Flag of Cambodia

Description

Since around 1875, the Cambodian flag has featured a depiction of Angkor Wat in the centre. The current flag, with blue border stripes and a red central one (ratio 1:2:1 blue-red-blue) was adopted in 1948 after WWII, during a period of reforms and unrest in Cambodia due to French colonial rule. It was used until 9 October 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 beginning in 1976. 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 colour 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 the flags of Portugal, San Marino and Spain, are the only four state flags to feature a building. Red and blue are traditionally the colours of Cambodia.

The flag used today is the same as that established in 1948, although the older flag is sometimes said to have used a red outline for Angkor Wat while the current flag uses black specifically. Since that time, five other intervening designs have been used. Almost all made use of the image of the temple of Angkor Wat in one form or another. This famous Hindu-Buddhist temple, which dates from the 12th century, was built by the Mahidharapura monarchs. It has five towers, but these were not always all depicted in the stylised version used on flags. The monarchy was restored in September 1993, the 1948 flag having been readopted in June of that year.

Symbolism

Royal Standard

The Royal Standard of the King of Cambodia (, km; "King's Flag") is the personal flag of Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni. It is also considered among the National Symbols of Cambodia.

Historical national flags

|- | [[File:Flag of Cambodia.svg|100px|border]] || 1948–1970 1975–1976 | Flag of the Kingdom of Cambodia during the French protectorate (1948–1953) and after its independence from France (1953–1970) as well as Kampuchea (1975–1976) ||

|- | [[File:Flag of the Khmer Republic.svg|100px|border]] || 1970–1975 || Flag of the Khmer Republic. ||

|- | [[File:Flag of Democratic Kampuchea.svg|100px|border]] || 1976–1979 1982–1993 1993-1998 || Flag of Democratic Kampuchea (and of the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea until 1993 and the Provisional Government of National Union and National Salvation of Cambodia until 1998) ||

|- | [[File:Flag of the People's Republic of Kampuchea.svg|100px|border]] || 1979–1989 || Flag of the People's Republic of Kampuchea ||

|- | [[File:Flag of the State of Cambodia.svg|100px|border]] || 1989–1993 || Flag of the State of Cambodia. ||

|- | [[File:Flag_of_Cambodia_under_UNTAC.svg|100px|border]] || 1992–1993 || Flag of United Nations Administered Cambodia (UNTAC)||

|- | [[File:Flag of Cambodia.svg|100px|border]] || 1993–present || Flag of Cambodia since the restoration of the monarchy in 1993. ||

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References

References

1. (March 20, 2015). "Flags, for God's Sake".
2. Higham, Charles F. W.. (2002). "The Origins of the Civilisation of Angkor". Proceedings of the British Academy.
3. "Cambodian Flag History". Crwflags.com.