National flag
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1972 – | Flag of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka | Modified flag of the Dominion of Ceylon. Used since the proclamation of the Republic in 1972. [1] |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| | 1972 – | Flag of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka | Modified flag of the Dominion of Ceylon. Used since the proclamation of the Republic in 1972. [1] |
This flag was personal to every President of Sri Lanka, and as such the design changed when a new president assumed office. [2]
On 15 July 2022, the acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe abolished the presidential flag. [3]
| Flag | Date | Use |
|---|---|---|
 | May 22, 1972 – February 4, 1978 | Presidential flag of William Gopallawa |
 | February 4, 1978 – January 2, 1989 | Presidential flag of J. R. Jayewardene |
 | January 2, 1989 – May 1, 1993 | Presidential flag of Ranasinghe Premadasa |
 | May 1, 1993 – November 12, 1994 | Presidential flag of D. B. Wijetunga |
 | November 12, 1994 – November 19, 2005 | Presidential flag of Chandrika Kumaratunga |
 | November 19, 2005 – January 8, 2015 | Presidential flag of Mahinda Rajapaksa |
 | January 9, 2015 – November 18, 2019 | Presidential flag of Maithripala Sirisena |
 | November 18, 2019 – July 14, 2022 | Presidential flag of Gotabaya Rajapaksa |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1972 – | Blue Ensign of Sri Lanka | A blue ensign with the Flag of Sri Lanka in the canton influenced by the British design. The Blue Ensign is flown by merchant vessels commanded by an officer of the SLVNF. |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1972 – | President's Colour | A defaced national flag of Sri Lanka with Coat of arms of Sri Lanka. |
| 1972 – | Flag of the Sri Lanka Army | The army flag defaced with the insignia of the Sri Lanka Army. | |
 | 1972 – | Naval Ensign of Sri Lanka | A defaced white ensign with the flag of Sri Lanka in the canton influenced by the British design. |
 | 2010 – | Air Force Ensign of Sri Lanka | A defaced sky blue ensign with the flag of Sri Lanka in the canton and Air Force roundel influenced by the British design. |
 | 2010 – | Air Force Colours of Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka Air Force ensign with the four vertical stripes of saffron, green, maroon, and yellow in the centre, and superimposed by Sri Lanka national emblem. |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1972 – | Flag of the Sri Lanka Police | |
 | 2010 – | Flag of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | November 14, 1987 – | Flag of Central Province | The flag is designed to represents the Central Province and its three districts Kandy, Matale and Nuwaraeliya. The Golden colour Lion that carries a sword and the four Bo leaves at the four corners in the maroon colour background represents the Kandy District. The white layout represents Matale District and Nuwaraeiya District which represents the Upcountry is symbolised by the white lotus. The Sun and Moon are for Eternity. |
 | January 1, 2007 – | Flag of Eastern Province | |
 | November 14, 1987 – | Flag of North Central Province | |
 | November 14, 1987 – December 31, 2006 | Flag of North Eastern Province | Was adapted as the Flag of the North Province after the demerger of the North-Eastern Province [4] |
 | January 1, 2007 – | Flag of Northern Province | Blue border – ocean resource; Green – the greenery and agriculture; Red – labour, industriousness and Hindu culture, religion; White – fraternity, peace; Radiating sun indicates synergy of power and natural energy source, also Tamil people and language in the Province |
 | November 14, 1987 – | Flag of North Western Province | It features a brown bovine with a sun and moon symbol on a white background. There are 15 small eight-pointed cross-stars in the background, and a green and brown woven border surrounds the whole. |
 | November 14, 1987 – | Flag of Sabaragamuwa Province | |
 | November 14, 1987 – | Flag of Southern Province | A picture of a lion flag can be seen in frescos in historical Dambulla cave temple. This historical flag made of carving a picture of a running lion with a small sword in its forepaw is considered to be the Ruhuna flag. Furthermore, King Dutugamunu left the Magam Kingdom with the lion flag ahead for the battle to unite the country. The flag is a picture of a yellow lion on a red blood colour background. Accordingly, it was decided to use for the Southern Provincial flag the picture of the lion running with a small sword (iluk koolaya) in its forepaw of the Ruhuna flag and the red colour and yellow colour of the flag taken on the war front by King Dutugamunu. It was decided to use the same for the Southern Province flag mixture of colours and the standard to represent all communities in Galle, Matara, and Hambantota and four bo leaves (Metta, Karuna, Muditha, Upeksha) of the national flag. It was agreed that the forms of the sun and moon of the flag of Southern Province flag should be in the same forms as the sun and moon of the flag of Devinuwara Devalaya and that the same form that of the flag of Hambantota District. Accordingly, it was expected to keep the integration of Galle, matara and Hambantota. Therefore, the Southern Province flag can be considered a combination of several traditional flags. The small sword (iluk Koolaya) is the symbol of control, but it does not reflect terror or suppression. The small sword represents Justice and fairness. Running lion represents velocity fearlessness and pride. The sun and moon stand for stability prosperity and augustness. It expresses the traditional saying "Until the sun and moon exists". The sun and moon of the flag are considered to be symbols of victory. The combination of colours around the flag depicts the existence of Southern Sri Lanka, victorious war history, religion and patriotism, mutual cooperation and harmony |
 | November 14, 1987 – | Flag of Uva Province | In the days of the Sinhala kings, Sri Lanka had been divided into twelve provinces and ruled and each of these twelve provinces had been allotted a flag. Accordingly, in order to bring about qualities such as pleasantness, innocence, greatness and royalty, a flag with a picture of swan had been allotted to the Uva Province. The flag that was gifted to Uva Province by the King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe who ruled the kingdom of Kandy during the period 1798–1815 can be seen even today at the National Museum ( Courtesy: Book entitled “Uva Ithihasaya” by Panditha Naulle Dhammananda Thero ) |
 | November 14, 1987 – | Flag of Western Province |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1215–1619 | Flag of the Jaffna Kingdom | The emblem of Aryacakravartis depicting a white Nandi surrounded by conch, parasol, sun and moon on a traditional saffron background. The Aryachakravtis of Jaffna are related to the Chodaganga Dynasty of Kalinga, both share a similar royal emblem. |
 | 1341–1408 | Flag of the Kingdom of Gampola | A Red Field With Golden Border and a Peacock fighting a Snake in the center. |
 | 1521–1594 | Flag of the Kingdom of Sitawaka | A White Field with a Red Lion in the centre and 4 bo leaves in each corner. |
 | 1785–1803 | The flag of Pandara Vanniyan the last Tamil ruler of Vannimai | A yellow field with 2 crossed swords. |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 590–619 | Flag of the Pallava dynasty | The Pallava royal insignia was the (lion) and (bull) which was changeable. Narashimavarman used the lion as his emblem and Nandivarman preferred the Nandi. Under the reign of Parameswaravarman was Khatvanga (Skull mace) added to the Pallava emblem. |
 | 996–1068 | Flag of the Chola dynasty | The tiger flag of Chola is mentioned in Periya Puranam. |
 | 1251–1323 | Flag of the Pandya dynasty | According to legend, the goddess Meenakshi was born as the daughter of a Pandya king. Her eyes had the shape of a fish and resemble the emblem of the Pandyas. |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1508–1521 | Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal | A white field with the Portuguese coat of arms in the center. |
 | 1521–1578 | Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal | A white field with the Portuguese coat of arms in the center. |
 | 1578–1640 | Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal | A white field with the Portuguese coat of arms in the center. |
 | 1616–1640 | Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal (Putative flag) | A white field with the Portuguese Coat of arms in the center. |
 | 1640–1658 | Flag of the Kingdom of Portugal | A white field with the Portuguese coat of arms in the center. |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1638–1795 | The Prince's Flag | A horizontal triband of orange, white and blue. |
 | 1652–1672 | States Flag | A horizontal triband of red, white and blue. |
 | 1795–1796 | Flag of the Batavian Republic | A horizontal triband of red, white and blue with the Republic’s emblem in the canton. |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1796–1801 | Flag of the Kingdom of Great Britain | A superimposition of the flags of England and Scotland (Union Jack). |
 | 1801–1972 | Flag of the United Kingdom | A superimposition of the flags of England and Scotland with the Saint Patrick's Saltire (representing Ireland) (Union Jack). |
 | 1875–1948 | Flag of Ceylon's Colonial Government | A defaced blue ensign with the Arms of the Ceylon Government. |
 | 1948–1951 | The first flag of the Dominion of Ceylon | The Royal Standard of the Kandyan Kingdom, the last kingdom of Sri Lanka. |
 | 1951–1972 | The second flag of the Dominion of Ceylon | Defaced flag of Kandyan Kingdom, the last kingdom of Sri Lanka. |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1955 – 1969 | Civil Ensign of Sri Lanka | A red ensign with the Flag of Sri Lanka in the canton influenced by the British design. |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 161 BC – 137 BC | Flag of King Dutugamunu, as depicted in the Dambulla Viharaya cave no.2 [5] | A white swallowtailed field with a Lion holding a kastane sword in its right forepaw and the Sun and the Moon above. The lion's details and coloring are uncertain. |
 | 1415 – 1457 | Military Standard of Parakramabahu VI of Kotte | |
 | c.1798 – 1815 | Royal Standard of King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1953–1972 | Flag of the governor–general of Ceylon | A lion standing atop a St Edward's Crown, over "Ceylon" |
 | 1948–1953 | Flag of the governor–general of Ceylon | A lion standing atop a Tudor Crown, over "Ceylon" |
 | 1875–1948 | Flag of the governor of Ceylon | A Union Flag defaced with arms of the Ceylon Government. |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1949–1966 | First Flag of the Ceylon Army | |
| 1966–1972 | Second Flag of the Ceylon Army | ||
 | 1950–1972 | Ensign of the Royal Ceylon Navy | |
 | 1951–1972 | Ensign of the Royal Ceylon Air Force | |
 | 1971 – 2010 | Ensign of the Sri Lanka Air Force | |
 | 1971 – 2010 | Unit colour of the Sri Lanka Air Force |
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Media related to Flags of Sri Lanka at Wikimedia Commons