Tallest Flagpole in the World – Size Really Matters?

Having an Engineering background and ever since I first got myself committed to working in the flag and flagpole industry, two questions came to mind directly as to how tall the tallest flagpole in the world is and where that flagpole stands.

To even the least technically minded individual it somewhat makes sense that very tall flagpoles require more complex support structures than a simple 10 ft pole.  Sometimes an aluminum flagpole won’t meet the stress requirements as a result of wind loads, and therefore a “flag tower” must be build.

An example of such a construction is the tallest flag tower in the world at “Kijong-dong” (which is the Korean Demilitarized Zone or “DMZ”) in North Korea.  This flag tower has a height of 525 ft and flies a 600 lbs weighing North Korean flag. Interestingly, in the (by some) so called “flagpole war,” a relatively short battle for the sky, the North Koreans initially observed the shorter South Korean flagpole gain another 330 ft with a 300 lbs flag.  The North Koreans countered the South Koreans by building their current record-holding 525 ft flag tower.

Flag Tower in North Korea (525 ft) – Photo by Justin Barrass

Interestingly, the 600 lbs (dry-weight) heavy North Korean flag is immediately taken down during rains, as the weight of the flag increases dramatically, thus increasing momentum (as the flags whips around at the top of the flag tower), thus increasing the stress on the flag tower significantly.

However, the claim made by reportedly the tallest flagpole in the world located in Kijong-dong has not been accepted (especially by competitors) unanimously.  Looking at flagpoles specifically, the tallest flagpole in the world is the Ashgabat flagpole in Turkmenistan.  With a height of 436 ft, this flagpole beats the formerly record holding Aqaba flagpole in Jordan (433 ft).  This flagpole flies the flag of the Arab Revolt and can be seen all the way from neighboring nations, such as: Egypt, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Raghadan Flagpole in Jordan (433 ft) – Photo by Shannon Hobbs

The Aqaba flagpole will be countered by the National Flag Square in Azerbaijan, a flagpole that is currently under construction and will reach a height of 531 ft.  The Raghadan Flagpole in Amman is currently the third tallest flagpole in the world.  It reaches a height of 410 ft and flies a flag that measures 200 by 130 feet; it is illuminated at night and can be seen from a good 16 miles away.  The National Flag Square, the tallest flagpole in the world to be, in Azerbaijan is set to reach the height of 531ft very soon, if it hasn’t already.