Symbolism
Countries with Moon and Stars Flags 2025
Country | Moon and Stars↓ | Flag Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Pakistan | Yes | White diagonal crescent moon and single five-pointed star set on square green field bordered by vertical white stripe on left/hoist side |
 | Turkey | Yes | White crescent moon and single five-pointed star on a red field |
 | Algeria | Yes | Red crescent moon and single five-pointed star on a field of half green and half white |
 | Malaysia | Yes | Yellow crescent moon and single 14-pointed star set in blue rectangle in upper left (hoist), backed by field of 14 alternating red and white stripes |
 | Tunisia | Yes | Red crescent moon and single five-pointed star in a white circle centered on a red field |
 | Azerbaijan | Yes | White crescent moon and single eight-pointed star backed by stripes of (from top) blue, red, and green |
 | Turkmenistan | Yes | White diagonal crescent moon and five five-pointed stars set in upper left of a green field and with a vertical red stripe adorned with five multicolored emblems to the moon's left. |
 | Libya | Yes | White crescent moon and single five-pointed star on a black field, bordered by stripes of red (top) and green (bottom). |
 | Singapore | Yes | White crescent moon and five five-pointed stars left/hoist-aligned on a horizontal red stripe with equally sized white stripe underneath |
 | Mauritania | Yes | Yellow horizontal crescent moon with single five-pointed star above, set on large green field bordered by red stripes at the top and bottom |
 | Comoros | Yes | White crescent moon and four vertically stacked five-pointed stars set in a green triangle aligned on hoist edge, laid over horizontal stripes of (from top) yellow, white, red, and blue |
- In flag parlance, the background behind a star, emblem, or other art element is typically referred to as a “field”.
- The “hoist” edge of a flag is the edge closest to the flagpole when the flag is flown. It is traditionally represented as the left side in illustrations, but most flags are reversable in actual practice.
You might be surprised to learn this, but there are quite a few national flags that contain either a moon or stars or both. One national flag that includes both the moon and stars is the national flag of the country of Pakistan. The Pakistani national flag includes a green background with a white star and a white crescent moon. It is quite common for many countries where Islam is the primary religion to have a national flag that includes the moon and stars. More specifically, you will often see that the moon is a crescent moon on the national flags of these countries.
Another country that has the moon and stars on its national flag is the country of Turkey. The national flag of Turkey differs from the national flag of Pakistan in that the background of the flag is red. The Turkish national flag also has a different crescent moon and the star on the flag is larger than the star on the Pakistani flag.
Algeria is another country that has a flag that includes both the moon and stars. The national flag of Algeria has a green and white background with a red crescent moon and a red star. As is the case with both Pakistan and Turkey, Islam is the most popular religion in the country of Algeria. However, not all countries that have either a star or the moon on their national flag are majority Muslim countries. One notable exception to this is the country of Australia.
Australia’s national flag consists of a blue background, the Union Jack, and several white stars. As you probably know, Australia is not a majority Muslim nation. In fact, the Australian flag includes the Union Jack, which is a combination of the crosses of St. Andrew, St. Patrick, and St. George. Technically speaking, any country that has the Union Jack on its national flag has a Christian symbol on its national flag.
What is the Significance of Moon and Stars Flags?
The meaning of these sorts of flags varies from country to country. For mainly Islamic countries, the crescent moon and stars are symbols of Islam. The crescent moon is quite a common symbol of Islam. However, not all national flags that have a crescent moon and stars on them have any sort of religious significance.
The national flag of Singapore includes a crescent moon and five stars. However, in that case, those represent a young, rising nation, and the five stars symbolize justice, democracy, equality, progress, and peace. Those are the most valued ideals in Singapore, hence why the stars represent them.
Sources
- Flag of Algeria - Britannica
- Flag of Azerbaijan - Britannica
- Flag of Comoros - Britannica
- Flag of Libya - Britannica
- Flag of Malaysia - Britannica
- Flag of Mauritania - Britannica
- Flag of Pakistan - Britannica
- Flag of Singapore - Britannica
- Flag of Tunisia - Britannica
- Flag of Turkey - Britannica
- Flag of Turkmenistan - Britannica
