a black isosceles triangle superimposed on a larger yellow triangle, that points toward the center.
1984 – Flag of Egypt[f] Adopted in October 1984, the flag of Egypt consists of a horizontal tricolor of red, white and black, with the eagle of Saladin in the center of the white band.
2004 – Flag of Georgia[a]
See also: List of flags of Georgia (country)		 This recently adopted flag is a simple white rectangle, with a central red cross connecting all four sides of the flag; in each of the four corners is a small red cross. The flag is based on a historic five-cross design that dates back to the 14th century.
1947 – Flag of India
See also: List of Indian flags		 Adopted in July 1947, the flag of India consists of a horizontal tricolour of saffron, white and green; in the centre of the white band is a 24-spoke wheel (the Ashoka Chakra) coloured in navy blue.
1945 – Flag of Indonesia
See also: List of flags of Indonesia		 Adopted in August 1945, the flag of Indonesia consists of a bicolour; red on the top, white on the bottom.
1980 – Flag of Iran
See also: List of Iranian flags		 Adopted in July 1980, the flag of Iran consists of a horizontal tricolor of green, white and red; the country's national emblem ("Allah") in red is centered on the white band; and the takbir (as written in the Kufic script) is written 11 times on each band in white.
2008 – Flag of Iraq Adopted in January 2008, the flag of Iraq consists of a horizontal tricolor of red, white and black; in the center of the white stripe is the takbir written in green Kufic script.
1948 – Flag of Israel
See also: List of flags of Israel		 Adopted in October 1948, the flag of Israel consists of a blue star of David, surrounded by two blue horizontal stripes, all over a white field.
1870 – Flag of Japan
See also: List of Japanese flags		 Adopted as a civil ensign on February 27, 1870, Adopted as a national flag on August 13, 1999. The flag consists of a white background with a red circle representing the sun.
1928 – Flag of Jordan Adopted in April 1928, the flag of Jordan is a horizontal tricolor with a red chevron, the colors used are the Pan-Arab colors.
1992 – Flag of Kazakhstan[d]
See also: List of Kazakh flags		 Adopted on June 4, 1992, the flag has a gold sun with 32 rays above a soaring golden steppe eagle, both centered on a sky blue background; the hoist side displays a national ornamental pattern called "koshkar-muiz" (the horns of the ram) in gold.
1961 – Flag of Kuwait Adopted in 1961, uses the Pan-Arab colors.
2023 – Flag of Kyrgyzstan
1945 –1946
1975 –		 Flag of Laos The flag has 3 horizontal bands, with the middle band being blue and the rest being red. It has a white circle in the center symbolizing the full moon over the Mekong River.
1943 – Flag of Lebanon
1950 – Flag of Malaysia
See also: List of Malaysian flags		 Adopted in May 26, 1950, the flag has fourteen horizontal stripes, alternating between red and white, represents the equalness of the Malaysia's 13 member states; and in the canton, a yellow crescent representing Islam, and a 14 point star representing unity among their member states, all of which on a blue field.
1965 – Flag of Maldives The flag has a green field with a red outline and a crescent in the center.
1945 – Flag of Mongolia
2010 – Flag of Myanmar
See also: List of Burmese flags		 The flag is a horizontal tricolour of saffron, green and red, with a white star in the middle.
1962 – Flag of Nepal
1948 – Flag of North Korea
See also: List of North Korean flags
1995 – Flag of Oman
1947 – Flag of Pakistan
See also: List of Pakistani flags
1898 – Flag of the Philippines
1971 – Flag of Qatar
1883 – 1918
1993 –		 Flag of Russia
See also: List of Russian flags		 The Russian Federation flag was officially adopted on August 22, 1991. The flag was hoisted shortly after the former Soviet Union collapsed. The white, blue and red are Pan-Slavic colours.
1973 – Flag of Saudi Arabia The flag of Saudi Arabia contains the Shahada and an Arab sword, coloured white, on a green background.
1959 – Flag of Singapore
See also: List of Singaporean flags
1883 – 1920
1949 –		 Flag of South Korea
See also: List of South Korean flags
1972 – Flag of Sri Lanka
See also: List of Sri Lankan flags
1980 – Flag of Syria
1928 – Flag of Taiwan
1992 – Flag of Tajikistan
1917 – Flag of Thailand
See also: List of Thai flags
1844 – Flag of Turkey[c]
See also: List of Turkish flags		 The flag of Turkey has a red background with a white crescent moon and a star in its centre. The flag is called Ay Yıldız (literally, moon star) or Albayrak (red flag). It was adopted in 1844 with the Tanzimat reforms; though the shape, placement and shade of the colour vary. The geometric proportions of the flag were legally standardised with the Turkish Flag Law in 1936.
2001 – Flag of Turkmenistan
1971 – Flag of the United Arab Emirates
1991 – Flag of Uzbekistan
See also: List of Uzbek flags
1945 – Flag of Vietnam
See also: List of flags of Vietnam		 Officially adopted in 1945, the flag of Vietnam has a yellow star on a red background.
1990 – Flag of Yemen The flag is a horizontal tricolour of red, white and black.

Disputed or partially recognised states

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Flag Date Use State (status) Description
1992 – Flag of Abkhazia[a] Internationally recognized as part of  Georgia The flag of Abkhazia consists of seven green and white stripes with a red upper left canton bearing a white open right hand and seven white stars.
1988 – Flag of Palestine
See also: List of Palestinian flags		 Partially unrecognized The flag of Palestine consists of tricolor horizontal stripes of black, white, green, and a red triangle aligned on the left.
1984 – Flag of Northern Cyprus[b] Internationally recognized as part of  Cyprus Adopted by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (recognized only by Turkey and the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan) on 7 March 1984 following the Turkish invasion and the occupation of the northern part of the island in 1974.
1990 – Flag of South Ossetia[a] Internationally recognized as part of  Georgia The flag of the South Ossetia is a tricolour, the top stripe white, the middle stripe red and the bottom stripe yellow.

Flags of Asian dependencies

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Flag Date Use State (status) Description
Flag of Akrotiri and Dhekelia 1960 – Flag of Akrotiri and Dhekelia UK (overseas territory) The flag of the United Kingdom is used.
1990 – Flag of the British Indian Ocean Territory UK (overseas territory)
2002 – Flag of Christmas Island Australia (external territory)
2004 – Flag of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Australia (external territory)

Flags of Asian sub-divisions

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China

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Flag Date Use Description
1997 – Flag of Hong Kong
1999 – Flag of Macau

Georgia

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Main article: List of flags of Georgia (country)
Flag Date Use Description
2004 – Flag of Adjara

Iraq

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Flag Date Use Description
1921 – Flag of Kurdistan The flag of Kurdistan is a red-white-green tricolour with a yellow sun in the centre.

Japan

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Main article: List of Japanese flags
Flag Date Use Description
2000 – Flag of Aichi Prefecture Stylised hiragana of あいち (Aichi). The emblem also expresses sunrise and wave to indicate Aichi's location facing the Pacific Ocean.

Korea

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Main article: List of Korean flags

Philippines

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Main article: List of flags of the Philippines
Flag Date Use Description
2019 – Flag of Bangsamoro The flag of Bangsamoro is a horizontal tricolor of green, white and red with the yellow seven-pointed star surrounded by a yellow crescent both centered on the white band and a white kris centered on the red band.

Thailand

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Main article: List of Thai flags

Russia

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Main articles: Flags of the federal subjects of Russia and List of Russian flags
Flag Date Use Description
2000 – Flag of Altai Krai
1992 – Flag of the Altai Republic
1999 – Flag of Amur Oblast
1992 – Flag of the Republic of Buryatia
2001 – Flag of Chelyabinsk Oblast
1997 – Flag of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug
1997 – Flag of Irkutsk Oblast
2005 – Flag of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast
2010 – Flag of Kamchatka Krai
1994 – Flag of Khabarovsk Krai
2003 – Flag of the Republic of Khakassia
1995 – Flag of Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug
2000 – Flag of Krasnoyarsk Krai
1997 – Flag of Kurgan Oblast
2001 – Flag of Magadan Oblast
2009 – Flag of Nenets Autonomous Okrug
2014 – Flag of Omsk Oblast
2011 – Flag of Perm Krai
1995 – Flag of Primorsky Krai
1992 – Flag of the Sakha Republic
1995 – Flag of Sakhalin Oblast
1997 – Flag of Sverdlovsk Oblast
1992 – Flag of the Tuva Republic
1995 – Flag of Tyumen Oblast
1996 – Flag of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug
1995 – Flag of Zabaykalsky Krai

Uzbekistan

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Flag Date Use Description
1991– Flag of Karakalpakstan

Flags of Asian cities

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Main article: List of city flags in Asia

Flags of cities with over 1 million inhabitants.

Historical flags

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Flag Date Use Description
1937 – 1963 Flag of Aden Colony
1959 – 1962
1962 – 1967		 Flag of the Federation of Arab Emirates of the South and the Federation of South Arabia
1922 Flag of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic
1992 – 2023 Flag of Artsakh The flag of Artsakh is based on the Flag of Armenia, and has a white pattern added.
1918 Flag of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan
1920 Flag of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
1920 – 1921 Flag of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
1921 – 1922 Flag of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic
1971 – 1972 Flag of Bangladesh Used during the liberation war.
1368 – 1906 Flag of the Bruneian Empire
1906 – 1959 Flag of Brunei
1795 - 1920 Flag of the Emirate of Bukhara
1875 – 1948 Flag of British Ceylon
1948 – 1951 Flag of the Dominion of Ceylon
1951 – 1972 Flag of the Dominion of Ceylon
1912 – 1928 Flag of the Republic of China
1398 – 1489 Flag of the Kingdom of Cyprus
1881 – 1922 Flag of Cyprus
1922 – 1960 Flag of Cyprus
1960 Flag of Cyprus
1960 – 2006 Flag of Cyprus
1975 Flag of the Democratic Republic of East Timor (1975)
1999–2002 Flag of United Nations Administered East Timor
1933 – 1934 Flag of the First East Turkestan Republic
1944 – 1949 Flag of the Second East Turkestan Republic
1920 – 1922 Flag of the Far Eastern Republic
1895 Flag of the Republic of Formosa
1990 – 2004 Flag of Georgia
1938 – 1939 Flag of Hatay State
1871 – 1876 Flag of British Hong Kong
1876 – 1955 Flag of British Hong Kong
1955 – 1959 Flag of British Hong Kong
1959 – 1997 Flag of British Hong Kong
1906 – 1980 Flag of Iran (Persia)
1980 – 1980 Flag of Iran With the first IRI emblem.
1980 – 1980 Flag of Iran With the current IRI emblem and the first Takbir design.
1924 – 1959 Flag of Iraq
1959 – 1963 Flag of Iraq
1963 – 1991 Flag of Iraq
1991 – 2004 Flag of Iraq
2004 – 2008 Flag of Iraq
1978 – 1993 Flag of Kampuchea
1991 – 1992 Flag of the Republic of Kazakhstan
1918 – 1920 Flag of the Kuban People's Republic
1922 – 1924 Flag of the Kingdom of Kurdistan
1927 – 1931 Flag of the Kurdish Republic of Ararat
1914 – 1921 Flag of Kuwait
1921 – 1940 Flag of Kuwait
1940 – 1961 Flag of Kuwait
1991 – 1992 Flag of Kyrgyzstan
1992 – 2023 Flag of Kyrgyzstan
1947 – 1975 Flag of the Kingdom of Laos
1946 – 1948 Flag of the Malayan Union
1948 – 1963 Flag of the Federation of Malaya
1911 – 1920, 1921 – 1924 Flag of the Bogd Khanate of Mongolia
1924 – 1940 Flag of the Mongolian People's Republic
1924 – 1940 Flag of the Mongolian People's Republic (alternative)
1940 – 1945 Flag of the Mongolian People's Republic
1945 – 1992 Flag of the Mongolian People's Republic
1974 – 2010 Flag of Myanmar
1961 – 1962 Flag of Netherlands New Guinea
1962 – 1963 Flag of United Nations Administered West New Guinea
1844 – 1922 Flag of the Ottoman Empire
1897 – 1898 Flag of the Biak na Bato
1898 Flag of the Biak na Bato
1943 – 1945 Flag of the Philippines
1946 – 1985, 1986 – 1998 Flag of the Philippines
1985 – 1986 Flag of the Philippines
1862 – 1889 Flag of the Qing dynasty
1889 – 1912 Flag of the Qing dynasty
1858 – 1883 Flag of the Russian Empire
1918 Flag of the Russian Soviet Republic
1918 – 1922 Flag of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic
1991 – 1993 Flag of Russia
1932 – 1934 Flag of Saudi Arabia
1934 – 1938 Flag of Saudi Arabia
1938 – 1973 Flag of Saudi Arabia
1973 – 2023 Flag of Saudi Arabia
1877 – 1914, 1962 – 1967 Flag of the Kingdom of Sikkim
1914 – 1962 Flag of Kingdom of Sikkim
1967 – 1975 Flag of the Kingdom of Sikkim
1962 – 1967 Flag of the Federation of South Arabia
1922 – 1923 Flag of the Soviet Union
1923 – 1924 Flag of the Soviet Union
1924 – 1936 Flag of the Soviet Union
1936 – 1955 Flag of the Soviet Union
1955 – 1991 Flag of the Soviet Union
1843 – 1855 Flag of Siam
1916 – 1951 Flag of Tibet
1991 – 1992 Flag of Turkmenistan
1992 – 1997 Flag of Turkmenistan
1997 – 2001 Flag of Turkmenistan
1918 – 1921 Flag of Uryankhay Krai
1945 – 1955 Flag of North Vietnam
1955 – 1976 Flag of North Vietnam
1949 – 1975 Flag of South Vietnam
1960 – 1976 Flag of South Vietnam
1918 – 1923 Flag of North Yemen
1923 – 1927 Flag of North Yemen
1927 – 1962 Flag of North Yemen
1962 – 1990 Flag of North Yemen
1967 – 1990 Flag of South Yemen

Notes

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  • ^
    Part of Transcaucasian Region, at the crossroads of Asia and Europe. Physiographically, Armenia falls entirely in Western Asia, while Georgia and Azerbaijan are mostly in Western Asia with small portions north of the Caucasus Mountains divide in Europe.
  • ^
    The island of Cyprus, which comprises the Republic of Cyprus, Northern Cyprus and Akrotiri and Dhekelia, is geographically located in Asia, closer to Asian Turkey than to the European mainland. However, the Republic of Cyprus is a member state of the European Union.
  • ^
    Turkey is a transcontinental country in the Middle East and Southeast Europe. Turkey has a biggest part of its territory (95%) in Western Asia called Anatolia.
  • ^
    Kazakhstan is a transcontinental country. Kazakhstan has a small part of its territories located west of the Urals in Eastern Europe.
  • ^
    The Republic of China (ROC) was the recognized legitimate government of China between 1912 and 1949. After its defeat in the Chinese Civil War, the Republic of China retreated to the island of Taiwan where it continues to govern today. In 1949, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was established on the Chinese mainland. Since 1949, both the ROC and PRC officially claim to be the sole legitimate government of the entirety of China (including Taiwan). The flag of the ROC was thus the legitimate flag of China since its adoption in 1928 to 1949, whereas after 1949 its status has been linked to the political status of Taiwan.
  • ^
    Egypt is mostly situated within Africa, however the Sinai Peninsula lies in Asia.

    • See also

    [edit]
    Lists of flags of Asian countries
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