Flag of Moldova

The state flag of Moldova is a vertical tricolour of blue, yellow, and red, charged with the coat of arms of Moldova (an eagle holding a shield charged with an aurochs) on the center bar. The obverse is mirrored. The flag ratio is 1:2. Until further provisions, the State Flag of Moldova is used as the national flag and ensign as well, that is, civil, state and war flag and ensign.Law no. 217 from 17 September 2010 regarding the State Flag of the Republic of Moldovaflags.net, Flag of Republic of Moldova
The blue, red, and yellow tricolor of Moldova is almost identical to the flag of Romania, reflecting the two countries' national and cultural affinity. On Moldova's flag the yellow stripe is charged with the national arms. Like the Romanian coat of arms, the Moldovan arms, adopted in 1990, features a dark golden eagle holding an Orthodox Christian cross in its beak. Instead of a sword, the eagle is holding an olive branch, symbolizing peace. The blue and red shield on the eagle's chest is charged with the traditional symbols of Moldova: an aurochs' head, flanked by a rose in dexter and a crescent in sinister, and having a star between its horns, all of gold. These two national flags are also very similar to the flags of Chad and Andorra, which are all based on vertical stripes of blue, yellow, and red.
File:Flag of Moldova.svg|1:2 Obverse
File:Flag of Moldova, reverse.svg|1:2 Reverse
File:Flag of Moldova, construction sheet.svg|Construction sheet
==Colours==
Until 2010, the colour shades of the Moldavian flag were not explicitly named. The Regulation regarding the flag stated that the colours of the flag must match the ones shown in the annex. Moldavian heraldist and vexillologist Silviu Andrieș-Tabac stated in an interview that in 1990, when the flag was being created, "it was taken into account that many countries have similar tricolour flags. As a result, it was decided to abandon the ultramarine blue, which is present on the Romanian flag, in favour of the emerald-blue, used on the mural paintings of Voroneț monastery...".
The French Album des pavillons nationaux et des marques distinctives (2000) by Armand du Payrat and Daniel Roudaut had suggested the following Pantone nuances, including those of the coat of arms: blue 549, yellow 143, red 186, green 340 and brown 464.
However, a new law from 2010 defined the colors of the flag as Berlin blue, chrome yellow and vermillon red. The exact matches, according to annex no. 2, are as follows:
Colour space	Blue 	Yellow 	Red 	Brown 	Green
Pantone 	293c 	109c 	186c 	4645c 	3415c
CMYK 	97.81.0.0	1.15.100.0	13.100.90.4	28.15.68.7	100.26.86.14
RGB 	0-70-174 	255-210-0 	204-9-47 	176-126-91	0-122-80
HTML 	#0046AE 	#FFD200 	#CC092F 	#B07E5B 	#007A50
==Governmental flags==
===Governmental standards===
In 2010 four new governmental standards, derived from the state flag, were established. The standard of the Minister of Defense has yet to be defined, its temporary replacement being the state flag. The other three standards, of the President, President of the Parliament and Prime Minister, are described as follows:
A square flag with the coat of arms of Moldova on center, whose aquila is golden (instead of dark gold, or brown). The flag has a border of squares, each one measuring of the flag's width and following the pattern blue-yellow-red-yellow. The background of the flag is purple for the President, red for the President of the Parliament and blue for the Prime Minister.
The original flags are kept in their respective offices. Duplicates are hoisted on the official residences when the people entitled to them are inside; also on their respective cars.
File:Standard of the President of Moldova.svg|1:1 President
File:Standard of the President of the Parliament of Moldova.svg|1:1 President of the Parliament
File:Standard of the Prime Minister of Moldova.svg|1:1 Prime Minister
File:Flag of Moldova.svg|1:2 Minister of Defense (temporary)
===Other governmental flags===
Several governmental organizations have flags established by parliamentary or governmental decisions:
* The Department of Civil Defense and Exceptional Situations of MoldovaGovernmental Decision no. 1107 from 30.09.2008 regarding the uniform and distinct insignia of the Department of Civil Defense and Exceptional Situations of Moldova
* The Customs of MoldovaGovernmental Decision no. 554 from 16.06.1997 regarding the flag, ensign and insignia of the Customs
* The Border Guard of MoldovaSymbols of the Border Guard Service of Moldova
* The Information and Security Service of MoldovaParliamentary Decision no. 452 from 30.07.2001 regarding the approval of the regulations regarding the flag and unique insignia of the Information and Security Service of Moldova
* Principal State Inspectorate for Technical Supervising of Dangerous Industrial ObjectsGovernmental Decision no. 177 from 11.03.2010 regarding the uniform and insignia of the Principal State Inspectorate for Technical Supervising of Dangerous Industrial Objects
File:Flag of Civil Defense and Exceptional Situations of Moldova.svg|2:3 Department of Civil Defense and Exceptional Situations of Moldova
File:Land flag of the Moldovan Customs.svg|2:3 Customs, flag
File:Customs ensign of Moldova.png|1:2 Customs, ensign
File:Flag of the Border Guard of Moldova.svg|2:3? Border Guard
File:Flag of the Information and Security Service of Moldova.png|1:2 Information and Security Service
File:Flag of Principal State Inspectorate for Technical Supervising of Dangerous Industrial Objects of Moldova.png|2:3 Principal State Inspectorate for Technical Supervising of Dangerous Industrial Objects
==Military flags==
The flag of the National Army of the Republic of Moldova represents a unique military vexillologic insignia. It is the symbol of the military glory, of the tradition and continuity, honor and loyalty of the soldiers and officers to the country.
The cloth of the flag has the same chromatics as the state flag of the Republic of Moldova. Its partition reminds of the old Moldavian military flags, from 1834-1863. The red central cross reminds of Saint George, the patron and protector of the medieval Moldavian army. The motto "Pentru Onoare! Pentru Patrie! Pentru Tricolor!" represents the belief of the Moldovan soldiers.
The military colours of the Moldavian Army units consists of the state flag, measuring 825×1650 mm, with golden fringes and tassels, having the unit's battle cry inscribed on obverse, above the coat of arms, and the unit's name on reverse, below the coat of arms. The flag is fixed on a wooden rod, measuring 2500 mm, with a standard pole on top.Law no. 217 from 17 September 2010 regarding the State Flag of the Republic of Moldova, article 15. Previous regulation, which hasn't been explicitly repealed in 2010, described the inscriptions on the flag as follows: on obverse, above the coat of arms, "PENTRU PATRIA NOASTRĂ" (For our Motherland), and below "REPUBLICA MOLDOVA" (Republic of Moldova); on reverse, above the coat of arms, the unit's name.Parliamentary Decision no. 1010 from 08.04.1992 regarding the approval of the regulations regarding the military colors of the great units and military units of the Armed Forces
The military colours, as well as their regulations, are issued by decree of the President of Moldova.
The military colours of the units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are reproducing the state flag, with golden fringes and tassels, having the motto "PENTRU PATRIE" (For Motherland) inscribed on obverse, above the coat of arms, and the text "MINISTERUL AFACERILOR INTERNE AL REPUBLICII MOLDOVA" (The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Moldova) on reverse, below the top margin. Also, on reverse, above the coat of arms, is inscribed the name of the unit, all letters being embroided with golden thread.Parliamentary Decision no. 1231 from 11.12.1992 regarding the approval of the regulations regarding the military colors of the departments, units, subunits and institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
==Flag Day==
Since April 2010, the Flag Day of Moldova is celebrated on 27 April each year.Parliamentary Decision regarding the establishment of the Flag Day On this day in 1990, the tricolor was officially adopted by the Supreme Soviet of the Moldavian SSR as the state flag of the country.
== History ==
Wallachia and Moldova have, in the past, been partially united and culturally similar, as such the flags of Romania and Republic of Moldova are also similar.
File:Flag of Moldavia.svg|Flag of the Principality of Moldavia, 1346–1859
File:Flag of the Moldavian Democratic Republic.svg|Flag of the Moldavian Democratic Republic, 1917–1918
File:Flag of Sfatul Tarii.svg|Flag of the Moldavian Congress (Sfatul Țării), 1917–1918
File:Flag of Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.svg|Flag of the Moldavian ASSR, 1938
File:Flag of Moldavian SSR.svg|Flag of the Moldavian SSR, 1952–1990
File:Flag of Moldavian SSR proposed.svg|Flag of the Moldavian SSR, 1990 (early prototype)
File:Flag of Moldavian SSR 1990.svg|Flag of the Moldavian SSR / SSR Moldova, 1990 (without emblem)
File:Communist-Flag of Moldova.jpg|Proposed flag by the Party of Communists of Moldova in order to replace the current flag
The current flag of Moldova was created in 1990, and is based on the national colors of Romanians, the blue-yellow-red tricolor. The reverse side differed from the Romanian flag in proportion, and by having a lighter blue.
The flag of Moldova was one of the national flags with differing obverse and reverse sides — the others being the flags of Paraguay. Although the reverse of the flag was officially stated as not containing any coat of arms, Moldovan flags with a coat of arms printed on the reverse were also used.
File:Drapel_fata.png|1:2 The obverse of the Flag of Moldova
File:Drapel_verso.png|1:2 The reverse of the Flag of Moldova (until 2010)
On 26 November 2010, a new law regarding the State Flag of Moldova became effective. One of the most important provisions has the reverse defined as a mirrored image of the obverse.
==Flags of Subdivisions==
File:Flag of Gagauzia.svg|Flag of Gagauzia
File:Flag of Transnistria (state).svg|Flag of Transnistria, de facto independent
==See also==
*Coat of arms of Moldova
*Flag of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic
*Flags whose reverse differs from the obverse
*List of flags of Moldova
*Flag of Transnistria
==References==
==External links==
*
*Law no. 217 from 17 September 2010 regarding the State Flag of the Republic of Moldova
*Parliamentary decision no. 17-XII from 12 May 1990 regarding the approval of the regulation regarding the State Flag of the Republic of Moldova (Moldovan Presidential website)
* Vlad Mischevca, The National Tricolor. Introduction to vexilology in "Akademos", no. 2(17), June 2010.
* Flag of Moldova at www.vexillographia.ru
 
Moldova
Category:National symbols of Moldova