Flag of Indonesia
Two equal horizontal bands, red above white.
What the flag means
Article 35 of the 1945 constitution sets the flag as red above white. President Sukarno said that red is the symbol of courage and white the symbol of purity. The flag's formal name is Sang Saka Merah Putih; merah putih means 'red and white'.
History
The red and white are traced to the Majapahit Empire of 13th-century Java. Nationalists took up the colours in the early 20th century against Dutch rule, and Indonesian students in Leiden adopted a red-over-white flag in 1922. The flag raised in Jakarta when independence was proclaimed on 17 August 1945 was sewn by Fatmawati. That flag, the Bendera Pusaka (Heirloom Flag), was raised every year until 17 August 1968, when it was retired as too fragile and replaced by a replica.
Monaco's flag is almost identical, differing only in its proportions and shade of red. Monaco complained after Indonesia became independent, without result.
Flags that look like this one
Indonesia and Monaco are both red over white. Only the shape differs: Indonesia's flag is 2:3, Monaco's is 4:5. Poland reverses the order, with white on top.
Flags of Indonesia's neighbours
Sources
- Wikipedia: Flag of Indonesia
- Flags of the World: Indonesia
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Read how we research flags in our editorial policy, or report a mistake.
