Turkmenistan

3×5' nylon national flag of Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan's flag carries a carpet. A vertical band of five traditional carpet designs, called göls, makes it widely regarded as the most intricate national flag in the world.

Design

A green field with a vertical red band near the hoist containing five carpet göls stacked above two crossed olive branches. Beside the band, in the upper green, are a white crescent and five white five-pointed stars.

History & Symbolism

The flag was adopted on 19 February 1992 and has been revised several times since, most recently in 2001. The five göls stand for the five major Turkmen tribes and their unity. The olive branches, added in 1997, mark Turkmenistan's permanent neutrality, recognized by the UN in 1995. The crescent stands for a bright future and the five stars for the five provinces.

Flag Specifications

• Adopted: 19 February 1992; current form 2001
• Official proportions: 2:3
• Colors: green, red, white, with multicolored göls
• Emblem: five carpet göls, olive branches, crescent and stars

Vexillographer's Note

Each of the five göls is different, one for each tribe. Few national flags demand so much detail in so narrow a band.

Humphrys Flag Company · Old City Philadelphia · Est. 1864