The flag of Laos was adopted on December 2nd 1975.

The flag consists of three horizontal stripes - two red stripes and one blue. The blue stripe is the combined height of both of the red stripes. In the center of the flag there is a white circle.

The red represents the blood shed in the  struggle for independance. The blue represents the wealth of the country. The white disc represents the moon over the river Mekong, as well as the unity of the country under the communist government. 

The Laotian flag is based on the flag of the Lao Patriotic Front, which is usually referred to as the Pathet Lao. Pathet Lao was a communist nationalist movement that fought for Laotian independence.

In 1975 the Pathet Lao took over control of the Laotian government and abolished the country's monarchy. They set up a communist administration and changed the country's name to the Lao People's Democratic Republic and officially adopted the current national flag.