Flag of Malaysia

Meaning and history of the flag of Malaysia

Malaysia's flag, known as the Jalur Gemilang ("Stripes of Glory"), has fourteen horizontal stripes alternating red and white, with a dark blue canton in the upper hoist corner containing a yellow crescent moon and a yellow fourteen-pointed star. It was adopted in 1963 when the Federation of Malaysia was formed.

The fourteen stripes and the star's fourteen points represent the equal union of the country's thirteen states and its federal territory. The crescent symbolizes Islam, the country's official religion, while the yellow of the crescent and star is the royal color of the Malay sultans. The blue of the canton represents the unity of the Malaysian people.

Malaysia's flag bears a notable resemblance to the flag of the United States in its stripes and canton, and this is no coincidence: the flag of the British East India Company, which also had red and white stripes, influenced both designs. It also resembles Liberia's flag, though the meaning behind its elements is entirely different.

You can view the flag of Malaysia in high resolution above and download it in several sizes for personal, educational or reference use. To explore more, visit the full Malaysia profile, its map, or the current local time in Kuala Lumpur.