Why are flags rectangular? - Page 2 - Historum

**Naomasa298** · June 10th, 2012, 02:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunyip

It seems form follows function to a point.

Exactly.

**AlpinLuke** · June 10th, 2012, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Naomasa298

It is the most suitable shape for the requirement.

A rectangular shape with straight edges also makes for simpler manufacturing and the least wastage of material.

True, at this point I being to think that the Nepali choice is the "exception which confirms the rule".

**infestør** · June 10th, 2012, 12:43 PM

rectangular shapes seem to flap best but you're gonna have problems in strong wind (flag would be torn apart quickly). in windy countries like denmark there is also the long slim variant:

i guess the same logic applies to nepal (a windy country?)

**AlpinLuke** · June 10th, 2012, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infestør

rectangular shapes seem to flap best but you're gonna have problems in strong wind (flag would be torn apart quickly). in windy countries like denmark there is also the long slim variant:

i guess the same logic applies to nepal (a windy country?)

At high altitude wind is common and higher you go, stronger will be the wind. So your remark is really valuable and it sounds correct.

Nepal sees a long "valley" [actually it's a highland] close to the Himalaya [south there is the Mahabarata chain to divide it from India]. Anyway a great part of the country is at quite high altitude and so the wind blows a lot.

tagradh · June 11th, 2012, 03:07 AM

But... Flags aren't always rectangular.

It just happens to be the most common shape because it works well.

Jinit · June 11th, 2012, 03:38 AM

Flag is the representative of that nation. It reflects their pride, their past , their culture , their religion and their heritage. And hence mostly these are the factors that determine the shape , design and even the colours of the flag. So the reason for Nepal's flag being rectangular lies more in these factors rather than for the other reasons like randomly or technical reasons like wind as mentioned above.

Nepal is a hindu nation. And if someone has even little knowledge of Hindu religion they will easily understand why their flag is shaped like this. For the centuries it is one of the dominant shape of the flags and banners of hindu temples as you can see below.

& hence this shape is adopted in the past by many of the hindu rulers as it is considered holy. You can see that below in the flags of maratha , vijayanagara and sikh empire respectively. However unfortunately the rest fo the hindu empires became extinct (otherwise we might have other countries with triangular flag also

)

Being said that nepal has another reason to adopt this kind of flag. Red triangular flag represents the victory in hindu literature since the ancient times. And nepal is the only Hindu nation not ruled by either christians or the muslims. And it represents that pride of being only hindu nation that wasn't under the control of other people.

Now from the above explanation you can also get the answer of your main question. "Why the flags are mostly rectangular?" Althoug I don't know the perfect answer but I think most of the european countries being christian have Holy cross in their flags and aesthetically it goes well with the recatangular shape then the other shapes. Later on this european countries either ruled or influenced most of the other countries which also adopted rectangular flag later on. Although this last answer isn't based on any valid article or literature I think its still satisfactory.

S0 I hope that this will satisfy your querry.

**AlpinLuke** · June 11th, 2012, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jinit

Flag is the representative of that nation. It reflects their pride, their past , their culture , their religion and their heritage. And hence mostly these are the factors that determine the shape , design and even the colours of the flag. So the reason for Nepal's flag being rectangular lies more in these factors rather than for the other reasons like randomly or technical reasons like wind as mentioned above.

Nepal is a hindu nation. And if someone has even little knowledge of Hindu religion they will easily understand why their flag is shaped like this. For the centuries it is one of the dominant shape of the flags and banners of hindu temples as you can see below.

& hence this shape is adopted in the past by many of the hindu rulers as it is considered holy. You can see that below in the flags of maratha , vijayanagara and sikh empire respectively. However unfortunately the rest fo the hindu empires became extinct (otherwise we might have other countries with triangular flag also

)

Being said that nepal has another reason to adopt this kind of flag. Red triangular flag represents the victory in hindu literature since the ancient times. And nepal is the only Hindu nation not ruled by either christians or the muslims. And it represents that pride of being only hindu nation that wasn't under the control of other people.

Now from the above explanation you can also get the answer of your main question. "Why the flags are mostly rectangular?" Althoug I don't know the perfect answer but I think most of the european countries being christian have Holy cross in their flags and aesthetically it goes well with the recatangular shape then the other shapes. Later on this european countries either ruled or influenced most of the other countries which also adopted rectangular flag later on. Although this last answer isn't based on any valid article or literature I think its still satisfactory.

S0 I hope that this will satisfy your querry.

Good point, there is an exception, but which sustains your hypothesis.

Switzerland has got a squared flag which shows a regular cross [not the Latin, but the Cross of Jerusalem, symmetric].

PragmaticStatistic · June 11th, 2012, 05:43 AM

I think rectangular flags are popular because of the following characteristics:

They are the most durable shape to resist wear in the wind.

They make the largest visual display in the wind.

They make the most recognizable flag when they are hanging limp.

Are easy to fold, store and make in volume.

The shape has no impact on the reverse-side design.

Are easily scaled in a variety of sizes and proportions

They can be used as hanging wall decorations similar to tapestry.

They are easily used to cover coffins.

**AlpinLuke** · June 11th, 2012, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PragmaticStatistic

I think rectangular flags are popular because of the following characteristics:

They are the most durable shape to resist wear in the wind.

They make the largest visual display in the wind.

They make the most recognizable flag when they are hanging limp.

Are easy to fold, store and make in volume.

The shape has no impact on the reverse-side design.

Are easily scaled in a variety of sizes and proportions

They can be used as hanging wall decorations similar to tapestry.

They are easily used to cover coffins.

About the last point, you have made me wonder about Nepalis, but after a while I have realized that coffins are not used there [if not by the Christian minority who knows the usage of the coffin to bury the bodies in the soil]: they cremate dead bodies during their funeral ceremonies and they don't transport them in coffins.

Jinit · June 11th, 2012, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlpinLuke

About the last point, you have made me wonder about Nepalis, but after a while I have realized that coffins are not used there [if not by the Christian minority who knows the usage of the coffin to bury the bodies in the soil]: they cremate dead bodies during their funeral ceremonies and they don't transport them in coffins.

Eevn if its hindu they has to use something to take his body to the site of funeral. I don't know about nepalis but In India they use the coffin for the intial militry funeral ceremony of the martyr even if its hindu and cover his body with the flag. However they take the flag from the body before burning it. So I think Nepalis might have some protocol like that.