The Secret History Behind the Maldives Flag

The Maldives flag is a small island nation's declaration.

Green fills the center rectangle — for peace, and for the palm trees that cover the country's low-lying atolls. Inside it, a white crescent represents Islam, the faith of the entire population. Around the edge, a red border stands for those who gave their lives defending the nation across its history.

The design was adopted on July 26, 1965, the exact day the Maldives gained full independence from Britain — the date printed on every Maldives design in our catalog.

A flag built for one of the smallest and most scattered nations on Earth — over a thousand coral islands, one flag, one declaration of who they are.

Want the other side of the Maldives story? Read the day the government held a cabinet meeting underwater.

Shop the Maldives collection → — or explore the story behind any other country's flag on our free Flag Story Cards page.