Flag of Malaysia

What the flag looks like

Fourteen horizontal stripes alternating red and white, starting with red, and a dark blue canton containing a yellow crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star.

What it means

The 14 stripes and 14 star points represent the 13 states and the federal government; the crescent stands for Islam, yellow for the royal rulers and blue for the unity of the people.

How to remember it

Malaysia looks like the US flag at first glance, but its blue corner holds a yellow crescent and a 14-pointed star instead of white stars.

Fun facts

• The flag is called the Jalur Gemilang, "Stripes of Glory", a name given in 1997.
• The star and stripes rose from 11 to 14 in 1963 to include Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore; after Singapore left in 1965, the 14th came to represent the federal government.

Malaysia at a glance

Capital

Kuala Lumpur (official), Putrajaya (administrative)

Region

South-Eastern Asia

Population

36 million

Area

330,803 km²

Languages

English, Malay

Currency

Malaysian ringgit (RM)

Flag adopted

1963

Flags often confused with Malaysia

• United States: Malaysia and the United States both have red and white stripes with a blue canton. Malaysia's canton has a yellow crescent and star; the US canton has 50 white stars.
• Liberia: Liberia and Malaysia both have red and white stripes with a blue canton. Liberia has a single white star; Malaysia has a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star.