The Kingdom of Cambodia is a small country in Southeast Asia. Unlike the national symbols of many countries, the national flag of Cambodia does not reflect its historical or geographical features. He reports on the present of the country and combines the main principles and worldview of its inhabitants.
Flag of Cambodia: photo and description
Along with the anthem and coat of arms, the flag is one of the national symbols of the state. It has a rectangular shape with aspect ratios of 2: 3. The flag of Cambodia was first approved in 1948 and was abolished in 1970. Twenty-three years later, he was reapproved.
The main values of the country are embodied in its motto: "Nation, religion, king." This displays the flag of Cambodia. Its panel is divided into horizontal stripes of different sizes. The upper and lower strips of size ¼ width are painted blue. Between them is a red stripe, half the size of the cloth. In its center is a temple.
Blue is associated with sky and purity. Here he denotes the monarchy and royal power, since the ruler of the country is considered an intermediary between the Higher forces and the people. The red color indicates the inhabitants of Cambodia and speaks of their courage. The White Temple is a symbol of religion, and its placement in the center of the flag indicates its importance in the life of the population. It also means justice.
What kind of temple on the flag of Cambodia?
The flag of the kingdom depicts not an abstract silhouette, but a concrete temple existing in reality - Angkor Wat. This is one of the most significant religious buildings not only in Cambodia, but throughout the world. The building appeared in the XII century and is a huge temple complex.
It is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu - the main guardian of the universe. Angkor Wat is built like a mountain temple, where, like the Greek Olympus, the gods inhabited. It consists of five towers resembling a lotus, and is surrounded by a moat almost two hundred meters wide. The central tower rises above the ground by 65 meters.
The complex belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the most important monument of archeology in the world, and for Cambodians it is not only historical, but also religious. And to this day this place is a shrine to which the locals treat with special respect and honor.
Kingdom historical flags
The period from the 15th to the 19th centuries in the history of the country is called “dark times”. Then the very first of the known flags operated. It looked like a white canvas with a yellow triangle, the base of which began from the shaft. The triangle was surrounded by a thin green outline.
During the French protectorate in 1863, a Cambodian flag close to the modern one appeared. The white temple was located on a red background, and a thin blue strip was located around the perimeter.
After that, the composition of the flag has changed more than once. During the Japanese occupation, for example, it acquired the appearance of a red panel, on which four white squares were located. They were connected by a thin white line, and in the center was another white square.
During the reign of the Khmer Rouge, the flag acquired a different scale. The golden silhouette depicted the golden silhouette of Angkor Wat, and it was depicted very roughly. From 1989 to 1991 a flag with a golden temple was operating in the country against a broad blue and red strip. The modern flag was approved twice, the last time it was firmly fixed as an official symbol.