🇸🇬 The colours of Singapore

Singapore’s flag features red and white, with a white crescent and five white stars. Red stands for unity and equality, while white is for lasting purity and virtue. The crescent shows Singapore as a growing nation, and the five stars represent democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality.

Where no official value is given, the swatch shows the colour family, not the exact shade.

• Red on the flag is Pantone 032, an officially specified shade.
• The crescent moon stands for Singapore as a young, rising nation.
• Five stars on the flag represent democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality.
• The flag’s design was chosen to unite Singapore’s different ethnic groups.
• Strict rules govern how the flag is displayed and disposed of.

The colours of the flag of Singapore

The Singapore flag is split into two horizontal halves: red on top and white below. In the upper left corner, a white crescent moon faces five white stars arranged in a circle. According to official explanations, red is for unity and equality among people, while white stands for enduring purity and moral strength. The crescent symbolises Singapore as a young country on the rise. The five stars are said to represent the nation’s ideals: democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality. Some Muslim Singaporeans also see the crescent as a symbol of Islam, though this is not the official meaning.

How the colours were chosen of Singapore

Singapore’s flag was created in 1959 as the country gained self-government. The design was shaped by a committee led by Toh Chin Chye, who wanted a flag that could unite different communities. Early ideas included a plain red flag with a gold star, but this was rejected for being too similar to communist symbols. Other proposals included green or blue backgrounds. The final flag combined the crescent, preferred by Malays, and stars, preferred by the Chinese community, to reflect both groups. The number of stars was increased from three to five to avoid confusion with communist imagery and to broaden the ideals they stood for. The flag was kept after independence in 1965.

Official shades and rules of Singapore

Singapore’s National Symbols Act sets out how the flag must be made and displayed. The official red is Pantone 032. The flag must keep its set proportions, and recommended sizes are given. It should always be shown respectfully, never allowed to touch the ground or be flown below other flags. There are rules for how and where it can be displayed, and damaged flags must be disposed of discreetly. Use on clothing and other items is allowed if done respectfully, with more relaxed rules during National Day celebrations.