Flag of Kyrgyzstan

Last updated

Kyrgyz Republic
Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg
Use National flag and ensign FIAV 111111.svg FIAV normal.svg IFIS Mirror.svg
Proportion3:5
Adopted3 March 1992;32 years ago (1992-03-03) (first introduction)
26 December 2023;11 months ago (2023-12-26) (current version)
DesignA red field charged with a yellow sun with forty uniformly spaced rays, representing the forty clans united in legend by Manas; the sun is crossed by two sets of four lines, representing the traditional Kyrgyz yurt.
Flag of the President of Kyrgyzstan.svg
Use Presidential Standard
Proportion3:5
DesignA red field charged with the emblem of the president of Kyrgyzstan in the centre
Flag of Kyrgyz Government.svg
Use Local government flag
Proportion3:5
AdoptedSince 2017
DesignA red field charged with the national emblem in the center, used by local governments in Kyrgyzstan

The State Flag of the Kyrgyz Republic [a] consists of a red field charged with a yellow sun that contains a depiction of a tunduk, the opening in the center of the roof of a yurt (traditional nomadic tent). Adopted in 1992, just over seven months after the country's independence was declared, to replace the flag of the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic, it has been the flag of Kyrgyzstan since that year. The red on the flag is said to be inspired by the pennant lifted by Manas, the country's folk hero.

Contents

History

Shahada flag used by Kyrgyz rebels in revolts in 1898 and 1916. White Banner of National Liberation.svg
Shahada flag used by Kyrgyz rebels in revolts in 1898 and 1916.

Kyrgyz rebels wielded white banners (named "White Banner of National Liberation") during the Andijan uprising of 1898. [1] Later, during the Central Asian revolt of 1916, they used it again during an uprising in Jizzakh [1] and during an attack on Prebechakenska. [2]

Under Soviet rule, the Union Republic — coterminous with modern-day Kyrgyzstan — utilized a flag derived from the flag of the Soviet Union and representing Communism, that was adopted in 1953. [3] It declared itself independent on 31 August 1991, approximately four months before the dissolution of the Soviet Union. [4] Nevertheless, the Soviet-era flag maintained its status as the national flag for seven months after independence was declared. [3] It was finally replaced by new design on 3 March 1992, one day after Kyrgyzstan was admitted to the United Nations along with seven other post-Soviet states. [3] [5]

Kyrgyz former flag in flight, photographed in 2008 Photograph of the flag of Kyrgyzstan.jpg
Kyrgyz former flag in flight, photographed in 2008

In late 2023, a debate was led in the Zhogorku Kengesh (parliament of Kyrgyzstan) to straighten the wavy sun rays due to its supposed similarity to a sunflower, [6] [7] which in Kyrgyz culture can signify "a fickle and servile person willing to switch allegiance for personal benefit". The bill passed its first reading on 29 November, and second and third readings on 20 December. [8] [9] The bill was signed into law by President Sadyr Japarov on 22 December. [10] The law was officially published on 26 December and came into force on the same day. [11]

Chronology

FlagDateUseDescription
Soviet Union (1926–1991)
Flag of the Kirghiz ASSR (1926-1936).svg 1929–1937Flag used during the Kirghiz Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic Possible red flag with the hammer and sickle and bilingual initials for Kirghiz ASSR in the canton, however it likely was never official. [12]
Flag of the Kyrgyz SSR 1936-1940.svg
Variant flag of the Kirghiz SSR 1936-1940.svg 		1936–1940Version without hammer and sickle.
Flag of the Kirghiz SSR 1940-1952.svg 1940–1952Flag used during the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic A red flag with the hammer and sickle and bilingual initials for Kirgyz SSR in the canton.
Flag of the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic.svg 1952–1991A red flag with a gold-bordered red star, hammer and sickle in the canton, and two navy blue bars and a white stripe in the middle.
Kyrgyz Republic (1991–present)
Flag of the Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic.svg 1991–1992The flag of the Kyrgyz SSR remained in use for a year.A red flag with a gold-bordered red star, hammer and sickle in the canton, and two navy blue bars and a white stripe in the middle.
Flag of Kyrgyzstan (1992-2023).svg 1992–2023National flag of the Kyrgyz RepublicA yellow sun with a traditional Kyrgyz yurt motif in its center on a red field.
Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg 2023–presentThe sun's rays were straightened to reduce its supposed resemblance to a sunflower.

The number of holes in the lattice in the center of the flag has also been increased

Design

Symbolism

The interior view of a Kyrgyz yurt's roof Kyrgyz flag yurt Tengri symbol.jpg
The interior view of a Kyrgyz yurt's roof
One of the proposed national flags from 2011. Kyrgyzstan 2011 Flag Proposals Set 1.svg
One of the proposed national flags from 2011.

The colors and symbols of the flag carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The red field stands for "bravery and valor", [4] and alludes to the purported emblem hoisted by Manas, the national hero of Kyrgyzstan. [3] [13] The sun epitomizes peace and prosperity, [4] while its 40 rays stand for the number of tribes united by Manas to fight against the Mongols, [13] [14] as well as the number of followers he had. [3] [5]

The centre of the sun features a stylized illustration of the roof (tunduk) atop a traditional Kyrgyz tent ( yurt ) when viewed from the interior. [3] [5] [15] Although these tents are less commonly used today, [3] its incorporation into the flag is meant to symbolize the "origin of life", the "unity of time and space", as well as the people's "hearth and home" and their history. [3] [5]

Proposals for change

In late 2023, a debate was led in the Zhogorku Kengesh (parliament of Kyrgyzstan) to straighten the wavy sun rays due to its supposed similarity to a sunflower, [16] [17] which in Kyrgyz culture can signify "a fickle and servile person willing to switch allegiance for personal benefit". The bill passed its first reading on 29 November, and second and third readings on 20 December. [18] [19] The bill was signed into law by President Sadyr Japarov on 22 December. [10] The law was officially published on 26 December and came into force on the same day. [11]

The red field has also been the source of much criticism. Some believe that it evokes the nation's tempestuous history, while others are of the opinion that it is a lingering remnant of communism in the country. [20]

Color scheme

Colors schemeRedYellow
Pantone 1788 CYellow C
CMYK 0, 100, 100, 00, 0, 100, 0
HEX #FF0000#FFFF00
RGB 255, 0, 0255, 255, 0

Regional flags

Each region (областы, oblasty or облусу, oblusu) of Kyrgyzstan has its own flag.

City flags

Other flags

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Kyrgyz: Кыргыз Республикасынын Мамлекеттик туусу, romanized: Kyrgyz Respublikasynyn Mamlekettik tuusu; Russian: Государственный Флаг Кыргызской Республики

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omurbek Tekebayev</span> Kyrgyzstani politician

Omurbek Chirkeshovich Tekebayev is a Kyrgyz politician. He was Speaker of the Kyrgyz Parliament from March 2005 to March 2006. Tekebaev is the leader of the Ata-Meken socialist party. Currently, he serves as the ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Almazbek Atambayev</span> President of Kyrgyzstan from 2011 to 2017

Almazbek Sharshenovich Atambayev is a Kyrgyz politician who served as the President of Kyrgyzstan from 1 December 2011 to 24 November 2017. He was Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from 17 December 2010 to 1 December 2011, and from 29 March 2007 to 28 November 2007. He served as Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK) from 30 July 1999 to 23 September 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ömürbek Babanov</span> Kyrgyz politician (born 1970)

Ömürbek Toktogulovich Babanov is a Kyrgyz businessman and politician who served twice as the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan briefly from 2011 to 2012. Owner of Mbank and of Asia Cement, a company that co-operates with the Russian nuclear industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamchybek Tashiev</span> Kyrgyzstani politician

Kamchybek Kydyrshaevich Tashiev is a Kyrgyzstani politician who was head of the political party Ata-Zhurt until its merger with the Respublika party in 2014. He is currently Chairman of the State Committee for National Security.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independence Day (Kyrgyzstan)</span> Public holiday in Kyrgyzstan

The Independence Day of Kyrgyzstan is the main state holiday in Kyrgyzstan. It is celebrated in Kyrgyzstan annually on August 31, the anniversary of its declaration of independence in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sooronbay Jeenbekov</span> President of Kyrgyzstan from 2017 to 2020

Sooronbay Sharip uulu Jeenbekov is a Kyrgyz politician who served as the fifth president of Kyrgyzstan from 2017 until his resignation in 2020, following a week of protests. Prior to that he served as the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan from April 2016 to August 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raisa Atambayeva</span> Former First Lady of Kyrgyzstan

Raisa Minakhmedovna Atambayeva is the wife of the former President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev and First Lady of Kyrgyzstan from 2011 to 2017. She is an ethnic Tatar and was born in the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. She is a doctor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kyrgyz Army</span> Military unit

The Kyrgyz Ground Forces, or simply the Kyrgyz Army, is the land force branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ala-Archa Cemetery</span> Cemetery in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

The Ala-Archa Cemetery is a public cemetery for honoured individuals in Kyrgyzstan. It is located on Abdumomunova Street in Bishkek to the west of the Avenue of the Young Guards. It is near the Ala Archa National Park in the Tian Shan mountains. It was opened in 1948 and currently occupies 31 hectares of land. It has historical and cultural significance in the City of Bishkek due to its regular use by order of the Government of Kyrgyzstan for the burial and/or re-burial of Kyrgyz citizens who held the status of political or public status such as former Prime Ministers as well as distinguished persons in the fine arts. It has served this purpose since 1973, when the Executive Committee of the Frunze City Council repurposed it taking into account the limited space available at the time.

Raimbek Matraimov is a Kyrgyz politician. He was the deputy chair of the State Customs Service of Kyrgyzstan. After being fired in late 2017, Matraimov became a central figure in an ongoing large scale money-laundering case, one of the biggest scandals in the history of Kyrgyz politics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sadyr Japarov</span> Kyrgyz politician (born 1968)

Sadyr Nurgojo uulu Japarov is a Kyrgyz politician who has been serving as the president of Kyrgyzstan since 28 January 2021. He previously held the post of acting prime minister of Kyrgyzstan in the 2020 interim government, following the resignation of President Sooronbay Jeenbekov. Japarov also became acting president of Kyrgyzstan after Jeenbekov's resignation, but resigned himself on 14 November 2020 to run for the 2021 presidential election, in which he was elected to succeed the acting president, Talant Mamytov.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ulukbek Maripov</span> First Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan

Ulukbek Asamidinovich Maripov is a Kyrgyz politician who served as Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan from 5 May 2021 to 12 October 2021. He was the first to serve in this position, serving in this position after the post of Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan was abolished. Prior to being appointed prime minister Maripov had led the Kyrgyz Account Chamber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Social Democrats (Kyrgyzstan)</span> Political party in Kyrgyzstan

The Social Democrats is a political party in Kyrgyzstan founded in late 2019 by supporters of former President Almazbek Atambayev – legal successor from the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDKP). After a conflict between Atambaev and his successor President Sooronbai Jeenbekov emerged and deepened in 2018, Atambayev accused of Jeenbekov in attempting to seize authority over the SDKP, a party that Atambayev himself formed in 1990s and served as a leader of. The SDK participated in the annulled 2020 parliamentary election. The current party leader is Temirlan Sultanbekov.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temirlan Sultanbekov</span> Kyrgyz politician (born 1998)

Temirlan Medetbekovich Sultanbekov is a Kyrgyz politician. He is the leader of the oldest and popular party Social Democrats in the Kyrgyz Republic, vice-president of the Socialist International.

The Jogorku Kenesh of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan of the 7th convocation is the current convocation of the Parliament of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, elected in the 2021 parliamentary election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eldik</span> Political party in Kyrgyzstan

The Eldik is a parliamentary faction in the 7th Jogorku Kenesh of Kyrgyzstan, consisting of single-mandate deputies elected in the 2021 parliamentary election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idris Anarbekovich Kadyrkulov</span> Kyrgyz diplomat

Idris Anarbekovich Kadyrkulov is a Kyrgyz diplomat and statesman. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kyrgyz Republic to Ukraine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State Secretary of Kyrgyzstan</span>

The State Secretary or Secretary of State of the Kyrgyz Republic is an appointed post under the direct supervision of the President of Kyrgyzstan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Kyrgyz protests</span> Koy Tas events. Clashes between opposition and president in Kyrgyzstan in 2019.

The Koy-Tash events is a term referred to a series of political events that took place in August 2019 in the village of Koi-Tash, Kyrgyzstan. These events were associated with an attempt to detain the former President of the country, Almazbek Atambayev, which led to clashes between his supporters and security forces. This was a key moment in the modern history of Kyrgyzstan, which revealed the depth of political tension in the country and sparked numerous discussions about the legitimacy of the authorities' actions and human rights and led to the overthrow of President Sooronbay Jeenbekov in October 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kadyrbek Atambaev</span>

Kadyrbek Atambaev is the leader of deputy fraction of Social Democrats in Bishkek parliament, vice-chairman of Social Democrats (Kyrgyzstan), son of former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev. Leader of the party list of the 2021 parliamentary elections.

References

  1. 1 2 Sokol, Edward Dennis (2016). The Revolt of 1916 in Russian Central Asia. JHU Press. p. 92. ISBN   9781421420509.
  2. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : "Semirechye on Fire (Timestamp 17:58)". RT. Retrieved 2018-11-20.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Smith, Whitney (February 9, 2001). "Flag of Kyrgyzstan". Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 "Kyrgyzstan". The World Factbook. CIA. Retrieved March 23, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Kindersley, Dorling (November 3, 2008). Complete Flags of the World. Dorling Kindersley Ltd. p. 194. ISBN   9781405338615 . Retrieved March 23, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Спикер Жогорку Кенеша заявил, что флаг Кыргызстана будет изменен" [Speaker of Zhogorku Kengesh said that the flag of Kyrgyzstan will be changed]. Радио Азаттык (Кыргызская служба Радио Свободная Европа/Радио Свобода) (in Russian). 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  7. ↑ "Три варианта. Что хотят изменить во флаге Кыргызстана?" [Three options. What do they want to change in the flag of Kyrgyzstan?]. Радио Азаттык (Кыргызская служба Радио Свободная Европа/Радио Свобода) (in Russian). 2023-10-26. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  8. ↑ "Kyrgyzstan moves to rid national flag of likeness to 'fickle' sunflower". Reuters. 2023-11-29. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
  9. ↑ "Парламент Киргизии одобрил изменение солнца на государственном флаге". Коммерсантъ (in Russian). 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  10. 1 2 "President signs law on new flag of Kyrgyzstan". 24.kg. 23 December 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  11. 1 2 "Закон об изменении флага вступил в силу в Кыргызстане". Kazinform (in Russian). 26 December 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  12. ↑ "Kyrgyzstan in the Soviet Union (early flags)". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 2024-10-17.
  13. 1 2 World and Its Peoples, Volume 1. Marshall Cavendish. September 1, 2006. p. 629. ISBN   9780761475712 . Retrieved March 23, 2017.
  14. ↑ Omelicheva, Mariya Y., ed. (December 17, 2014). Nationalism and Identity Construction in Central Asia: Dimensions, Dynamics, and Directions. Lexington Books. p. xviii. ISBN   9780739181355 . Retrieved March 23, 2017.
  15. ↑ Peoples of Western Asia. Marshall Cavendish. September 1, 2006. p. 254. ISBN   9780761476771 . Retrieved March 23, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Спикер Жогорку Кенеша заявил, что флаг Кыргызстана будет изменен" [Speaker of Zhogorku Kengesh said that the flag of Kyrgyzstan will be changed]. Радио Азаттык (Кыргызская служба Радио Свободная Европа/Радио Свобода) (in Russian). 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  17. ↑ "Три варианта. Что хотят изменить во флаге Кыргызстана?" [Three options. What do they want to change in the flag of Kyrgyzstan?]. Радио Азаттык (Кыргызская служба Радио Свободная Европа/Радио Свобода) (in Russian). 2023-10-26. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  18. ↑ "Kyrgyzstan moves to rid national flag of likeness to 'fickle' sunflower". Reuters. 2023-11-29. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
  19. ↑ "Парламент Киргизии одобрил изменение солнца на государственном флаге". Коммерсантъ (in Russian). 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  20. ↑ Namatbaeva, Tolkun (9 March 2012). "Fight rages over Kyrgyzstan's flag". The Washington Times . Archived from the original on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.