The Answer:
The national flag of Nepal is indeed unique,
shaped like two right triangles stacked one above the other and
slightly overlapping. The unusual shape is apparently owed to the fact
that the flag was derived from two pennants that were used by separate
branches of the Rana family, members of which served as prime minister
from 1846 until 1951.
The white moon in the upper, smaller triangle represents the
royal house, and the white sun represents the Rana family. Adopted as
the official flag of
Nepal in 1962, the double pennant actually dates back to the
19th century.
Finally, although all the other countries of the world have
rectangular flags, it should be noted that they do differ in
proportion. Qatar
has the longest flag, with a width to length ratio of 11:28, while the
flags of Switzerland and the
Vatican are
square.
To see more flags of the world, click here.
—The Editors
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