The Bhutan flag is a unique symbol of its culture and Buddhism tradition in the country. Moreover, it is considered one of the most vibrant and uniquely designed flags in the world. The bi-color flag featuring the snarling dragon and jewels in the claws represents the power and wealth of the nation. Like any other country, each color in the Bhutan flag has symbolic value and symbolizes the pride and unique identity of the country.

History Of Bhutan Flag

The history of the National flag of Bhutan dates back to the Indo-Bhutan treaty in 1949 that was designed at the request of Second King Jigme Wangchuck. The flag featured a bi-color square design - a yellow & orange fimbriation running from the lower hoist to the upper flag end. Moreover, it has a green dragon parallelly facing the fly end. The first flag design was embroidered by one of the few lharips (painter) - Taw Taw from Pesiling, Bumthang. The green Dragon in the flag referred to the yu druk ngonm (turquoise dragon).

Second Version (1956)

During the royal tour of Late Majesty Jigme Dorji in 1956, the second version of the Bhutan flag featuring the white Dragon was introduced. It had the same bi-color design based on the first Bhutan flag design. The larger flag of size six square feet was hoisted on the camp.

Current Version of Bhutan Flag

In the late 1950s, the present version of the Bhutan flag was introduced during the visit of an Indian officer to Bhutan. It was redesigned in a rectangular shape and measured to the Indian flag ( nine by six feet).

The current Bhutan flag mainly featured the following changes.

  • Dragon color was changed to white and embroidered diagonally to the fimbriation.
  • Lower level color changed to orange at the request of the king.
  • Shape changed from square to rectangular

The Dragon on the Bhutan flag was painted by Kilkhor Lopen Jada. So, the present Bhutan flag is a bi-color rectangular shaped flag diagonally divided into orange and yellow colors.

Color Of Bhutan Flag

Bhutan flag mainly features two colors - Yellow and Orange. Moreover, the Dragon in the center of the flag is white in color.

The different color values in Hex, RGB, and CMYK are as follows.

Color Type Orange Yellow White
Hex #FF4E12 #FFD520 #FFFFFF
RGB (255, 78, 18) (255, 213, 32) (255, 255, 255)
CMYK 0, 0.694, 0.929, 0 0, 0.164, 0.874, 0 0, 0, 0, 0                     

Symbolism of the Flag of Bhutan

The national flag of Bhutan features yellow, orange, white, and Dragon and has its own meaning.

The yellow color in the Bhutan flag symbolizes the power and authority of the king ruling the state in the world. Additionally, it was taken from the traditional dress of the King of Bhutan, and it is also the official color of Bhutan.

The orange color represents the Buddhist group in Bhutan and the symbolism of Buddhist heritage. Thunder Dragon or The Druk is the Bhutanese national symbol. The flag of Bhutan features a Dragon with jeweled claws in the center, symbolizing the wealth and power of the state. Moreover, the Dragon’s snarling mouth symbolizes the commitment of the wrathful deities of Bhutan to protect the state. The white color of the Dragon represents the purity of different ethnic groups in a country. The fimbriation dividing the two colors and Dragon in the center also symbolizes the equality of civic and monarchy in Bhutan.

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Bhutan Flag FAQS

The white-colored Dragon known as The Druk on the Bhutan flag represents the purity and loyalty of various ethnic and linguistic groups in Bhutan. Moreover, the Dragon’s claws hold jewels that represent the wealth of the state.
The name of the Dragon on the Bhutan flag is Thunder Dragon. Additionally, Bhutan is also referred to as the land of Thunder Dragons.
The basic design of the Bhutan flag was designed by Mayum Choying Wangmo Dorji in 1947 and displayed during the Indo-Bhutan treaty in 1949. However, the Bhutan flag was redesigned at the request of His Majesty in 1956.
The national emblem of Bhutan is a circle that features the lotus flowers and two dragons surrounded by the jewels. Moreover, it is amazingly designed in pink, white, yellow, and red colors.
Bhutan Flag is a bi-color flag that features oranges and yellow. The yellow color mainly symbolizes the authority and power of the king, whereas the Orange color represents Buddhism and Buddhist traditions.
The proportion of the Bhutan flag is 2:3, as declared by the Government of Bhutan.
The white-colored Dragon in the Bhutan flag symbolizes the purity and loyalty of people that are uniting various ethnic and linguistic groups in the country.
The orange color in the Bhutan flag refers mainly to the Buddist sector and symbolizes Buddhism in the country.
The half-masting of the Bhutan flag represents the mourning, grief, and sorrow in the state.
A variant of the Bhutan flag is exactly the same as the National flag, but there is a slight difference in the design of the Dragon.

Design and Size of Bhutan Flag 

The yellow-orange-colored Bhutan flag should maintain a ratio of 3:2. However, some of the accepted dimensions are as follow 

  • 21 ft by 14 ft (6.4 meters by 4.3 meters)
  • 12 ft by 8 ft (3.7 meters  by 2.4 meters)
  • 6 ft by 4 ft (1.8 meters by 1.2 meters)
  • 3 ft by 2 ft (0.9 meters × 0.6 meters)
  • 9 in by 6 in (23 centi-meters × 15 centi-meters)

The smallest size, i.e., 23 cm × 15 cm, is for the car flags.

Design of Bhutan Flag

The Bhutan flag is a bi-color flag that is divided into the upper and lower triangle. The upper triangle has a yellow color, whereas the bottom triangle has an orange color. The equal ratio of yellow and orange color shows the unity of people in Bhutan.

Different Variants of Bhutan Flag

The different variants of the Bhutan flag differ in the Dragon designed on the flag and are as follows.

Rules and Protocol to Hoist National Flag of Bhutan

As the flag is the national symbol of a nation and to pay respect, a complete code of conduct was passed on June 8, 1972, by the National Assembly. The rules and protocols to hoist the national flag of Bhutan are as follows.

  • The national flag of Bhutan can not be used as a wrapper or cover.
  • The Bhutan flag, when flown with other flags, should be hoisted higher than others.
  • The flag can not be hoisted upside down.
  • The flag can not be dragged on the ground or drenched in water.
  • Respect and attention must be paid while hoisting the national flag of Bhutan.
  • The large-sized flag can only be hoisted in the capital as well as in the places where the state’s heads and His Majesty go or reside.
  • Small size flags can be hoisted on the vehicles, e.g., cars.
  • The national flag of Bhutan in different sizes can be flown during important events in schools.
  • It should be hoisted in any place during the National Day celebration.
  • During the mourning, the flag of Bhutan should be hoisted at half-mast.
  • His Majesty can hoist the flag on their residence.
  • Government officials having ministerial scarves are allowed to hoist the national flag on their residence.
  • A torn, worn-out, and defective flag can not be hoisted.
  • The national flag of Bhutan must be kept and stored with safety and care.
  • The national flag’s symbols can not be used as the business logo.

Facts About National Flag of Bhutan

Let’s dive into the interesting facts about the national flag of Bhutan

  • The Bhutan flag was first introduced in 1949 during the Indo-Bhutan treaty.
  • It is among the few flags that feature Dragon on the design.
  • The Dragon on the Bhutan flag is called Druk (Thunder Dragon)
  • The jewel held by the Dragon is known as Norbu
  • Its design was proposed by Mayum Choying Wangmo Dorji
  • The current and final version of the national flag of Bhutan was adopted in 1972.
  • The Third King of Bhutan ordered the red color of the bottom triangle to change to orange.