Every Malaysian would know there are 13 states in the country, as well as three federal territories, each with its own flag. Then of course there’s the Jalur Gemilang, Malaysia’s national flag.

But how many of you know the history and significance behind each design?

To commemorate Malaysia Day, here is a rundown of the beautiful flags of Malaysia, in order of priority as listed by the Department of Information.

Jalur Gemilang

The Jalur Gemilang, meaning “stripes of glory”, has 14 red-and-white stripes representing the 13 member states and the federal government. The blue canton contains a 14-point star called the bintang persekutuan, or federal star, representing unity between the states and government.

The crescent represents Islam as the country’s official religion, blue represents the unity of the Malaysian people, and yellow is the royal colour of the Malay rulers.

The original Malayan flag was first raised on May 26, 1950 and only had 11 stripes and an 11-pointed star.

This was changed on Sept 16, 1963 to the current 14-point and -stripe design when Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore joined with Malaya to form Malaysia. After Singapore’s departure, the 14th stripe was retained and has since come to represent federal territory.

Kedah

Kedah’s primary crop, rice or padi, is represented in the wreath on its flag, which was adopted in 1912. Red signifies prosperity, while the colour of the shield varies.

The shield itself symbolises the sultan as the protector and guardian of the people, while the crescent stands for Islam as the state’s official religion. The Jawi script reads “Negeri Kedah”.

Pahang

Black is the official colour of the bendahara, who was once the administrator of the state. White represents the sultan of Pahang.

First revealed in 1903, the white above the black on this flag symbolises Pahang as a sovereign state with a royal monarch; the presence of special privileges, laws, customs and codes of conduct; as well as specific rights of the sultan.

Terengganu

The flag of Terengganu was unveiled in 1953. White signifies the sultan, while black represents the state’s citizens.

The white surrounding the black symbolises the sultan’s role as protector of his subjects. The star and crescent denote Islam as the state’s official religion.

Perlis

Adopted in 1870, this simple design was intended to show the close relationship between the king and his subjects.

Yellow represents the raja of Perlis, while blue symbolises the people.

Selangor

This flag dates back to 1965, prior to which the crescent and star were yellow.

Yellow refers to the monarchy of Selangor and the sultan, who is the head of the state, while red symbolises bravery. The white crescent and star denote Islam as the official religion of Selangor.

Negeri Sembilan

Dating back to 1895, this flag contains red, black and yellow, the traditional colours of the Minangkabau people, who were the earliest settlers.

Yellow also symbolises the Yang Di-Pertuan Negeri Sembilan, while black stands for the Undangs who lead the districts within the state. Red represents the people.

Johor

Johor’s flag goes as far back as 1871, with navy blue representing its people and government, and red symbolising the bravery of warriors and those who opened and developed the state. White symbolises the sovereignty of the sultan.

The white crescent and star represent Islam as the official religion.

Kelantan

The Kelantan flag was adopted in 1924. Red signifies the loyalty and honesty of the Kelantan people, while white stands for the sanctity of the office of the sultan.

The crescent moon and five-pointed star symbolise Islam. Two spears and two unsheathed Malay daggers or keris symbolise the strength and independent spirit of the Kelantanese.

Perak

Perak’s flag goes as far back as 1879, with white representing the sultan of Perak, yellow representing the raja muda or crown prince, and black representing the raja di hilir, or the next in succession after the crown prince.

These three colours, as well as red, were used in the flag of the Federated Malay States until 1946.

Penang

The flag of Penang was first revealed in 1949 but was modified into its present design in the 1960s.

Light blue signifies the sea surrounding the island, while white represents the serenity of the state. Yellow symbolises the prosperity of its people.

Penang is the only state flag with vertical stripes. The tree is the areca nut palm or pokok pinang.

Melaka

Melaka’s flag dates back to 1957. Red, white, yellow and blue are the colours of the Jalur Gemilang, indicating that Melaka is a member state of the federation.

The star and crescent represent Islam.

Sabah

The flag of Sabah, which was adopted comparatively recently in 1988, contains the silhouette of Mount Kinabalu, the state’s sacred national treasure.

The various blues symbolise different things – zircon blue (top right) stands for peace and tranquillity; royal blue (Mount Kinabalu) represents strength and co-operation; while icicle blue depicts unity and prosperity.

White recalls purity and justice, while red symbolises courage and conviction.

Sarawak

This flag was also unveiled in 1988.

Red symbolises the courage, determination and sacrifices of the Sarawak people in their efforts to create a model state. Yellow denotes law and order, unity and stability in diversity.

Black symbolises the natural resources of Sarawak such as petroleum and timber, which allow for the advancement of its people.

The yellow nine-pointed star denotes the nine divisions where the rakyat lives in harmony. It also embodies the aspiration of the people in their quest to improve their quality of life.

Kuala Lumpur

Elements of the national flag are incorporated into the KL flag, which was made official in 1990.

Red symbolises the city’s courage and strength, blue stands for the unity of its multiracial citizens, yellow represents sovereignty, and white signifies cleanliness and beauty.

Labuan

In Labuan’s flag, red stands for bravery, and white for purity, sincerity and persistence in cultivating a well-mannered and cultured Malaysia.

Blue represents peace, harmony and unity between different races, as well as the effort to develop the economy based on science and technology. Yellow, meanwhile, signifies the monarchy’s sovereignty, as well as respect towards the philosophy and constitution of the Rukun Negara.

The moon, crescent and star signify Islam as the official religion.

Putrajaya

The flag of Putrajaya consists of three vertical bands of blue, yellow and blue with the coat of arms in the centre. The banner contains the phrase “unity is strength” written in Malay and Jawi.

The star and crescent represent Malaysia’s monarchy and the official religion of Islam.

Federal territories

This flag, adopted in 2006, represents the federal territories as a whole.

Yellow represents respect, sovereignty and honour. Red signifies strength, while blue symbolises unity, sincerity and harmony.

The stars below the coat of arms stand for the territories, supporting their mission to become important administrative and business centres.

This article first appeared in Malaysia Traveller.