Laos Flag

The flag of Laos has three horizontal stripes. A single blue stripe through the middle and two smaller stripes along the top and bottom of the flag. In the center of the blue stripe is a white circle.

The Laos flag has its own meaning. The red stripes symbolize the bloodshed in Laos’ fight for independence and it also symbolizes the two regions that Laos joined and separated by that river. The blue stripe symbolizes the wealth and prosperity of Laos, and it symbolizes the Mekong River. The white symbolizes unity and justice. Another meaning of the flag is that the white circle represents the full moon along the Mekong River, which runs through a majority of Laos.

The Laos flag’s was enacted on December 2, 1975. The Laotian flag is modeled after the flag of the Lao Patriotic Front, which is usually referred to as the Pathet Lao, outside of Laos. Pathet Lao was a communist nationalist movement that fought for Laotian independence. In 1975 the Pathet Lao took over control of the Laotian government and abolished the country's monarchy. They set up a communist administration and changed the country's name to the Lao People's Democratic Republic and officially adopted the current national flag. Laos was granted independence form France on July 19, 1949. This is the history of Laos flag. The old Laos flag was enacted when Laos was a French colony. This flag can be flown both nationally and civilly by its citizens.

In 1533, Prince Fa Ngum created the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, or the land of a million elephants. Burma captured Lan Xang in 1571. In 1778, Thailand gained control of Lan Xang. In 1893, Laos became a part of French Indonesia. Japan took control of Laos during World War II. France regained its control after the war. In 1953, Laos gained its independence. However, shortly there after Laos entered into civil war between the royalist forces, backed by the United States, and the republican forces, backed by the Viet Cong. During the Vietnam War, the United States bombed Laos in an effort to stop the supplies to the Viet Cong. In 1975 Laos became a republic.

Individuals who want more information about the flag can find any one of several websites that are available over the internet.