Flag of the Maldives

Maldives is an archipelago country located in the Indian Ocean. It is officially called the Republic of Maldives. The island is made up of twenty six land masses extending in the north to south direction. The island is in the Laccadive Sea of the Northern Indian Ocean. Its boundaries include Sri Lanka and India in the south west direction. Maldives is composed of many islands and the central archipelago is the Lakshadweep-Maldives-Chagos group of islands. The islands are really the peaks of a huge underwater sierra standing at the bottom of the Indian Ocean and the Arabic Sea. The archipelago has a territory of approximately 90,000 square kilometers and the islands are very geographically spread. The capital of Maldives is the city of male and is found in the south of North Male Atoll. This is the seat of government and traditionally called the King’s island because the palace of the royal dynasties who first ruled it was built there.

The flag of Maldives is made up of a prominent red field with a green rectangle at its center and a white crescent moon vertically positioned in it. The closing of the crescent moon is facing the hoist side. The red field in the flag signifies the bravery of the national heroes and the blood that they shed for the protection of their nation. The green area represents peace and wealth for the people. The white crescent moon means that the state is one in its Islamic faith and tradition.

The design of the flag had undergone many modifications since it was first made in the early 20th century. The earliest flag was a simple plain red banner. The next flag featured the Dhandimathi, a black and white striped hoist and used until the early 20th century. The next addition was made by the former Prime Minister Abdul Majeed Didi in the form of a white crescent moon in the center. In 1926 until 1932, there was the addition of the green rectangle in the center.

The national flag has its opening facing the hoist side while the state flag’s crescent faces the opposite direction. In 1953 to 1965, Maldives was made a republic and the flag has undergone another change. The national flag ceased to be used and the new flag featured a five pointed white star besides the crescent moon.

When the sultanate reign was reinstated in 1954, the flag was not altered back but Muhammad Fareed Didi, the last sultan of Maldives made the flag particularly for the sultan and today; this design of the flag is still the Presidential Standard. In 1965, Maldives became independent and the striped hoist was eliminated and this is the current flag used by the country.