Nepal is the smallest sovereign state with a national flag that is not rectangular.
Nepal’s flag consists of two joined triangular pennants, traditionally associated with the country’s Himalayan setting and long history. It displays a stylised moon and sun, symbols that represent permanence and endurance. The current constitutional design was adopted in 1962.
The flag’s unusual shape makes Nepal immediately recognisable in international settings. Its two triangular sections are not simply decorative: they reflect older South Asian pennant traditions and are often interpreted as representing the Himalayas. Nepal’s constitution also specifies the geometric method used to construct the flag.
Switzerland and Vatican City have square flags in some official contexts, but square is different from Nepal’s distinctive double-pennant shape. Bhutan has a rectangular national flag. Nepal therefore holds the specific distinction of being the smallest country whose national flag is non-rectangular.