Nepal’s flag is the world’s only non‑rectangular national flag: two stacked crimson pennants bordered blue, bearing a white crescent moon above and a white twelve‑pointed sun below. Adopted with the 1962 constitution, it modernised 19th‑century royal standards by removing facial features. Crimson denotes bravery and the national flower; blue peace. Exact geometric construction is codified in law.
Nepal’s national flag preserves the ancient form of double pennons while translating royal insignia into a modern national emblem. The current flag dates to the 1962 constitution, which provided a geometric construction method specifying angles, segment lengths, border widths, and emblem placements so that any artisan could reproduce the design precisely.
The composition is two stacked crimson triangular pennants bordered with deep blue. The upper pennant carries a white crescent moon; the lower bears a white stylised twelve‑pointed sun. Earlier variants depicted human faces on the celestial bodies; these were removed in 1962 to simplify and modernise the iconography. Crimson is associated with bravery and with the rhododendron, Nepal’s national flower; blue signifies peace and harmony.
Historically, triangular standards were used by monarchs and military units in the Kathmandu Valley and beyond. Through successive dynasties, the shapes and emblems varied, but the twin pennants became an identifier of the kingdom. The 20th‑century shift to codified geometry paralleled constitutional reform, establishing a durable, reproducible national symbol.
Protocol
governs respectful handling, typical display on government buildings and landmarks, and half‑masting when ordered. The distinctive shape poses unique manufacturing considerations—reinforced hoists and precise border mitres—addressed in official specifications. The flag’s singular outline ensures immediate recognisability among world flags while asserting Nepal’s independent historical trajectory.