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Flying Uzbek flag at Kuksaray Square, Samarkand

The national flag of Uzbekistan (Uzbek: Oʻzbekiston Respublikasining davlat bayrogʻi, Ўзбекистон Республикасининг давлат байроғи) consists of a horizontal triband of azure, white and green, separated by two thin red fimbriations, with a white crescent moon and twelve white stars at the canton. Adopted in 1991 to replace the flag of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR), it has been the flag of the Republic of Uzbekistan since the country gained independence in that same year. The design of the present flag was partly inspired by the former one.

Design

Symbolism

The azure colour on the flag is a symbol of the sky and of clear water. Azure is also the colour of the Turkic peoples. White is the traditional Uzbek symbol of peace and good luck. Green is a symbol of nature, new life, and good harvest. The red fimbriations represent the power of life.[2][3]

The image of the crescent moon is connected with Uzbek historical imagery as well as being a symbol of the birth of a new nation. The stars represent spirituality and divinity, as well as an allusion to Uzbek historical tradition and calendar.[4] The stars are also a symbol of the pursuit of perfection and happiness of Uzbek people in their homeland.[5]

The government of Uzbekistan does not specify which hues should be used on its flag and instead generalizes them as azure, white, green, and red. [6]

Legal protection

On 27 December 2010, President Islam Karimov signed an amendment to the law that strengthened the protection of the country's symbols, including its flag and emblem. It banned the utilization of the flag of Uzbekistan for promotional and commercial purposes, including its usage in advertisements and documents. It also forbade any organizations that are not affiliated with the Uzbek government from adopting logos that resemble the national symbols.[7]

Construction sheet

History

Under Soviet rule, the Union Republic – situated in what is now modern-day Uzbekistan – utilised a flag derived from the flag of the Soviet Union and representing Communism, that was approved in 1952.[8] The flag is similar to the Soviet design but with the blue stripe in 1/5 width and the two 1/100 white edges in between.

Uzbekistan declared itself independent on 1 September 1991, approximately three months before the dissolution of the Soviet Union.[3] A search for a national flag began soon after, with a contest being held to determine the new design.[8] More than 200 submissions were made, and a commission was formed in order to evaluate these suggestions coming from a variety of stakeholders.[9] The winning design was adopted on 18 November 1991,[8] after being selected at an extraordinary session of the Uzbek Supreme Soviet.[10][11] In doing so, Uzbekistan became the first of the newly independent republics in Central Asia to choose a new flag.[12] Pertaining to its tricolour combination of horizontal stripes of blue, white and green colour, it is similar to the flags of Lesotho, an enclaved country within the border of South Africa, and Puntland, a Somali federal state at the tip of the Horn.[13]

Other flags

See also

References

  1. ^ Republic of Uzbekistan. "О ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОМ ФЛАГЕ РЕСПУБЛИКИ УЗБЕКИСТАН" [On The National Flag of the Republic of Uzbekistan] (in Russian). The National Legal Information Center.
  2. ^ Waters, Bella (2006). Uzbekistan in Pictures. Twenty-First Century Books. p. 191. ISBN 9780822526735. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Uzbekistan". The World Factbook. CIA. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  4. ^ "Flags, Symbols & Currency of Uzbekistan". WorldAtlas. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  5. ^ Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan. "Ўзбекистон Республикасининг Давлат Байроғи" [National Flag of the Republic of Uzbekistan] (in Uzbek). Oliy Majlis. Archived from the original on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  6. ^ Republic of Uzbekistan. "О ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОМ ФЛАГЕ РЕСПУБЛИКИ УЗБЕКИСТАН" [On The National Flag of the Republic of Uzbekistan] (in Russian). The National Legal Information Center. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  7. ^ Azizov, D. (27 December 2010). "Brief: Uzbekistan bans using state symbols in commercial purposes". Baku, Azerbaijan: Trend News Agency. Retrieved 18 May 2014. (subscription required)
  8. ^ a b c Smith, Whitney. "Uzbekistan, flag of". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 18 May 2014. (subscription required)
  9. ^ "The National Flag of the Republic of Uzbekistan Celebrates 20th Anniversary". Journal of Turkish Weekly. International Strategic Research Organization. 18 November 2011. Archived from the original on 23 November 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  10. ^ Azizov, D. (18 November 2010). "Brief: Uzbekistan celebrates Flag Day". Baku, Azerbaijan: Trend News Agency. Retrieved 18 May 2014. (subscription required)
  11. ^ McCray, Thomas R.; Gritzner, Charles F. (1 January 2009). Uzbekistan. Infobase Publishing. p. 96. ISBN 9781438105512. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  12. ^ Kindersley, Dorling (3 November 2008). Complete Flags of the World. Dorling Kindersley Ltd. p. 191. ISBN 9781405338615. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  13. ^ Knowlton, Steven A. "Applying sebeok's typology of signs to the study of flags." Raven: A Journal of Vexillology 19 (2012): 57–97.

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