Nepal has the world’s only national flag that is not rectangular or square. Its distinctive design consists of two joined triangular pennants, often described as a double-pennon or double-triangle flag.
The two pennants represent the Himalayan kingdom’s historic royal houses, the Shah dynasty and the Rana dynasty. The upper pennant contains a stylized moon, while the lower pennant contains a sun. These symbols are associated with permanence and the hope that Nepal will endure as long as the sun and moon.
Nepal’s current flag was adopted on 16 December 1962, after the country introduced a new constitutional system. Its crimson red represents bravery and is also associated with Nepal’s national flower, the rhododendron. The blue border symbolizes peace and harmony.
The flag’s shape is carefully defined in Nepal’s constitution, which includes a geometric construction diagram. It is sometimes mistakenly called simply triangular, but it is specifically formed from two stacked pennants.