Flag of Croatia

The national **flag of Croatia** is one of the state symbols of Croatia. It consists of three equal size, horizontal stripes in colors red, white and blue. In the middle is the coat of arms of Croatia.

## History

The flag combines the colors of the flags of the Kingdom of Croatia (red and white), the Kingdom of Slavonia (white and blue) and the Kingdom of Dalmatia (red and blue). Those three kingdoms are the historic constituent states of the Croatian Kingdom.

The red-white-blue tricolor has been used as the Croatian flag since 1848, and the pan-Slavic colors are widely associated with romantic nationalism. While the Banovina of Croatia existed within the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, it had a similar flag without the modern crown above the chequy. During the Independent State of Croatia, the flag was like the modern, but without crown and there was letter "U" at the top left of the flag. Also, the first field of Croatian chequy was white. While Croatia was part of SFR Yugoslavia its tricolour was the same, but it had a five-pointed red star with a yellow border in place of the coat of arms. The star was replaced by the coat in May 1990, shortly after the first multiparty elections. The current flag and the coat of arms were officially adopted on 21 December 1990, about ten months before the proclamation of independence from Yugoslavia and a day before the Constitution of Croatia on 22 December 1990.

## Shield

The shield is in the red and white checks of Croatia. Above is a crown made of shields of its various regions. From left to right they are the ancient arms of Croatia, Dubrovnik, Kingdom of Dalmatia, Istria and Slavonia. In 1626 Grand Prince Jure Sinovčić of Dalmatia adopted the Dalmatian shield to represent the Sinovčić Royal family as the Royal family's official coat of arms. Until 1526 this coat of arms was also used to represent Croatia in general, apparent from the coat of arms of several kings: Louis I, Mary, Matthias Corvinus and Louis II. It is also found on the great seals of Sigismund of Luxembourg, Albert II, John Zápolya, Ferdinand I, and from then on various seals and arms of the Habsburgs. Originally the coat of arms was three lion heads on red background, turned to left.

## Colors

 File:16 obljetnica vojnoredarstvene operacije Oluja Hrvatska zastava na Kninskoj tvrdjavi 05082011 180.jpg
 File:Zastava na Srđu.JPG
The following colors are specified for use in the flag:

## Historical flags

*Main article: List of Croatian flags#Historical flags*
Croatia-1848.gifFlag of the Kingdom of Croatia (1848)Flag of Kingdom of Croatia (1852-1860).svgFlag of the Kingdom of Croatia (1852–1860)Flag of Croatia-Slavonia with CoA.svgFlag of the Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia (1868–1918)Flag of Banate of Croatia (1939-1941).svgFlag of the Banovina of Croatia (1939–1941)Flag of Independent State of Croatia.svgFlag of the Independent State of Croatia (1941–1945)Flag of SR Croatia.svgFlag of the Socialist Republic of Croatia (1945–1990)Flag of Croatia (1990).svgFlag of the Republic of Croatia (July 25 – December 21, 1990)Flag of the Republic of Croatia in 1990.svgFlag often used among Croatians outside Croatia, but also in other patriotic parts of the Croatian society
## Other official flags in Croatia

Presidential Flag of the Republic of Croatia.svgStandard of the President of the Republic of Croatia.

## See also

* List of Croatian flags
* Coat of Arms of Croatia

## References

1. ↑ Flag of the Republic of Croatia. Croatian Parliament. Retrieved on 30 July 2012.
2. ↑ http://www.sabor.hr/Default.aspx?sec=4317

## External links

* Croatia at Flags of the World
* Everything about the Croatian flags
* History of the Croatian Flag in brief
* Historical Flags (1848-1918)