This is a list of flags used in Sri Lanka.

National Flag FlagDateUseDescription 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. 1972 – Flag of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (vertical)

Presidential Flags (1972–2022) This flag was personal to every President of Sri Lanka, and as such the design changed when a new president assumed office.

On 15 July 2022, the acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe abolished the presidential flag.

FlagDateUse 22 May 1972 – 4 February 1978 Presidential flag of William Gopallawa 4 February 1978 – 2 January 1989 Presidential flag of J. R. Jayewardene 2 January 1989 – 1 May 1993 Presidential flag of Ranasinghe Premadasa 1 May 1993 – 12 November 1994 Presidential flag of D. B. Wijetunga 12 November 1994 – 19 November 2005 Presidential flag of Chandrika Kumaratunga 19 November 2005 – 9 January 2015 Presidential flag of Mahinda Rajapaksa 9 January 2015 – 18 November 2019 Presidential flag of Maithripala Sirisena 18 November 2019 – 14 July 2022 Presidential flag of Gotabaya Rajapaksa

Civil Ensigns FlagDateUseDescription 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.

Military Flags FlagDateUseDescription 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. 1955 - Flag of the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps Sri Lanka Armoured Corps emblem in the centre with the three vertical stripes of black, white. 1983 - Flag of the Gajaba Regiment 1984 - Flag of the Sri Lanka Army Seva Vanitha Unit 1986 - Flag of Sri Lanka Civil Security Force ? – Present Flag of the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment ? – Present Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force A yellow field defaced with a central black emblem featuring a standing elephant above a pair of crossed swords, with two ornate ceremonial swords below and a black scroll bearing Sri Lanka Army - Volunteer Force.

Former Military Flags FlagDateUseDescriptionPost-independence era flags 1949–1966 First Flag of the Ceylon Army 1949–1966 Flag of the Commander in Chief 1949–1966 War Flag 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 Kotte-Kandyan era flags ? – 1815 Flag of the Supreme Commander of the Kandyan Royal Army A white field bordered in maroon and defaced with a stylized black ceremonial elephant adorned with decorative trappings and carrying a flower in its trunk. ? – 1815 Flag of the Commander over the Cavalry ? – 1815 Flag of the Royal Army/Guard A red field defaced with an array of golden weapons and a drum including a disc-weapon, a bow, a sword, an axe, and a scabbard on a sky-blue border. ? – 1815 Flag of the Officer over the Trumpeters and Drummers ? – 1815 Flag of the Commander of the Royal Gingalls ? – 1815 Flag of the Officer in charge of the Royal Golden Arms ? – 1815 Flag of the Captain of the Royal Musketeers ? – 1815 Flag of Officer in charge of the Sharpshooters

Government Flags FlagDateUseDescription 1972 – Flag of the Sri Lanka Police 2010 – Flag of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard ? – Present Ensign of the Sri Lanka Special Task Force (STF) ? – Present Flag of the Sri Lanka Customs ? – Present Flag of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority ? – Present Flag of the Sri Lanka Transport Board

Former Government Flags FlagDateUseDescription ? – 2010 Flag of the Sri Lanka Guard Coast

Sporting Flags FlagDateUseDescription ? – Present Flag of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka ? – Present Flag of the Sri Lanka Volleyball Federation ? – Present Flag of the Sri Lanka Cricket ? – Present Flag of the Sri Lanka Football Federation ? – Present Flag of the Sri Lanka Rugby

Other Flags FlagDateUseDescription ? – Present Flag of the Sri Lanka Red Cross

Provincial Flags FlagDateUseDescription November 14, 1987 – Flag of Central Province The flag is designed to represents the Central Province and its three districts Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya. 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 Nuwara Eliya 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 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 ProvinceA picture of a lion flag can be seen in frescos in the 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 ProvinceIn 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 Vickrama 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

Historical flags

Sinhala Kingdom flags (Main Kingdoms' Flags) FlagDateUseDescription 437 BC-1017 AD Flag of the Anuradhapura Kingdom Flag of King Dutugamunu (161-137 B.C.) and it's known as the Flag of the Anuradhapura Kingdom. The flag believed to have been used by Sinhala king Dutthagamani (Dutugamunu) and subsequent monarchs. 273-301 AD State Flag or Personal Banner of King Mahasena Flag or Personal Banner of King Mahasena from the Anuradhapura Kingdom. Known in Sinhala as සෙවුල් කොඩිය (Sevul Kodiya), the flag features a rooster eating a snake. It also includes the sun and moon emblems, traditional royal insignia of Sinhala monarchs. 1055-1232 AD Flag of the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa 1220-1345 AD Flag of the Kingdom of Dambadeniya 1273–1284 AD Flag of the Kingdom of Dambadeniya;Rule from Yapahuwa as a capital 1300-1341 AD Flag of the Kingdom of Dambadeniya;Rule from Kurunegala as a capital 1341–1408 Flag of the Kingdom of Gampola 1412–1597 Flag of the Kingdom of Kotte A plain white field with ornate blue and red leaved white border and a lion with a whip at the centre. 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. 1469–1815 Flag of Kingdom of Kandy The flag adopted was the royal standard and featured a gold and black bordered red field with Bo leaves and lion with a sword. This is similar to the right portion of the modern flag. Royal Standards FlagDateUseDescription 161 BC – 137 BC Flag of King Dutugamunu, as depicted in the Dambulla Viharaya cave no.2 A white swallowtailed field with a Lion holding a Kastane sword in its right forepaw and the Sun and the Moon above. 273 – 301 Royal Standard of Mahasena of Anuradhapura 1415 – 1457 Military Standard of Parakramabahu VI of Kotte 1581 – 1593 Royal Standard of Rajasinha I c.1798 – 1815 Civil and Royal Standard of King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha 1848 Royal Standard of Gongalegoda Banda "Sri Wickrama Siddhipathi"

Sub-Kingdom Flag FlagDateUseDescription 1521-1538 Flag of the Kingdom of Raigama A Red Field With Golden Border and a Peacock fighting a Snake in the center. Tamil Kingdoms Flag (A hypothetical image) 1215–1619 Flag of the Jaffna Kingdom The silver crescent moon with a golden sun. The single sacred conch shell, which spiral open to the right, and in the centre above the sacred bull, is a white parasol with golden tassels and white pearls.This flag was created based on Nandi symbol portrayed on Sethu coin.

This is not the official Jaffna flag, but a modern imagination of what the flag used by Jaffna would look like. It has no historical background (no historical information on the shade or hue of the color, the angle of lines, the curvature or straightness of lines, etc). No flag artifact or any archaeological proof of a flag used by Jaffna survived. 1215–1805 Flag of the Vanni cheiftaincies The Flag of the Vanni kings.

Portuguese Ceylon Flags