Flag of Cambodia

Cambodia

Name	Khmer: ទង់ជាតិកម្ពុជា (The national flag of Cambodia)
Use	National flag and ensign Angkor Wat
Proportion	2:3
Adopted	1993 (previously used 1948-1970)
Design	Three horizontal bands of blue, red (double width) and blue, with a depiction of Angkor Wat in white centered on the red band.

The national flag of Cambodia (Khmer: ទង់ជាតិកម្ពុជា Tung-Cheat, "National flag") was readopted in 1993, after elections returned the monarchy to rule.

History

Since around 1850, the Cambodian flag has featured a depiction of Angkor Wat 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. 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 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

Royal Standard of the King of Cambodia

Adopted	1993
Design	azure, the royal arms or

The Royal Standard of the King of Cambodia (Khmer:ទង់ព្រះមហាក្សត្រ; literally, "King's Flag") is the personal flag of the Cambodian monarch. It was officially adopted in 1993, but its initial use dates back to 1941. It is also considered among the national symbols of Cambodia.

Historical national flags

Flag	Duration	Use
	1863- March 1945, October 1945-1948	Flag of the French Protectorate of Cambodia
	March - October 1945	Flag of the short-lived Cambodian Pro-Tokyo puppet state established under the Japanese occupation of Cambodia
	1948–1970, 1993–present	Flag of the French Protectorate of Cambodia (1948–1953) Flag of the Kingdom of Cambodia (1953–1970)
	1970–1975	Flag of the Khmer Republic
	1975–1979	Flag of Democratic Kampuchea
	1979–1989	Flag of the People's Republic of Kampuchea
	1989–1991	Flag of the State of Cambodia[1]
	1992–1993	Flag of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC)

References

External links

• Cambodia at Flags of the World