Myanmar (Burma): former flags

Last modified: 2003-12-26 by rob raeside
Keywords: myanmar | burma | peacock | star: white | stars: 6 |
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• A History of Burmese Flags (before 1939)
• 1886-1939 flags (part of India)
• Flags of the Period 1939-1945 (World War 2 era)
  • 1939-1941
  • Governor's flag 1939-1941
  • Japanese rule 1940-1945
  • Synyethe-Wunthann party 1942
  • Japanese puppet state 1 August 1943 - 1945
  • Anti-Japan movement 1943 - 1945
  • Blue ensign 1945-1948
  • Uncertain flag, 1937-1939
• 1948-1974 Flags of Burma
• Former civil/merchant ensign
• Government Ensign 1952-1974
• Former War Ensign
• Former Air Force Ensign

See also:

• Myanmar
• Index of all Myanmar/Burma pages

Flags of the Period 1939-1945 (World War 2 era)

9 February 1939 (introduced 6 February) - 1941

by Blas Delgado Ortiz

Based on a source at http://www.myanmars.net/myanmar/admin.htm

In the diarchy parliament of February 1939, the Governor of Burma officialised this ensign just like other British dominion states. The insignia of the Myanmars, the dancing peacock on that flag was taken from King Mindon's 1-kyat silver coin.
Dov Gutterman, 30 July 2000

The peacock was within a circle whose diameter is 4/9ths of the width of the flag. To put it another way; the diameter of the circle is 45% of the width of the flag. The peacock was in natural colours; mainly royal blue, yellowish-green and dark gold. As far as I remember the space between the edge of the peacock and the edge of the circle should be dark gold.
David Prothero, 17 January 2000

The Burmese badge in Flaggenbuch [neu92] was "mostly dark blue with some gold". After looking carefully at the detailed image in Flaggenbuch, this is how the Burma badge appears there: the peacock is basically (light) turquoise green, all the edges, shades etc. are in royal blue, the feathers which hang from the bottom of its neck are pink with blue dots and the beautiful, oval-shaped "medallions" at the end of each feather are gold. The peacock stands on a very thin compartment in the same light turquoise green colour, the compartment reaching the edges of the circle. The areas between the peacock and the edges of the circle are all gold.

By the way, when the badge is used on the Governor's flag, the wreath is not the standard one, but one of olive-like branches, with ribbon but no fruits, all coloured in that same light turquoise green. I would say that the light turquoise green is something like RGB 0-255-204.
Santiago Dotor, 19 January 2000

Governor's Flag 1939-1941