Flag ratio: 2:3

Flag of Hong Kong (1876-1959)

Flag of Hong Kong (Jan 26 1841 - 1870), (1870 - 1876), (1876 - 1910), (1910 - July 27 1959), (July 27 1959 - June 30 1997), (Source)

The flag of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia blakeana flower in the center. The red is the same as the flag of the People's Republic of China.

To choose the flag for the new Special Administrative Region, a contest was held among Hong Kongers and a panel of political figures were nominated as judges. However, the government of the People's Republic of China objected to the chosen design. Subsequently, the winning entry of a national design contest submitted by Xiao Hong, a professor of arts and crafts from the Henan University, China, was adopted with further minor modifications.

The colour red and the five stars symbolises the People's Republic and the "one country" while the two colors symbolises the so called "two system" part of One country two systems -- the principle under which post-colonial Hong Kong is envisioned. The stylised bauhinia blakeana has been the floral emblem of Hong Kong since 1965. The plant was first "found" and classified in Hong Kong.

The former colonial flag was used from 27 July 1959 to 30 June 1997. It was a blue Union Jack ensign with the Hong Kong coat of arms on a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag. The 1876 design featured a colonial badge, showing a "local scene" instead of the Hong Kong coat of arms.

External links

• Official webpage of the HKSAR Regional Flag
• Information on the designer of the Flag (who also designed the Macau SAR Flag) [1] (Simplified Chinese) [2]