Asia · KG / KGZ
Flag of Kyrgyzstan
The Kyrgyzstan flag is a plain red field with a yellow sun in the center. The sun has 40 rays and holds a tunduk, the circular roof opening of a nomad's yurt.
What the flag of Kyrgyzstan looks like
The flag of Kyrgyzstan is a red rectangle with a width-to-height ratio of 3:5. In the middle sits a yellow sun disc surrounded by 40 rays. Inside the disc is a stylized tunduk, the roof of a yurt as seen from the inside, looking straight up through the opening.
Only two colors are used, which makes the flag easy to recognize at a distance. It has no crescent, no stars and no stripes. It is one of the flags of Central Asia, along with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, but it looks quite different from all of them.
Kyrgyzstan flag colors
Color codes measured from the official design. Use HEX for the web and CMYK for print.
HEX
#FF0000RGB
255, 0, 0CMYK
0, 100, 100, 0HEX
#FFFE00RGB
255, 254, 0CMYK
0, 0, 100, 0Kyrgyzstan flag meaning and symbolism
The red field stands for bravery and valor and alludes to the banner said to have been raised by Manas, the national hero of Kyrgyzstan. The yellow sun stands for peace and prosperity.
The 40 rays stand for the number of tribes united by Manas to fight against the Mongols, as well as the number of his followers. The tunduk is the most distinctive element. It is the opening in the roof of a yurt, the traditional nomadic tent. Although yurts are less commonly used today, the tunduk is meant to symbolize the origin of life, the unity of time and space, and the people's hearth and home and their history.
History of the Kyrgyz flag
For most of the 20th century Kyrgyz lands flew Soviet banners. From 1953 the flag of the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic was derived from the flag of the Soviet Union. The republic declared independence on 31 August 1991 and kept the Soviet-era flag for about seven months.
The current flag was adopted on 3 March 1992. It was adopted one day after Kyrgyzstan was admitted to the United Nations, and the sun and tunduk replaced the Soviet design. The red field alludes to the banner of Manas, though some critics see it as a remnant of communism.
In late 2023 parliament voted to straighten the wavy sun rays, because their resemblance to a sunflower was seen as unwelcome: in Kyrgyz culture a sunflower can signify a fickle person willing to switch allegiance. The bill passed its final reading on 20 December, was signed by President Sadyr Japarov on 22 December and came into force on 26 December 2023.
How the Kyrgyz flag is used
The flag is raised on public buildings in Bishkek and across the country, and it is shown on Independence Day (31 August). Because the design is so simple, it appears in many handicrafts, including felt wall hangings in red and yellow. You can find the flag as an emoji at the Kyrgyzstan flag emoji page, and files for printing at the download page.
Kyrgyzstan flag facts
| Country | Kyrgyzstan |
|---|---|
| Flag adopted | March 3, 1992 |
| Proportions | 3:5 |
| Colors | #FF0000, #FFFE00 |
| Symbols | Sun, tyndyk |
| Flag emoji | 🇰🇬 |
| Country code | KG, KGZ (ISO 3166) |
| Capital | Bishkek |
| Continent | Asia |
| Population | 7,281,800 |
| Area | 199,951 km² |
| Currency | Kyrgyz som |
| National anthem | State Anthem of the Kyrgyz Republic |
Kyrgyzstan flag: frequently asked questions
What does the Kyrgyzstan flag represent?
Red stands for bravery and recalls the banner of the hero Manas. The yellow sun with 40 rays represents peace, prosperity and the forty tribes united by Manas, and the tunduk in the center represents the roof of a yurt, a symbol of home and family.
What is the old name of Kyrgyzstan?
From 1936 to 1991 the country was the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic, part of the USSR. Before that it was an autonomous region in the Russian Soviet republic, and in the 19th century the area was ruled by the Khanate of Kokand and then the Russian Empire.
Is Kyrgyzstan from Russia?
No. Kyrgyzstan is an independent country in Central Asia, with its capital in Bishkek. It was a Soviet republic until 1991, and Russian is still widely used there as an official language next to Kyrgyz.
What is the Kyrgyzstan flag emoji?
The 🇰🇬 emoji is the flag of Kyrgyzstan. It shows the red field with the yellow sun and is made from the country letters K and G.
What is the tunduk on the Kyrgyzstan flag?
The tunduk is the circular opening in the roof of a yurt, the traditional Kyrgyz nomadic tent, shown as seen from inside. On the flag it sits in the yellow sun and stands for the origin of life, the unity of time and space, and the people's hearth and home.
What did the Kyrgyzstan flag look like before 1992?
Kyrgyzstan used the flag of the Kirghiz SSR, which was derived from the flag of the Soviet Union and adopted in 1953. It stayed in use for about seven months after independence was declared in 1991. The current red and yellow flag replaced it on 3 March 1992.
Why was the Kyrgyzstan flag changed in 2023?
Lawmakers wanted the sun's wavy rays straightened because they looked like a sunflower, which in Kyrgyz culture can signify a fickle person. The law passed on 20 December 2023, was signed on 22 December and took effect on 26 December. So the old and new flags differ only in the rays.
