Flag of Macao
Asia
Quick Facts
- Flag adopted
- 1999
- Population
- 685,900
- Area
- 30 km²
- Languages
- Portuguese, Chinese
- Currency
- Macanese pataca (P) — MOP
- Demonym
- Macanese
- Government
- executive-led limited democracy
- Subregion
- Eastern Asia
- Driving side
- Left
- Timezones
- UTC+08:00
Religions
- folk religion 58.9%
- Buddhist 17.3%
- None 15.4%
- Christian 7.2%
- Other 1.2%
Macao is a dependent territory of China.
About This Flag
The flag of Macao is a green field bearing a stylized white lotus flower with three blooms, floating above a white depiction of the Governador Nobre de Carvalho Bridge and stylized ocean waves. An arc of five gold five-pointed stars — one large star with four smaller ones — sits above the lotus.
The flag was adopted on December 20, 1999, when sovereignty transferred from Portugal to the People's Republic of China, and is defined in the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region.
What the colors & design mean
Green represents peace and harmony. The lotus is Macao's official floral emblem; its three blooms represent Macao's three main land areas (the Macao Peninsula, Taipa, and Coloane). The bridge and water situate the lotus in Macao's maritime geography. The five gold stars — one larger with four smaller — echo the arrangement on the national flag of the People's Republic of China.
Pattern: Complex Design
Bordering countries (1)
Fun Facts
- Macao's flag and Hong Kong's were both adopted within two-and-a-half years of each other as each region returned to Chinese sovereignty after more than a century of European rule.
- The Governador Nobre de Carvalho Bridge shown on the flag connects the Macao Peninsula to Taipa and was the first permanent link between them when it opened in 1974.
- The specifications for the flag — including exact shades, proportions, and symbol placement — are laid down in Annex III of Macao's Basic Law.
- Public mistreatment of the flag is a criminal offense under Macao's Law on the National Flag, National Emblem and National Anthem.
Similar looking flags
These flags share similar colors and patterns:
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