National Symbols of Nepal: Flower, Bird, Animal, Fruit, Flag & More

Nepal's national symbols come from two sources. The core symbols are written directly into the Constitution of Nepal 2015 (Bikram Sambat 2072), which was promulgated on 20 September 2015 (BS 2072 Ashoj 3). Article 8 defines the national flag, while Article 9 fixes the national anthem, the coat of arms (emblem), and then names the rhododendron as national flower, crimson as national colour, the cow as national animal and the Lophophorus (Himalayan monal) as national bird. Because these are constitutional, changing them would require a constitutional amendment.

A second group of symbols has been added by decisions of the Council of Ministers (Cabinet) rather than by the Constitution. Volleyball was declared the national sport on 23 May 2017, and the mandarin orange (suntala) was declared the national fruit on 12 April 2024. The daura suruwal for men and the gunyu cholo for women are recognised as the customary national dress by long usage rather than by a specific statute.

This page brings together every widely recognised national symbol of Nepal on one screen: the full or scientific name, when and how each became official, why it matters, and where it is found across the country. Several of these symbols connect to wider topics on amarnepal, from Nepal's forests and protected wildlife to its citrus-growing hills and its national anthem's authorship.

The rhododendron national flower of Nepal is the tree rhododendron, scientific name Rhododendron arboreum, of the family Ericaceae. In Nepali it is called lali gurans (लालीगुराँस), and the deep red form is the best known. It is a constitutional symbol under Article 9(3) of the 2015 Constitution and has long featured on Nepali culture, coinage and folk song. The flower symbolises bravery, resilience and the beauty of the Nepali landscape.

Nepal is exceptionally rich in this genus, home to more than 30 species of rhododendron ranging from tall trees to low alpine shrubs. Rhododendron arboreum itself grows as a tree up to roughly 20 metres tall in the mid-hills and lower highlands, broadly between about 1,400 and 3,600 metres of elevation. The blooming season runs mainly from mid-March to late April (the months of Falgun and Chaitra), when hillsides across the middle mountains turn red, pink and occasionally white.

Because the rhododendron is a forest tree, it links directly to Nepal's woodland ecology. Rhododendron forests are a defining feature of mid-hill national parks and conservation areas such as those around the Annapurna and Langtang ranges, and the flower is an important early-season nectar source. For a fuller picture of where these forests sit within Nepal's total forest cover, see amarnepal's coverage of Nepal's forests.

The national bird of Nepal is the Himalayan monal, scientific name Lophophorus impejanus, known in Nepali as the danphe or danfe. It belongs to the pheasant family Phasianidae and is named after Lady Mary Impey, wife of an 18th-century British chief justice of Bengal. The Constitution names it (as the Lophophorus) among Nepal's national symbols in Article 9(3).

The adult male is famous for its shimmering, multicoloured plumage - popularly described in Nepal as having nau rangi, or nine colours - including a metallic green crest, coppery neck feathers and a white rump that flashes in flight. The female is a muted brown that camouflages her while nesting. The danphe is a high-altitude bird, living mainly in upper-temperate oak and conifer forests, alpine meadows and rocky slopes between about 2,100 and 4,500 metres, descending lower in winter.

On the IUCN Red List the Himalayan monal is assessed as Least Concern globally, but in Nepal it is a protected species and hunting it is prohibited. Its striking crest has historically made it a target for poaching, which is why it features in conservation messaging by Nepal's Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. The danphe therefore connects naturally to Nepal's wider conservation and protected-species efforts.

The cow (Bos indicus), called gai in Nepali, is the national animal of Nepal, set out in Article 9(3) of the 2015 Constitution. The choice reflects the deep reverence for the cow in Hindu tradition, where it is honoured as a maternal, life-giving figure. In line with this status, the slaughter of cows is prohibited under Nepali criminal law, and the animal appears widely in religious festivals such as Gai Jatra.

Alongside the animal, Article 9(3) also fixes crimson (a deep, rich red often called simrik) as the national colour of Nepal. It is the colour of the flag's field and of the rhododendron blossom, and it carries associations of bravery and vitality. Together, the cow and the colour crimson show how Nepal's national symbols weave religion, landscape and everyday life into its formal identity.

It is worth noting a common misconception: the yeti, though heavily used in Nepali tourism branding, is not an official national animal. Only the cow holds that constitutional status.

The daura suruwal national dress is the customary formal attire for Nepali men and is the outfit most associated abroad with Nepali national identity. The daura is a closed-neck, double-breasted shirt fastened with cloth ties, traditionally counted as eight strings; it is worn with the suruwal, trousers that are loose at the top and snug at the calf. The look is usually completed with a waistcoat (istakot) and the patterned dhaka topi cap, and sometimes a shawl.

For women, the counterpart national dress is the gunyu cholo: the gunyu is a wrap-around skirt or sari-like lower garment, worn with the cholo (a fitted blouse) and often a patuka (a long cloth wound around the waist). Both outfits use fabrics and patterns, especially the handwoven dhaka cloth, that are made within Nepal and carry strong cultural meaning.

Unlike the flower, bird, animal and colour, the daura suruwal and gunyu cholo are not written into the Constitution as national symbols; they are recognised through long custom and official ceremonial use. They remain standard wear at weddings, festivals such as Dashain and Tihar, and state occasions.

The suntala national fruit designation is Nepal's most recent symbol. On 12 April 2024, the Council of Ministers declared the mandarin orange - suntala (Citrus reticulata) - the national fruit of Nepal, acting on a proposal from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. It was the first fruit ever to hold the title; before 2024, Nepal had no officially declared national fruit. The government spokesperson at the time, Communications Minister Rekha Sharma, announced the decision.

The mandarin was a fitting choice because it is grown across Nepal's mid-hills, roughly between 800 and 1,400 metres, in districts such as Syangja, Dhankuta, Kavrepalanchok, Ramechhap, Sindhuli, Gulmi, Tanahun and Lamjung. Citrus is one of Nepal's most valuable hill fruit crops and supports the livelihoods of many small farmers, so the designation also spotlights a working part of the agricultural economy. For where the mandarin sits among Nepal's major crops, see amarnepal's agriculture coverage.

Volleyball is Nepal's national sport, declared by the Cabinet on 23 May 2017. It replaced the traditional stick-and-pin game dandi biyo, which had long been the country's de facto national game. Officials favoured volleyball because it is inexpensive and can be played across Nepal's varied terrain, from the plains to the hills, making it a genuinely nationwide sport.

The flag of Nepal is the only non-quadrilateral national flag in the world, formed by two stacked triangular pennants (a double pennon). Its current form was adopted on 16 December 1962, and its exact geometric construction is laid down in Article 8 and Schedule 1 of the 2015 Constitution. The crimson field with a deep blue border carries a white crescent moon in the upper triangle and a white twelve-rayed sun in the lower triangle; engineer Shankar Nath Rimal standardised the design for King Mahendra. The moon and sun express the hope that Nepal will endure as long as they do.

The national emblem (coat of arms) is set out in Schedule 3. The version in use was adopted in 2008 and updated in 2020 to reflect Nepal's revised official map. It contains a white silhouette map of the country, Mount Everest and the green hills, the yellow of the fertile Terai plains, a man's and a woman's hands joined to signify gender equality, a wreath of rhododendron, and the national flag, all above a red scroll bearing the Sanskrit motto 'Janani Janmabhumishcha Swargadapi Gariyasi' (जननी जन्मभूमिश्च स्वर्गादपि गरीयसी) - 'Mother and Motherland are greater than Heaven.'

The national anthem is 'Sayaun Thunga Phulka' ('Made of Hundreds of Flowers'), fixed by Schedule 2 of the Constitution. Its lyrics were written by the poet Pradip Kumar Rai, known by the pen name Byakul Maila, and the music was composed by Amber Gurung. Chosen from 1,272 submissions on 30 November 2006, it was officially adopted on 3 August 2007, replacing the older monarchical anthem after Nepal moved toward becoming a republic. The song celebrates Nepal's unity, sovereignty and its cultural and natural diversity.