Flag of Pakistan
Officially Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Locally Pākistān · پاکستان
What the flag looks like
A dark green field with a white vertical band at the hoist and a white crescent and five-pointed star in the center of the green.
What it means
Green represents the Muslim majority and white the religious minorities; the crescent stands for progress and the star for light and knowledge.
How to remember it
Pakistan
is a white crescent and star on dark green with a white strip at the hoist; Algeria
is half green, half white with a red crescent.
Fun facts
- The flag was adopted on 11 August 1947, three days before independence, and was based on the flag of the All-India Muslim League.
- K2, the second-highest mountain on Earth, lies on the border between Pakistan and China.
Pakistan at a glance
- Capital
- Islamabad
- Region
- Southern Asia
- Population
- 251 million
- Area
- 881,912 km²
- Languages
- English, Urdu
- Currency
- Pakistani rupee (₨)
- Flag adopted
- 1947
Flags often confused with Pakistan
- Algeria: Algeria and Pakistan both pair green and white with a crescent and star. Algeria splits into equal halves with a red crescent; Pakistan has a narrow white strip at the hoist and a white crescent on dark green.
- Mauritania: Mauritania and Pakistan are both green with a crescent and star. Pakistan has a white band at the hoist and a white crescent; Mauritania has a yellow crescent and star with red stripes at the top and bottom.
- Turkey: Pakistan and Turkey both show a white crescent and star. Turkey's field is red; Pakistan's is dark green with a white band at the hoist.