- History
- Historical flags during the Japanese occupation
- Burmese flags after WWII
- Current flag of Burma
- Meaning
- References
The flag of Burma or Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, is the official flag that represents this nation nationally and internationally. It consists of three horizontal stripes of equal size in yellow, green and red, in that order. In the center and covering the three stripes, a white five-pointed star is located.
Because the colors of this flag are known as “pan-African colors”, it is often confused with the flags of African countries.
Source: pixabay.com
Burma has had 11 flags throughout its history. Its first flag was green, had a golden bird in the center and was named the Golden Flag of Burma.
During the Konbaung dynasty, a white flag was used in the center of which a peacock was located.
After British colonization, the Union Jack was part of the successive flags of the nation until the mid-1940s. The country was called British Burma during this time. Being a colony, a blue flag with a peacock and without the Union Jack was used.
Burma has used four more flags before the current one. This was established in the constitution of October 2010.
History
Between 1300 and 1500, the country was symbolized by the banner known as the Golden Flag of Burma. This consisted of a light green rectangle with a golden bird in the center of it.
Flag used during the Hanthawaddy Kingdom (1300–1500)
During the Burmese Empire, under the Konbaung dynasty, 1700 and 1885, the flag consisted of a white rectangle with a peacock in the center.
Flag of the Burmese Empire under the Konbaung dynasty (1700-1885)
During 1824 and 1937, the flag was formed by a red rectangle in whose upper left corner was the Union Jack. On her right side she had a yellow shield. This was the flag of British Burma as part of British India.
Flag of British Burma as part of British India (1824-1937)
During 1824 and 1939, the Union Jack represented British Burma as a colony of the British Raj. When it was a separate British colony, Burma used a blue flag with the Union Jack in the corner and a yellow disk on the right hand side containing a peacock. This flag was used in the years 1939-1943 and 1945-1948.
Flag of British Burma as a separate colony (1939-1943, 1945-1948)
Between 1941 and 1942, the colony was still called British Burma, but the Union Jack had disappeared. So the flag was blue, with the yellow disc and the peacock.
Flag of British Burma (1941-1942)
Historical flags during the Japanese occupation
During the Japanese occupation in World War II, Burma temporarily used the characteristic flag of Japan. This consists of a white rectangle with a red disk in its center. It was used from 1942 to 1943.
In the State of Burma, the Japanese puppet government, a flag of three horizontal stripes of yellow, green and red was established. In its center was a white disk with a peacock in the center. This flag was used from 1943 to 1945.
State Flag of Burma (1943–1945)
Burmese flags after WWII
From 1948, at the end of the war, the flag was red. In its upper left corner was a blue rectangle with a large white five-pointed star. It was accompanied by five small stars around it, also white.
Flag of the Union of Burma (1948-1974)
In the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma (1974-1988) the stars were exchanged for a cog wheel and a superimposed bushel of rice. These were the socialist symbols. Both were surrounded by 15 5-pointed stars representing the administrative divisions and states of Myanmar.
Flag of the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma (1974-1988) and of the Union of Myanmar (1988-2010)
During the Union of Myanmar, established in 1988 and dissolved in 2010, the nation used the same flag as the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma.
In 2010 a new flag was established for the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.
Current flag of Burma
In November 2006, a new flag was proposed for Burma which consisted of a tricolor whose order was green, yellow and red. It had a star in the upper left corner, within the green stripe. However, the National Convention delegates did not accept this flag.
In September 2007 a new flag design was proposed. The order of the elements of the flag was the same used in the flag of the State of Burma (1943-1945). This was the puppet state of the Empire of Japan during World War II.
The current version of the flag was included in the constitution and approved in a referendum held in 2008. After the first meeting of parliament, which was elected in general elections in 2010, both the constitution and the flag came into force. The flag was adopted exactly on October 21, 2010.
Flag of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (October 21, 2010 - present)
In addition to these new measures, the country's authorities declared that all flags prior to the current one should be incinerated. Some modifications were also made to the national anthem and the country changed its name from Union of Myanmar to Republic of Union of Myanmar.
Meaning
The current flag of this Southeast Asian country consists of a tricolor of horizontal stripes of the same size. The upper stripe is yellow, the central stripe is green, and the lower stripe is red. In the entire center of the flag there is a white five-pointed star that covers the three stripes.
Human values are represented in this flag. Thus, the yellow color symbolizes solidarity, the green color represents the peace and vegetation of the nation. Also, the color red symbolizes the courage and determination of the nation.
For its part, the great white five-pointed star in its center represents the perpetual and consolidated union of the country.
The colors of the flag are considered Pan-African colors. This because many flags of Africa have them. For this reason, the flag of Burma is often confused with the banners of African countries.
References
- RT news. (2010). One more socialist country appeared in the world. RT news. Recovered from actuality.rt.com
- Birsel, R. (2010). Myanmar gets new flag, official name, anthem. Reuters. Recovered from ca.reuters.com
- Kostzer, D. (2013). Myanmar, Burma, Burma: The way forward of the last dragon. State and Public Policy Magazine. Recovered from: repositorio.flacsoandes.edu.ec
- Noce, C. and Pedrosa, F. (2015). New processes, old problems. How are countries democratized? The case of Myanmar. Opera magazine.
- The Straits Times. (2010). Myanmar unveils new flag. The Straits Times. Recovered from web.archive.org