Flag of Democratic Kampuchea
Locally Kâmpŭchéa Prâchéathĭpâtéyy · កម្ពុជាប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ
What the flag looks like
A red field with a yellow three-towered outline of Angkor Wat in the center.
What it means
Red stood for the revolution; Angkor Wat, the national symbol of Cambodia, has appeared in some form on almost every Cambodian national flag.
How to remember it
The Khmer Rouge
state showed a yellow Angkor Wat outline on plain red; Cambodia
today has a white Angkor Wat on a red band between two blue ones.
Fun facts
- Under Khmer Rouge rule from 1975 to 1979, an estimated 1.5 to 2 million people died from execution, forced labour, starvation and disease.
- Vietnamese forces took Phnom Penh in January 1979, ending the regime, but its representatives kept Cambodia's seat at the United Nations through the 1980s.
Democratic Kampuchea at a glance
- Existed
- 1975–1979
- Flag used
- 1976–1979
- Today
- Cambodia
- Capital
- Phnom Penh
- Region
- 1975–1979
- Languages
- Khmer
- Flag adopted
- 1976
Flags often confused with Democratic Kampuchea
- Cambodia: Democratic Kampuchea and Cambodia both show Angkor Wat. Democratic Kampuchea's is a yellow outline on plain red; Cambodia's is white on a red band between two blue bands.
- Vietnam: Democratic Kampuchea and Vietnam are both red with a yellow emblem in the center. Vietnam has a single five-pointed star; Democratic Kampuchea has the three-towered outline of Angkor Wat.