Singapore is a city-state and island nation at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, one of the world's most prosperous countries and a major global hub for finance, trade, aviation, and logistics. Despite having no natural resources, Singapore has built a remarkable economy through strategic port management, manufacturing, and financial services. It is the world's most densely populated country after Monaco, with a population of around 5.8 million in just 733 square kilometres.
Population and area are rounded.
Red stands for universal brotherhood and equality of all people, and white for purity and virtue. The crescent represents a young nation on the rise, and the five stars the ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality. The flag was adopted in 1959, when Singapore became self-governing, and kept at independence in 1965.
Singapore's flag was created in 1959 by a committee led by Deputy Prime Minister Toh Chin Chye, when the colony became self-governing. For many years its use by private citizens was restricted outside the National Day period around 9 August; the rules were relaxed in the 2000s. Singapore became independent on 9 August 1965, when it separated from Malaysia.
Horizontal red-over-white with a white crescent and five white stars on the red half.
Singapore went from third-world to first-world in a single generation under Lee Kuan Yew.
Singapore's flag is often mixed up with these. Learn to tell them apart:
Every flag that has flown over Singapore, from today back through time.
Unveiled in 1959 when Singapore became self-governing. The crescent represents a young rising nation; the five stars stand for democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality. It was kept through merger with Malaysia and full independence.
A revised colonial Blue Ensign with the Singapore badge, used in the final years before self-government.
After the Straits Settlements were dissolved in 1946, Singapore became a separate Crown Colony and flew a Blue Ensign with a badge reduced from three crowns to one.
17 other national flags use the same main colours as Singapore's.
Austria
Bahrain
Canada
Denmark
Georgia
Indonesia
Japan
Latvia
Malta
Monaco
Peru
Poland
Qatar
Switzerland
Tonga
Tunisia
Turkey