Fact Finder - Geography

Fact
The Only Country with a Non-Rectangular Flag
Category
Geography
Subcategory
Tricky Geography Questions
Country
Nepal
Description
In the world of vexillology (the study of flags), almost every national flag is a rectangle. There are two notable exceptions: Switzerland and Vatican City have square flags. However, the most famous tricky geography fact regarding flags is Nepal. Nepal is the only country in the world with a national flag that is not a quadrilateral. Instead, it consists of two stacked triangles (pennons). The crimson red represents the bravery of the Nepalese people and the national flower (rhododendron), while the blue border symbolizes peace. The two triangles represent the Himalayan Mountains and the two main religions of the country, Hinduism and Buddhism. The symbols on the flag—the moon and the sun—represent the hope that the nation will last as long as these celestial bodies.