Flags of Asia

Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a mountainous landlocked country in Central/South Asia, with the capital Kabul. Much of it is dominated by the Hindu Kush mountains.

💡 Did you know? Afghanistan's flag was changed more often in the 20th and 21st centuries than that of almost any other country.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh lies in South Asia on the Bay of Bengal, with the capital Dhaka. The densely populated country is criss-crossed by great river deltas.

💡 Did you know? The red disc on a green field stands for the sun over the fertile land.

Bhutan

Bhutan is a small Himalayan kingdom between India and China, with the capital Thimphu. It measures its success by 'Gross National Happiness'.

💡 Did you know? The flag shows a thunder dragon (Druk): Bhutan calls itself the 'Land of the Thunder Dragon'.

Cambodia

Cambodia lies in South-East Asia on the Gulf of Thailand, with the capital Phnom Penh. It is famous for the temple complex of Angkor Wat.

💡 Did you know? Cambodia is the only country to show a building (the temple of Angkor Wat) on its flag.

China

China is one of the most populous countries in Asia and a major economic power, with the capital Beijing. It reaches from coasts to the Tibetan plateau.

💡 Did you know? The large star on the flag stands for the Communist Party, the four small ones for the people.

India

India is one of the most populous countries in the world, in South Asia, with the capital New Delhi. It reaches from the Himalayas to tropical coasts.

💡 Did you know? The blue wheel in the centre of the flag, the 'Ashoka Chakra', symbolises progress and eternal motion.

Indonesia

Indonesia is the largest island nation in the world, in South-East Asia, with the capital Jakarta. It consists of thousands of islands.

💡 Did you know? Indonesia spreads over more than 17,000 islands.

Iran

Iran lies in the Middle East between the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf, with the capital Tehran. It was the heartland of ancient Persia.

💡 Did you know? Until 1935 Iran was known in the West as 'Persia'.

Iraq

Iraq lies in the Middle East between the Euphrates and the Tigris, with the capital Baghdad. Ancient Mesopotamia lay here.

💡 Did you know? Between the Euphrates and the Tigris, Sumer (one of humanity's first civilisations) arose over 5000 years ago.

Israel

Israel lies on the eastern Mediterranean in the Middle East, with the seat of government in Jerusalem. It is a centre of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

💡 Did you know? The flag shows the Star of David between two blue stripes, modelled on the Jewish prayer shawl.

Japan

Japan is an island nation in the Pacific off the east coast of Asia, with the capital Tokyo. It blends ancient traditions with high tech.

💡 Did you know? The flag shows the rising sun: Japan calls itself the 'Land of the Rising Sun'.

Jordan

Jordan lies in the Middle East east of the River Jordan, with the capital Amman. It is home to the famous rock city of Petra.

💡 Did you know? The rock-cut city of Petra is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country on Earth, in Central Asia, with the capital Astana. Large parts are open steppe.

💡 Did you know? Kazakhstan is the largest country in the world with no access to the sea.

Kuwait

Kuwait is a small, oil-rich emirate on the Persian Gulf, with the capital also called Kuwait. It is one of the wealthiest countries in the region.

💡 Did you know? Kuwait sits on a significant share of the world's known oil reserves.

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia, with the capital Bishkek. Almost the whole country lies in high mountains.

💡 Did you know? The sun on the flag shows the roof frame of a yurt, the traditional nomad's tent.

Laos

Laos is a mountainous landlocked country in South-East Asia on the Mekong, with the capital Vientiane. It is the region's only landlocked country.

💡 Did you know? The white disc of the flag stands for the full moon over the Mekong River.

Lebanon

Lebanon lies on the eastern Mediterranean in the Middle East, with the capital Beirut. It is known for its thousands of years of history.

💡 Did you know? The cedar on the flag is an ancient symbol of the country and is mentioned in the Bible.

Malaysia

Malaysia lies in South-East Asia and consists of two parts separated by the sea, with the capital Kuala Lumpur. It is tropical and rich in species.

💡 Did you know? The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur were the tallest buildings in the world when completed.

Mongolia

Mongolia is a vast landlocked country between Russia and China, with the capital Ulaanbaatar. It is shaped by steppes and the Gobi Desert.

💡 Did you know? Mongolia is the most sparsely populated independent country in the world.

Myanmar

Myanmar (formerly Burma) lies in South-East Asia on the Bay of Bengal, with the largest city Yangon. It is famous for thousands of golden pagodas.

💡 Did you know? The plain of Bagan is dotted with thousands of temples and pagodas.

Nepal

Nepal is a landlocked country in the Himalayas between India and China, with the capital Kathmandu. The highest mountain on Earth lies here.

💡 Did you know? Nepal is the only country in the world without a rectangular flag; its flag is made of two pennants.

North Korea

North Korea lies in the north of the Korean Peninsula in East Asia, with the capital Pyongyang. It is one of the most isolated countries in the world.

💡 Did you know? North Korea is separated from its neighbour South Korea by one of the most heavily fortified borders in the world.

Oman

Oman lies in the south-east of the Arabian Peninsula on the Indian Ocean, with the capital Muscat. It is known for deserts, mountains and frankincense.

💡 Did you know? In antiquity Oman was a centre of the trade in precious frankincense.

Pakistan

Pakistan lies in South Asia on the Arabian Sea, with the capital Islamabad. It reaches from coasts to the Himalayas.

💡 Did you know? The crescent and star stand for Islam, the white stripe for the country's religious minorities.

Philippines

The Philippines are an island nation in the western Pacific in South-East Asia, with the capital Manila. They consist of over 7000 islands.

💡 Did you know? Turning the flag so that the red is on top signals a state of war.

Qatar

Qatar is a small, wealthy emirate on a peninsula in the Persian Gulf, with the capital Doha. Its wealth comes from natural gas and oil.

💡 Did you know? In 2022 Qatar became the first Arab country to host a football World Cup.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia occupies most of the Arabian Peninsula, with the capital Riyadh. It is home to the holy sites of Islam.

💡 Did you know? The flag bears the Islamic declaration of faith and is therefore never flown at half-mast.

South Korea

South Korea lies in the south of the Korean Peninsula in East Asia, with the capital Seoul. It is a leading high-tech nation.

💡 Did you know? The red-and-blue circle on the flag stands for the balance of opposites (yin and yang).

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a tropical island in the Indian Ocean south of India, with the seat of government at Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte. It is famous for its tea.

💡 Did you know? The lion with the sword on the flag stands for the Sinhalese people.

Syria

Syria lies on the eastern Mediterranean in the Middle East, with the capital Damascus. It has a history going back thousands of years.

💡 Did you know? Damascus is regarded as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

Taiwan

Taiwan is an island in the Pacific off the coast of China, with the capital Taipei. It is a world-leading maker of computer chips.

💡 Did you know? A large share of the world's most advanced computer chips is made in Taiwan.

Tajikistan

Tajikistan is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia, with the capital Dushanbe. Almost the whole country lies in high mountains.

💡 Did you know? Over 90 percent of Tajikistan is covered by mountains.

Thailand

Thailand lies in South-East Asia between the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, with the capital Bangkok. It is a popular destination.

💡 Did you know? Thailand is the only country in South-East Asia never colonised by a European power.

Turkey

Turkey lies partly in Europe and partly in Asia, on the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, with the capital Ankara. Istanbul links both continents.

💡 Did you know? Istanbul is the only major city in the world that lies on two continents.

Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia on the Caspian Sea, with the capital Ashgabat. Most of it is covered by the Karakum Desert.

💡 Did you know? In the desert a gas crater called the 'Gates of Hell' has been burning for decades.

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates lie on the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula, with the capital Abu Dhabi. Their wealth comes from oil.

💡 Did you know? Dubai is home to the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, with the capital Tashkent. Splendid cities such as Samarkand lie on the old Silk Road.

💡 Did you know? Samarkand was one of the most glorious cities on the historic Silk Road.

Vietnam

Vietnam is a long, narrow country on the east coast of South-East Asia on the South China Sea, with the capital Hanoi. It is known for rice terraces and cuisine.

💡 Did you know? Vietnam is one of the largest coffee producers in the world.

Yemen

Yemen lies in the south of the Arabian Peninsula by the Red Sea, with the capital Sanaa. It is famous for its ancient mud-brick high-rise architecture.

💡 Did you know? The old city of Sanaa, with its centuries-old mud towers, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.