Flag of Tajikistan

What the flag looks like

Three horizontal stripes of red, white and green, with the white stripe twice as tall as the others, and a gold crown under an arc of seven gold stars in the center.

What it means

Red represents unity and sovereignty, white purity and cotton, and green the bounty of nature; the crown and seven stars are linked to the people and to traditional ideas of happiness and perfection.

How to remember it

Tajikistan wears a gold crown with seven stars on its wide white band, red on top; Iran puts green on top, and Hungary has no emblem.

Fun facts

• The crown is often linked to a folk etymology connecting the name "Tajik" with "taj", the Persian word for crown.
• More than 90% of Tajikistan is mountainous, much of it in the Pamir range.

Tajikistan at a glance

Capital

Dushanbe

Region

Central Asia

Population

11 million

Area

143,100 km²

Languages

Russian, Tajik

Currency

Tajikistani somoni (ЅМ)

Flag adopted

1992

Flags often confused with Tajikistan

• Iran: Iran and Tajikistan both have green, white and red stripes. Iran has green on top and a red emblem; Tajikistan has red on top, a much wider white stripe and a gold crown under seven stars.
• Hungary: Hungary and Tajikistan are both red, white and green from the top. Hungary's stripes are equal and plain; Tajikistan's white stripe is wider and has a gold crown and stars.
• Bulgaria: Bulgaria and Tajikistan are both horizontal white, green and red. Bulgaria has white on top and no emblem; Tajikistan has red on top and a gold crown and stars on a wide white middle.