One of the integral symbols of the Republic of Indonesia is its national flag, approved in 1945.
Description and proportions of the flag of Indonesia
The Indonesian flag is a rectangle divided horizontally into two equal halves. The upper part of the cloth is bright red, and the lower part is white. Proportionally, the width of the flag is related to its length as 2: 3. The state symbol of the country is usually called the red and white flag or bicolor.
Guis, or the naval flag of the Republic of Indonesia, is used on its warships. It consists of nine alternating stripes of equal width, five of which are red and four are white. The stripes gave the jack the unofficial name "battle snakes".
History of the flag of Indonesia
The history of the flag of Indonesia dates back to the XIV century, when the state of Majapahit flourished on the territory of the modern country. During its existence, Indonesia became centralized and developed especially rapidly. The powerful kingdom maintained diplomatic and trade ties with its Asian neighbors, and its cities were renowned for wealth and influence.
The flag of the state of Majapahit, called by contemporaries Bendera Pusaka - a relic flag - was taken as the basis for the state flag in August 1945, when Indonesia declared independence. It was Bendera Pusaka who soared into the sky in front of the residence of the first Indonesian President Sukarno, who is revered today as the country's national hero. He not only founded the National Party, but also became one of the founders of Indonesian nationalism.
Sukarno personally sewed a cloth of the new flag, which has since been raised over the palace of the country's first person for several years on Indonesia's independence day on August 17. Subsequently, the rarity was replaced by a copy, and the original took pride of place in the National Museum. The naval flags of Indonesia are copies of the jacks that flew on the ships of the Majapahit naval power.
The flag of Indonesia is almost completely identical to the flag of Monaco, which is why the European state even expressed an official protest. But the more ancient origin of the flag of Indonesia was enough reason to reject the protest, and the banner continues to fly on the flagpoles of the country and its representatives around the world.
