Bhutan, flag of

Bhutan, flag of

▪ Flag History

      diagonally divided (yellow-orange over orange-red) national flag featuring a white dragon in its centre. Its width-to-length ratio is 2 to 3.

      Traditionally, the sound of thunder in the many mountains and valleys of Bhutan is believed to be the voice of dragons, and the country is known as the “Land of the Thunder Dragon” in its native language. However, the flag's dragon design may have been influenced by similar designs used for centuries by the neighbouring Chinese. In its claws the dragon on the flag grasps jewels, standing for national wealth and for perfection. The dragon, which was originally green, is now white, symbolizing purity and the loyalty of various ethnic groups within the country. The yellow-orange colour, which the Bhutanese government officially describes as yellow, is symbolic of the power of the king, as head of the secular government, while the orange-red is associated with the Bka'-brgyud-pa (Kagyupa) and Rnying-ma-pa (Nyingmapa) Buddhist sects and with the religious commitment of the nation.

      The exact date of introduction of this flag is unknown, but it may have occurred in 1971 when Bhutan joined the United Nations. Until the 1960s Bhutan was largely closed to the outside world; its foreign relations had been conducted through the United Kingdom (1910–49) and by India (from 1949 to the 1960s). Bhutan's isolation and lack of a seacoast strictly limited the circumstances under which a national flag was required.

Whitney Smith
 

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Bhutan — /booh tahn /, n. Bhutanese, adj. a kingdom in the Himalayas, NE of India: foreign affairs under Indian jurisdiction. 1,865,191; ab. 19,300 sq. mi. (50,000 sq. km). Cap.: Thimphu. * * * Bhutan Introduction Bhutan Background: In 1865, Britain and… …   Universalium

  • Bhutan Postal Corporation Ltd. — Bhutan Postal Corporation Ltd. Тип общество с ограниченной ответственностью Год основания 1996 Расположени …   Википедия

  • Bhutan War — Date 1864 1865 Location The Bengal Duars Result British victory Territorial changes Bhutan ceded parts of the Assam Duars, Bengal …   Wikipedia

  • Flag of Japan — Name Nisshōki[1] or Hinomaru[2] Use …   Wikipedia

  • Flag of Malaysia — Name Jalur Gemilang ( Stripes of Glory ) Use Civil and state flag and state ensign …   Wikipedia

  • Flag of Bangladesh — Use National flag Proportion 3:5 …   Wikipedia

  • Flag of Burma — (Myanmar) မြန်မာ နိုင်ငံတော်အလံ Use National flag and civil and state ensign …   Wikipedia

  • Flag of Wales — Name Y Ddraig Goch (The Red Dragon) Use Civil and state flag …   Wikipedia

  • Flag of North Korea — Flag of the Democratic People s Republic of Korea Name 람홍색공화국기(발) Hanja: 藍紅色共和國旗(발) MR: ramhongsaek konghwagukki([t?]pal) …   Wikipedia

  • Flag of Mongolia — Name The flag with Golden Soyombo Use National flag …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”