Flag of Singapore

Meaning and history of the flag of Singapore

The flag of Singapore has two equal horizontal stripes, red on top and white on the bottom. In the upper hoist canton, on the red stripe, sits a white crescent moon accompanied by five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle.

It was adopted on December 3, 1959, when Singapore gained self-governance from the United Kingdom. Red symbolizes universal brotherhood and the equality of all people, while white represents purity and virtue. The crescent moon symbolizes a young nation on the rise, and the five stars represent the country's ideals: democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality. The crescent design was also chosen to represent Singapore's ethnic Malay Muslim population, ensuring they felt included in the national identity. Although it shares the colors red and white with the flags of Indonesia, Monaco, and Poland, the canton with the crescent and stars makes it instantly recognizable.

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