Laos

The current flag of Laos was designed in 1945 by Maha Sila Viravong for the Lao Issara government and was first adopted on 12 October 1945. After a period in which the royal flag returned, the design was readopted by the Pathet Lao and officially reinstated as the national flag on 2 December 1975 with the establishment of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. The red bands represent blood shed in the struggle for independence, the blue symbolizes the Mekong River and national prosperity, and the white disc signifies unity, justice, and a bright future, often interpreted as the full moon over the Mekong.