Pakistan and Tukmenistan: Stars & Stripes plus moons

Flag of Turkmenistan

As the last moon of 2009 finally disappears on January 14th. It only seems appropriate that two flags with emblems of the moon take center stage.

Pakistan and Turkmenistan both have crescent moons on their national banners. The symmetry is subtle. Islamic green forms the background. Pakistan has a plain white stripe on the left, while Turkmenistan's stripe is a vibrant complex embroidery.

Flag of Pakistan

By chance alignment the moon of Turkmenistan seems to be a waxing-growing moon, while Pakistan has a waning-decaying moon as the sliver of the moon is on the left hand side.

The position of these nations is balanced too, they are on opposite sides of Afghanistan. Turkmenistan on the north west side and Pakistan on the south east side, relative to Afghanistan.

During the age of European Empires they were adopted by the great Empires of Europe on the fringe. Russia on the eastern fringe adopted the Turkmen, while the UK off the western fringe settled into Pakistan. Because of this Russian has become a secondary language in Turkmenistan while English is nearly known to all Pakistanis.



Turkmenistan and Pakistan's flags are reflective of the Islamic month at the beginning and the end. A moon cycle begins with a crescent moon on the right side as it is with Turkmenistan's moon. While the moon cycle ends with a crescent moon on the left side as it is with Pakistan's moon.

The 15th of each Islamic Month is always a full moon or nearly so. Please note some Islamic months last 30 or 29 days. It's also interesting to note that Arabic is written in the same direction of the glowing of the moon, from right to left. Hebrew also does the same and uses a different kind of lunar calendar. Chinese when written in columns follows the pattern of moon light going from right to left. The Chinese also use the moon to calibrate their New Years which always falls on a new moon.

Yin and Yang is also reflective of their stripes. The stripe of Turkmenistan is full of colour and intensity as we begin each new month, while the stripe of Pakistan is empty of colour, distilled of its complexities.