Flag of Burma

Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma Flag (adopted on January 3, 1974).
Flag ratio: 5:9 (also 2:3 and 6:11)

Union of Burma Flag (c.1948 to 1974).
Flag ratio: 5:9

The flag of Burma (also called Myanmar) was adopted on January 3, 1974 upon the declaration of a socialist republic in Burma by Ne Win.The flag originated in the Burman Resistance, which adopted a red flag with a white star when fighting the occupying Japanese forces during World War II. Upon independence, the star was modified to a blue canton with 5 small stars surrounding one large one, symbolizing the uniting of the country's diverse peoples. Red stands for the courage of the people, blue is for peace, and white is for purity. The emblem was changed in 1974 to represent the new socialist ideology in the country. The 5 stars were changed to 14, encircling a cogwheel and a rice plant. The rice stands for agriculture, the cogwheel represents industry, the 14 stars represent the unity and equality between the 14 member states of the Union.

The new flag design was not radically different from the previous flag of Burma, in that both featured a red field with a blue canton in the upper corner on the hoist side. However, the imagery within the canton was changed to a cog wheel with a bushel of rice superimposed upon it. These socialist symbols stand for the workers and farmers. Surrounding this are 14 five-pointed stars that represent the administrative divisions of Burma. The white color symbolizes purity, the blue symbolizes peace and integrity, and the red symbolizes courage.

Recent Proposals

Proposed flag of Myanmar (2006)

Proposed flag described in the 2008 constitution

A new national flag was proposed on November 10, 2006, during a constitutional convention. The new flag would consist of three equally sized green, yellow, and red horizontal stripes, with a white star in the hoist end of the green stripe. Green represents peace, tranquility and the country's lush and verdant environment; yellow represents solidarity; while red represents valor and decisiveness. The star represents "the perpetual existence of the consolidated Union."^[1]

The proposal for changing the flag was put forward by a commission working under the National Convention, held in Nyaung Hna Pin. A few days later, state media reported that the delegates of the National Convention rejected the new flag.

In September 2007, another new flag was proposed. This time with a larger white star and with the stripes in a different order; the same order as used in the flag of the State of Burma, a Japanese puppet state which existed from 1943-5. This version was included in the new constitution, and was adopted with the 2008 referendum. The new constitution (and with it, the new flag) will come into force with the first sitting of the parliament to be elected in the 2010 election.

Historic flags of Burma

The Golden "Hintar" flag, used between (1300 - 1500)

Flag of Burmese Empire (1853 - 1876)

Flag of British Burma

Flag of the State of Burma (1943 – 1945)

This section requires expansion.

References