# Travel >> Destinations >> Canada

Flags of Pakistan's Neighbouring Countries: Symbols & Meanings

Pakistan shares land borders with four countries—China, India, Afghanistan, Iran—and a maritime boundary with Oman (across the Arabian Sea). Nepal, while not bordering Pakistan, is sometimes included in broader South Asian regional contexts. Here's a guide to each neighbour's flag and its symbolism.

China 🇨🇳

Design: Red field with five golden stars in the canton (upper hoist)—one large, four smaller in an arc.

Red: Revolution, the Communist Party, and the blood of martyrs.
Large star: The Communist Party of China (CPC) leadership.
Four small stars: The four social classes united under the CPC (per Mao's "On the People's Democratic Dictatorship"): workers, peasants, petty bourgeoisie, national bourgeoisie.
Adopted: September 27, 1949.

India 🇮🇳

Design: Horizontal tricolour—deep saffron (top), white (middle), India green (bottom)—with a navy blue Ashoka Chakra (24-spoke wheel) centered on the white band.

Saffron: Courage, sacrifice, renunciation.
White: Peace, truth, purity.
Green: Faith, fertility, prosperity.
Ashoka Chakra: The Dharma wheel—law, motion, progress; 24 spokes = 24 hours, perpetual righteousness.
Adopted: July 22, 1947.

Afghanistan 🇦🇫

Design (current Islamic Emirate flag, since Aug 2021): White field with black Shahada (Islamic creed) in Arabic calligraphy centered.

White: Purity, peace.
Shahada: "There is no deity but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God."
Note: The previous Islamic Republic flag (black-red-green vertical tricolour with emblem) is still used by resistance groups and some international bodies.

Iran 🇮🇷

Design: Horizontal tricolour—green (top), white (middle), red (bottom)—with the Allah symbol (stylized tulip/sword) in red centered on the white band, and Kufic script "Allahu Akbar" (God is Great) repeated 22 times along the green and red borders.

Green: Growth, happiness, unity, nature, Islam.
White: Freedom, peace, honesty.
Red: Martyrdom, bravery, valor.
Central emblem: Four crescents and a sword forming the word "Allah"—also resembles a tulip (symbol of martyrdom in Shi'a culture).
Adopted: July 29, 1980 (post-Revolution).

Oman 🇴🇲 (Maritime Neighbour)

Design: Three horizontal stripes—white, red, green—with a vertical red bar at the hoist bearing the national emblem (khanjar dagger crossed with two swords in scabbards).

White: Peace, prosperity.
Red: Battles against foreign invaders.
Green: Fertility, the Green Mountains (Jebel Akhdar).
Emblem: Traditional Omani weapons—khanjar (ceremonial dagger) and swords.
Adopted: April 25, 1995 (modified 1970).

Nepal 🇳🇵 (Regional Context)

Design: World's only non-quadrilateral national flag—two stacked crimson pennants with blue borders; upper pennant bears a white moon (crescent with 8 rays), lower a white sun (12 rays).