Cambodia Flag

The national flag of Cambodia is a distinctive tricolor banner featuring three horizontal stripes of blue, red, and blue. Its most prominent feature is the central depiction of the Angkor Wat temple complex, rendered in white and centered on the wider red band. This design creates a powerful and instantly recognizable national symbol that is unique among world flags.

The flag's proportions are officially set at 2:3, with the central red stripe being twice the height of each of the two blue stripes. The white Angkor Wat emblem is meticulously detailed, representing the iconic silhouette of the temple's three towers and its surrounding structures. This central placement ensures the cultural and historical symbol is the focal point of the design.

Adopted in its current form in 1993, the flag represents the restoration of the monarchy and the modern Kingdom of Cambodia. Its colors and central motif are deeply rooted in the nation's history, having been used in various iterations for over a century. The flag is a direct descendant of designs used by the Khmer Empire and the Kingdom of Cambodia in the mid-20th century.

The blue stripes at the top and bottom of the flag symbolize the king and the ideals of royalty, cooperation, and unity. The central red stripe represents the nation and its people, evoking bravery and determination. Together, the colors frame the nation's most precious symbol placed at its heart.

The white depiction of Angkor Wat is the flag's central and most important symbol. It represents the Khmer civilization, the nation's rich cultural heritage, and the Buddhist religion. Angkor Wat is a source of immense national pride, symbolizing the soul of Cambodia and its historical significance as a center of empire and architecture.

The current flag was officially readopted on June 30, 1993, following the restoration of the monarchy and the end of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) period. This design revives the flag used by the Kingdom of Cambodia from 1948 to 1970, prior to the Khmer Republic. Its lineage can be traced back to earlier Cambodian flags that also featured the Angkor Wat motif.

During the Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979) and the subsequent People's Republic of Kampuchea, different flags were used, with the iconic Angkor Wat symbol absent. The return of this specific flag in 1993 marked a symbolic return to the nation's pre-war identity and cultural continuity, representing a unifying symbol for the modern state.