The Maldives flag and national symbols explained

You will see the flag on harbours, government buildings, schools and boats. It has three parts.

• Red border. A wide red field frames the whole flag.
• Green panel. A green rectangle sits in the centre.
• White crescent. A slim white crescent sits inside the green panel, with its points facing the fly (the side away from the pole).

The design is written into the Constitution of 2008. Article 12 describes the flag as a white crescent in the centre of a green rectangle surrounded by a red border, and a schedule to the Constitution sets the exact dimensions, colours and crescent position. The flag’s proportion is 2:3.

What the colours mean

We found no official charter that fixes the colour meanings, but the explanations commonly given agree closely:

• Red stands for the bravery of the nation’s heroes and the blood they were ready to give for the country.
• Green stands for peace, progress and prosperity. Some people also link it to the green of the palm trees that cover the islands.
• The white crescent stands for Islam, the faith of the state and of all Maldivian citizens. You can read more in our guide to religion in the Maldives.

How the flag came to look like this

The flag grew in stages, which mirrors the country’s own story.

• A plain red flag. For centuries the islands flew a simple red flag.
• The dhandimathi. In the early 20th century a band of black and white diagonal stripes, known as the dhandimathi, was added along the hoist (the side next to the pole).
• Green panel and crescent. In the first half of the 20th century, under Prime Minister Abdul Majeed Didi, the green rectangle and white crescent were added in the centre.
• The modern flag. The black-and-white band was removed in 1965, the year the Maldives became fully independent from Britain. The present design was adopted on 25 July 1965, the day before independence on 26 July.

For the wider background, see our history of the Maldives.

The state emblem is the formal seal of the country, seen on passports, official papers and government buildings. It has four main parts.

• A coconut palm. The palm sits at the centre. It stands for the livelihood of the nation, because almost every part of the tree has been used in island life, from food and drink to rope, roofing and boat building. Our guide to the coconut palm in Maldivian life explains how.
• A crescent and star. Above the palm, the crescent and star stand for the Islamic faith of the state and its authority.
• Two crossed national flags. These sit behind the palm.
• A scroll with the state’s traditional title. It reads “Ad-Dawlat Al-Mahaldheebiyya” in Arabic script. This old title echoes the name used for the islands by medieval Arab travellers, such as Ibn Battuta, who stayed in the 14th century.

One thing that is not on the emblem is the dhoni, the traditional boat, even though it is often used as an informal symbol of the country in art and tourism.

The national anthem is “Gaumee Salaam”, often translated as “National Salute”. It is sung in Dhivehi.

• Words. The lyrics were written in 1948 by Mohamed Jameel Didi, a poet and scholar who later became the country’s chief justice.
• Music. The present melody was composed in 1972 by the Sri Lankan musician Pandit W. D. Amaradeva.
• Before 1972. Popular accounts say that the words were first sung to the tune of “Auld Lang Syne”, which the lyricist had heard chiming from a clock.

You are most likely to hear the anthem at school assemblies, sports matches, official ceremonies and Independence Day events. If it is played while you are nearby, simply stand still and quietly until it ends. Nobody expects visitors to sing along.

The Maldives Permanent Mission to the United Nations has listed several further national symbols. You will meet each of them on a trip.

The kanbili

The kanbili is a shy, dark-grey bird with a white face and chest that walks through gardens and undergrowth, and is often heard before it is seen. Our guide to the birds of the Maldives has more on spotting it.

Yellowfin tuna

Tuna fishing has fed the islands for centuries and is still a major industry. You will meet tuna in curries, in mas huni at breakfast and in the evening catch at island harbours. See our guide to fishing in the Maldives.

Dhivehi and the Thaana script

The Constitution names Dhivehi as the national language. It is written in Thaana, a script that runs from right to left. A few simple words go a long way; try our Dhivehi phrases for travellers.

Independence Day, 26 July

Independence Day is the biggest flag day of the year. Streets and buildings are dressed in red and green, and many local islands hold parades, sports and evening events. Our guide to festivals and public holidays lists the other dates.

Every day on local islands

Under the current government, the flag is kept flying day and night at government buildings instead of being raised at 6am and lowered at 6pm (as reported by Edition, September 2024). On a local island such as Dhiffushi, look for it at the island council office, the school and the harbour.

The Constitution lists respect for the national flag, the state emblem and the national anthem among the duties of citizens. Visitors are not bound in the same way, but the same courtesy is expected and appreciated.

A few simple habits will keep you on the right side of local feeling:

• Keep it off the ground. Do not sit on, stand on or let a flag touch the floor or the sand.
• No jokes or props. Do not use the flag as a towel, a sarong, a beach mat or a costume.
• Do not alter it. Avoid writing on the flag or adding slogans or logos to it.
• Leave official flags alone. Do not climb flagpoles, take down flags or move them for a photo.
• Take care with the emblem. It is a state seal, so do not print it on homemade merchandise or use it to suggest an official link.
• Photograph with care. Photos that include the flag are fine, but keep them respectful. Our guide to photography in the Maldives covers the wider rules.

Small flags and magnets sold as souvenirs are fine to take home; treat them with the same courtesy. For the everyday side of island manners, see our local island etiquette guide.