A brief overview of the meaning, history, and key facts about the national flag of Cambodia.
Flag of Cambodia
The national flag of Cambodia consists of three horizontal stripes of blue, red, and blue, with a white depiction of the Angkor Wat temple centered on the red stripe. The blue stripes represent the monarchy, the red stripe represents the nation and its people, and the white temple symbolizes religion and peace.
Printable Cambodia Flag (PNG Download)
Interesting facts about Cambodia’s flag
1. Cambodia’s national flag is one of the few flags in the world that prominently features a real architectural monument, the temple complex of Angkor Wat.
2. The three colors of the flag correspond to Cambodia’s national motto: “Nation, Religion, King.”
3. Although the current flag was adopted in 1993, the same design was first introduced in 1948 during the period of French colonial rule.
4. Cambodia’s flag disappeared for more than two decades, when different regimes used alternative flag designs between 1970 and 1993.
Explore more about Cambodia:
Evolution of Cambodia’s flag
Cambodia under French protectorate (1863–1948)
Flag featuring a red field with a depiction of Angkor Wat, used while Cambodia was under French protection.
Vectorization: Mrmw, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Kingdom of Cambodia (1948–1970)
A new national flag with blue stripes and a red central band featuring Angkor Wat was introduced in 1948.
Khmer Republic (1970–1975)
After the monarchy was abolished, Cambodia adopted a blue flag with a red canton showing Angkor Wat and three white stars.
Democratic Kampuchea (1976–1979)
Under the Khmer Rouge regime, a red flag with a yellow Angkor Wat temple was introduced.
People’s Republic of Kampuchea (1979–1989)
After the Khmer Rouge government fell, Cambodia adopted another red flag with a yellow temple, but with a more detailed Angkor Wat design.
State of Cambodia (1989–1993)
A new flag combined blue and red horizontal stripes with a yellow Angkor Wat emblem in the center.
United Nations Transitional Authority (1992–1993)
During the UN-administered transitional period, a light blue flag with a white map of Cambodia was used.
Lexicon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
History of Cambodia’s flag
Early development of the design
The design of Cambodia’s national flag dates back to the mid-19th century, when representations of the Angkor Wat temple began to appear on Cambodian national symbols.
The temple was chosen because of its historical and cultural importance.
Introduction of the modern flag
The modern version of the Cambodian flag was first adopted in 1948 during the French colonial period.
It featured three horizontal stripes, blue, red, and blue, with a white image of Angkor Wat centered on the red stripe.
Political changes and new flags
Between 1970 and 1993, Cambodia experienced significant political upheaval and several different governments.
During this time, various alternative flags were used instead of the traditional Angkor Wat design.
Restoration of the national flag
After elections and the restoration of the monarchy in 1993, Cambodia officially reinstated the original 1948 flag design. The flag has remained unchanged since then and continues to represent the Kingdom of Cambodia today.
Explore more: Asian flags.
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. With seven years of teaching experience and a background in educational content, she specialises in creating clear reference resources about countries, geography and global topics.