flag of Uzbekistan

{{Infobox flag

| Name = Uzbekistan

| Image = Flag of Uzbekistan.svg

| Alt = State Flag of the Republic of Uzbekistan

| Nickname = {{nativename|uz|Oʻzbekiston Respublikasining davlat bayrogʻi}}

| Use = 110110

| Symbol = {{FIAV|110110}} {{FIAV|normal}} {{FIAV|Mirror}}

| Proportion = 1:2

| Adoption = {{Start date and age|1991|11|18|df=yes}}

| Design = A horizontal triband of azure, white and green, separated by two narrow red stripes. A white crescent and three rows of twelve white five-pointed stars are situated on the left side of the upper azure stripe.{{cite web |url=https://lex.uz/en/docs/57181/ |title=О ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОМ ФЛАГЕ РЕСПУБЛИКИ УЗБЕКИСТАН |language=Russian |trans-title=On The National Flag of the Republic of Uzbekistan |author=Republic of Uzbekistan |publisher=The National Legal Information Center}}

| Designer = Farhod Yoʻldoshev

}}

File:Flag of Uzbekistan in Kuksaray Square in Samarkand.jpg]]

The national flag of Uzbekistan, officially the State Flag of the Republic of Uzbekistan,{{efn|{{langx|uz|Oʻzbekiston Respublikasining davlat bayrogʻi}} / {{lang|uz|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, 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.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jpYR1rmsgUAC&pg=PA69 |title=Uzbekistan in Pictures|publisher=Twenty-First Century Books|year=2006|last=Waters|first=Bella|pages=191|isbn=9780822526735|access-date=May 18, 2014}}

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.{{Cite web |date=2021-02-24 |title=Flags, Symbols & Currency of Uzbekistan |url=https://www.worldatlas.com/amp/flags/uzbekistan |access-date=2022-05-04 |website=WorldAtlas |language=en-US}} The stars are also a symbol of the pursuit of perfection and happiness of Uzbek people in their homeland.{{cite web |url=https://parliament.gov.uz/en/flag/ |title=Ўзбекистон Республикасининг Давлат Байроғи |language=Uzbek |trans-title=National Flag of the Republic of Uzbekistan |author=Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan |publisher=Oliy Majlis |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115232130/https://parliament.gov.uz/uz/flag/ |archive-date=2021-11-15 |accessdate=2021-11-15 }}

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.{{cite web |url=https://lex.uz/en/docs/57181/ |title=О ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОМ ФЛАГЕ РЕСПУБЛИКИ УЗБЕКИСТАН |language=Russian |trans-title=On The National Flag of the Republic of Uzbekistan |author=Republic of Uzbekistan |publisher=The National Legal Information Center |accessdate=November 7, 2023}}

= 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.{{cite news|title=Brief: Uzbekistan bans using state symbols in commercial purposes|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:TNA8&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=13463FBB34D6B3F0&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=105B9A93AF33E3E3|date=December 27, 2010|access-date=May 18, 2014|first=D.|last=Azizov|publisher=Trend News Agency|location=Baku, Azerbaijan}} {{subscription required}}

= Construction sheet =

{{gallery

|height=250

|width=475

|File:Flag of Uzbekistan (construction sheet).svg|flag 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.{{cite encyclopedia|first=Whitney|last=Smith|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|title=Uzbekistan, flag of|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1355934/flag-of-Uzbekistan|access-date=May 18, 2014|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.}} {{subscription required}} 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.{{cite web|title=Uzbekistan|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/uzbekistan/|access-date=May 18, 2014|work=The World Factbook|publisher=CIA}} A search for a national flag began soon after, with a contest being held to determine the new design. More than 200 submissions were made, and a commission was formed in order to evaluate these suggestions coming from a variety of stakeholders.{{cite news|title=The National Flag of the Republic of Uzbekistan Celebrates 20th Anniversary|url=http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/126498/the-national-flag-of-the-republic-of-uzbekistan-celebrates-20th-anniversary-.html|date=November 18, 2011|access-date=May 18, 2014|work=Journal of Turkish Weekly|publisher=International Strategic Research Organization|archive-date=23 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123114011/https://turkishweekly.net/news/126498/the-national-flag-of-the-republic-of-uzbekistan-celebrates-20th-anniversary-.html|url-status=dead}} The winning design was adopted on 18 November 1991, after being selected at an extraordinary session of the Uzbek Supreme Soviet.{{cite news|title=Brief: Uzbekistan celebrates Flag Day|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:TNA8&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=13394C619E541578&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=105B9A93AF33E3E3|date=November 18, 2010|access-date=May 18, 2014|first=D.|last=Azizov|publisher=Trend News Agency|location=Baku, Azerbaijan}} {{subscription required}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bIZU25kFhHUC&pg=PA96 |title=Uzbekistan|publisher=Infobase Publishing|date=January 1, 2009|last1=McCray|first1=Thomas R.|last2=Gritzner|first2=Charles F.|pages=96|isbn=9781438105512|access-date=May 18, 2014}} In doing so, Uzbekistan became the first of the newly independent republics in Central Asia to choose a new flag.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZauSgqSl6ekC&pg=PA191 |title=Complete Flags of the World|publisher=Dorling Kindersley Ltd.|date=November 3, 2008|last=Kindersley|first=Dorling|pages=191|isbn=9781405338615|access-date=May 18, 2014}} 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.Knowlton, Steven A. "Applying sebeok's typology of signs to the study of flags." Raven: A Journal of Vexillology 19 (2012): 57–97.