World Flags World Flags This page lists of the various symbols in the World Flags group. Flags from countries around the world, including their origins, design and history. Edit this group The Flag of Albania (Albanian: Flamuri i Shqipërisë) is a red flag, with a silhouetted black double-headed eagle in the centre, that represents the sovereign state of Albania located in the Balkans. Adopted april 7, 1992 Flag of Algeria The national flag of Algeria (Arabic: علم الجزائر, Berber: Acenyal n Dzayer) consists of two equal vertical bars, green and white, charged in the center with a red star and crescent. The white color represents peace; the green, the beauty of nature; the red, the blood of those killed fighting for independence in the Algerian War (1954 to 1962) and the star and crescent represent Islam. Flag of Andorra The national flag of the Principality of Andorra (Catalan: Bandera d'Andorra) was adopted in 1866.

The flag is a vertical tricolour of blue, yellow, and red with the coat of arms of Andorra in the centre. Although the three vertical bars may at first appear to be of equal width, the centre yellow bar is slightly wider than the other two so that the ratio of bar widths is 8:9:8. The overall flag ratio is 7:10. Flag of Bangladesh The national flag of Bangladesh was adopted officially on 17 January 1972. It is based on a similar flag used during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. The map was later deleted from the flag, most likely to simplify the design.[citation needed] A red disc is on top of the green field, offset slightly toward the hoist so that it appears centred when the flag is flying. The red disc represents the sun rising over Bengal, and also the blood of those who died for the independence of Bangladesh. The green field stands for the lushness of the land of Bangladesh. Flag of Barbados The national flag of Barbados was officially adopted on 30 November 1966, the island's first Independence Day.

It consists of a triband of two bands of ultramarine, which are said to stand for the ocean; separated by a golden middle band, representing the sand on the island. A black trident-head (commonly called the "broken trident"), is centred within the golden band. Flag of Belarus The current national flag of Belarus (Belarusian: Сцяг Беларусі, Stsyah Byelarusi; Russian: Флаг Беларуси, Flag Belarusi) is a red and green flag with a white and red ornament pattern placed at the staff (hoist) end. The current design was introduced in 2012 by the State Committee for Standardization of the Republic of Belarus, and is adapted from a design approved in a referendum in May 1995. The current flag is a modification of the 1951 flag used while the country was a republic of the Soviet Union. The changes from the Byelorussian SSR was to not only remove symbols of communism (the hammer and sickle and also the red star) but it reversed the colors of the ornament pattern from white on red with red on white.

Since the 1995 referendum, several flags used by government officials and agencies were modeled from the national flag. Flag of Cameroon The national flag of Cameroon was adopted in its present form on 20 May 1975 after Cameroon became a unitary state. It is a vertical tricolor of green, red and yellow, defaced with a five-pointed star in its center. There is a wide variation in the size of the central star, although it is always contained within the inside stripe. Flag of Canada The National Flag of Canada, also known as the Maple Leaf and l'Unifolié (French for "the one-leafed"), is a flag consisting of a red field with a white square at its centre, in the middle of which is featured a stylized, 11-pointed, red maple leaf. Flag of Chile The national flag of Chile, consists of two unequal horizontal bands of white and red and a blue square the same height as the white band in the canton, which bears a white five-pointed star in the center. It was adopted on 18 October 1817. The Chilean flag is also known in Spanish as La Estrella Solitaria (The Lone Star).

Flag of China The flag of the People's Republic of China is a red field charged in the canton (upper corner nearest the flagpole) with five golden stars. The design features one large star, with four smaller stars in a semicircle set off towards the fly (the side farthest from the flag pole). The red represents the communist revolution; the five stars and their relationship represent the unity of the Chinese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Sometimes, the flag is referred to as the "Five-star Red Flag" Flag of Colombia The flag of Colombia was adopted on November 26, 1861. It is a horizontal tricolor of yellow, blue and red. The yellow stripe takes up the top half of the flag and the blue and red take up a quarter of the space each. Flag of Comoros The current flag of the Union of Comoros (officially French: Union des Comores Arabic: الاتّحاد القمريّ, al-Ittiḥādd al-Qamariyy) was designed in 2001 and officially adopted on 7 January 2002.

It continues to display the crescent and four stars, which is a motif that has been in use in slightly various forms since 1975 during the independence movement. Flag of Costa Rica The official flag of the Republic of Costa Rica is based on a design created in 1848. The state/national flag, also used as the military ensign, includes the coat of arms of Costa Rica. The civil ensign, commonly used as an unofficial national flag, omits the coat of arms. Flag of Cyprus The flag of Cyprus (Greek: Σημαία της Κύπρου simea tis Kipru, Turkish: Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti bayrağı) came into use on August 16, 1960, under the Zürich and London Agreements, whereby a constitution was drafted and Cyprus was proclaimed an independent state. The flag was designed by Turkish Cypriot art teacher İsmet Güney.

Flag of Denmark The Flag of Denmark (Danish: Dannebrog Danish pronunciation: [ˈdanəˌbʁoˀ]) is red with a white Scandinavian cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side. The cross design, which represents Christianity, was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries; Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Åland Islands and the Faroe Islands, as well as the Scottish archipelagos of Shetland and Orkney. During the Danish-Norwegian personal union, Dannebrog ("Danish cloth") was also the flag of Norway and continued to be, with slight modifications, until Norway adopted its current flag in 1821. Flag of Djibouti The national flag of Djibouti (Somali: Calanka Jabuuti, Arabic: علم جيبوتي‎, French: Drapeau de Djibouti) features two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red, five-pointed star (representing the areas Somalis live in the region) in the center.

Flag of Egypt The flag of Egypt (Egyptian Arabic: علم مصر, IPA: [ˈʕælæm ˈmɑsˤɾ]) is a tricolour consisting of the three equal horizontal red, white, and black bands of the Arab Liberation flag dating back to the Egyptian Revolution of 1952. The flag bears Egypt's national emblem, the Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band. Flag of El Salvador The flag of El Salvador was inspired by the flag of the Federal Republic of Central America, and by the flag of Argentina, the country that sent one of the first fleets to help consummate the independence of Central American republics from Spain. Flag of Estonia The national flag of Estonia (Estonian: Eesti lipp) is a tricolor featuring three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white. The normal size is 105 × 165 cm. In Estonian it is colloquially called the "sinimustvalge" (literally "blue-black-white"), after the colors of the bands. Flag of Ethiopia The current flag of Ethiopia was adopted on 31 October 1996.

It conforms to the specifications set forth in Article 3 of the 1995 Constitution of Ethiopia, but the diameter of the central disc is increased from that of the flag used from 6 February to 31 October 1996. Flag of Guyana The flag of Guyana, known as The Golden Arrow, has been the national flag of Guyana since May 1966 when the country became independent from the United Kingdom. It was designed by Whitney Smith, an American vexillologist (though originally without the black and white fimbriations, which were later additions suggested by the College of Arms in the United Kingdom). Flag of India The National flag of India is officially described in the Flag Code of India as follows: "The colour of the top panel shall be India saffron (Kesari) and that of the bottom panel shall be India green.

The middle panel shall be white, bearing at its centre the design of Ashoka Chakra in navy blue colour with 24 equally spaced spokes." Flag of Indonesia The national flag of Indonesia, which is known as Sang Saka Merah-Putih ("The Sacred Red-and-White") or Bendera Merah-Putih ("The Red-and-White Flag") or simply Merah-Putih ("The Red-and-White"), or sometimes referred to as Sang Dwiwarna ("The Bicolor") in Indonesian is based on the banner of the 13th century Majapahit Empire in East Java. Flag of Iraq The flag of Iraq (Arabic: علم العراق‎) includes the three equal horizontal red, white, and black stripes of the Arab Liberation Flag. This basic tricolor has been in use since 1963, with several changes to the green symbols in the central white stripe; the most recent version bears the Takbir rendered in green. Flag of Jamaica The flag of Jamaica was adopted on August 6, 1962, the original Jamaican Independence Day, the country having gained independence from the British-protected Federation of the West Indies.

The flag consists of a gold saltire, which divides the flag into four sections: two of them green (top and bottom) and two black (hoist and fly). Flag of Japan The national flag of Japan is a white rectangular flag with a large red disk (representing the sun) in the center. This flag is officially called Nisshōki (日章旗?, "sun-mark flag") in Japanese, but is more commonly known as Hinomaru (日の丸?, "circle of the sun"). Flag of Kiribati The flag of Kiribati: the upper half is red with a gold frigatebird (Fregata minor, in Gilbertese: te eitei) flying over a gold rising sun (otintaai), and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean and the three groups (Gilbert, Phoenix and Line Islands). The 17 rays of the sun represent the 16 Gilbert Islands and Banaba (former Ocean Island). Flag of Kuwait The flag of Kuwait (Arabic: علم الكويت‎) was adopted on September 7, 1961, and officially hoisted November 24, 1961.

Before 1961, the flag of Kuwait, like those of other Gulf states, was red and white with the word "الكويت" in the middle. The present flag is in the Pan-Arab colours, but each color is also significant in its own right. Black represents the defeat of the enemy, while red is the color of blood on the Kuwaiti swords. White symbolizes purity, and green is for the fertile land. Flag of Kyrgyzstan The flag of Kyrgyzstan was adopted on 3 March 1992 by the Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan. It consists of a red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 uniformly spaced rays. In the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized representation of the tündük (Kyrgyz: түндүк [tyndyk]) or crown of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt, a symbol replicated in many facets of Kyrgyz architecture. Flag of Latvia The national flag of Latvia was used by independent Latvia from 1918 until the country was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940. Its use was suppressed during Soviet rule.

After regaining its independence, Latvia re-adopted on 27 February 1990 the same red-white-red flag. Flag of Lebanon The flag of Lebanon (Arabic: علم لبنان‎) is formed of two horizontal red stripes enveloping a horizontal white stripe. The white stripe is to be two times a red one (ratio 1:2:1)—a Spanish fess. The green cedar in the middle touches each of the red stripes and its width is one third of the width of the flag. Flag of Lesotho The current national flag of Lesotho, adopted on October 4, 2006, features a horizontal blue, white, and green tricolor with a black mokorotlo (a Basotho hat) in the center. The design, introduced to honor the 40th anniversary of independence, is reportedly intended to reflect a peaceful orientation for the country. Flag of Liberia The Liberian flag bears close resemblance to the flag of the United States, showing the ex-American slave origins of the country. The Liberian flag has similar red and white stripes, as well as a blue square with a white star in the canton.

It was adopted on July 26, 1847 Flag of Libya The Flag of Libya was originally introduced in 1951, following the creation of the Kingdom of Libya. The flag was designed by Omar Faiek Shennib and approved by King Idris Al Senussi who comprised the UN delegation representing the regions of Cyrenaica, Fezzan and Tripolitania at UN unification discussions. It fell out of use in 1969, but was subsequently adopted by the National Transitional Council and anti-Gaddafi forces and formally reclaimed as the country's national flag in the Libyan interim Constitutional Declaration issued on 3 August 2011, as a result of the Fall of Tripoli from the Gaddafi government in the Libyan civil war in August 2011. Flag of Liechtenstein The flag of Liechtenstein (German: Flagge Liechtensteins) consists of two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold ducal crown on the hoist side of the blue band.

The colors are likely to have been derived from the livery colors of the Principality's royal household in the eighteenth century.[ Flag of Lithuania The flag of Lithuania consists of a horizontal tricolor of yellow, green and red. It was re-adopted on March 20, 1989, almost two years before the re-establishment of Lithuania's independence following the end of the Soviet Union and the end of the Soviet occupation of 1944-1991. Flag of Malaysia The flag of Malaysia, also known as the Jalur Gemilang (Malay for "Stripes of Glory"), comprises a field of 14 alternating red and white stripes along the fly and a blue canton bearing a crescent and a 14-point star known as the Bintang Persekutuan (Federal Star).

The 14 stripes, of equal width, represent the equal status in the federation of the 13 member states and the federal government, while the 14 points of the star represent the unity between these entities.[2] The crescent represents Islam, the country's official religion; the blue canton symbolizes the unity of the Malaysian people; the yellow of the star and crescent is the royal color of the Malay rulers. Flag of Mali The flag of Mali (French: Drapeau du Mali) is a tricolor with three equal vertical stripes. From the hoist (the place where the flagpole meets the flag) the colors are green, gold, and red, the pan-African colors. The flag is almost identical to the flag of Guinea, with the exception that the colors are in reverse order. Flag of Malta The Flag of Malta (Maltese: Bandiera ta' Malta) is a basic bi-color, with white in the hoist and red in the fly.

A representation of the George Cross, awarded to Malta by George VI in 1942 is carried, edged with red, in the canton of the white stripe Flag of Mauritania The flag of Mauritania is the common name for the national flag of Mauritania in north-west Africa. The flag was adopted on April 1, 1959. It was introduced under the instructions of Moktar Ould Daddah, and the subsequent constitution of 22 March 1959. Flag of Mauritius The national flag of Mauritius, also known as the Four Stripes and Les Quatre Bandes (French for "the four stripes"), was adopted upon independence, March 12, 1968. It consists of four horizontal stripes of equal width, colored (from top to bottom) red, blue, yellow, and green. The flag was recorded at the College of Arms in London on 9 January 1968. Flag of Mexico The flag of Mexico (Spanish: Bandera de México) is a vertical tricolor of green, white, and red with the national coat of arms charged in the center of the white stripe.

While the meaning of the colors has changed over time, these three colors were adopted by Mexico following independence from Spain during the country's War of Independence, and subsequent First Mexican Empire. The current flag was adopted in 1968, but the overall design has been used since 1821, when the First National Flag was created. The current law of national symbols, Law on the National Arms, Flag, and Anthem, that governs the use of the national flag has been in place since 1984. Flag of Moldova The state flag of Moldova is a vertical tricolor 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.[ Flag of Monaco The national flag of Monaco (French: Drapeau de Monaco) has two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white, both of which have been the heraldic colors of the House of Grimaldi since at least 1339. The present bi color design was adopted on April 4, 1881, under Prince Charles III. Flag of Mongolia The Flag of Mongolia (Mongolian: Монгол улсын төрийн далбаа, State flag of Mongolia) consists of three equal bands, of alternating red, blue and red, with the soyombo national symbol centering the first red band in yellow. The central blue band is described as the eternal blue sky, while the side red bands represent the ability of Mongolia to thrive in its harsh environment. The soyombo is a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric representations of fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the Taijitu or Yin-Yang symbol.

The current flag was adopted on February 12, 1992, after the transition of Mongolia to a democracy. It is similar to the flag of 1949, except for the removal of the socialist star on top of the Soyombo. Flag of Montenegro The flag of Montenegro was officially adopted with the Law on the state symbols and the statehood day of Montenegro on 13 July 2004 at the proposal of the government of Montenegro. It was constitutionally sanctioned with the proclamation of the Constitution on 22 October 2007. It is a red banner with broader golden edges all around the red field with the coat of arms of Montenegro in its center. Flag of Pakistan The national flag of Pakistan (Urdu: پاکستان کا قومی پرچم‎, Pākistān kā Qaumī Pārc̱am) was adopted in its present form during a meeting of the Constituent Assembly on August 11, 1947, just three days before the country's independence, when it became the official flag of the Dominion of Pakistan. It was afterwards retained by the current-day Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

The flag is a green field with a white crescent moon and five-rayed star at its center, and a vertical white stripe at the hoist side. Though the green color is mandated only as 'dark green', its official and most consistent representation is Pakistan green, which is shaded distinctively darker. The flag was designed by Amiruddin Kidwai, and is based on the All-India Muslim League flag. Flag of Sri Lanka The flag of Sri Lanka, also called the Lion Flag, consists of a gold lion, holding a kastane sword in its right fore paw, in front of a dark red background with four golden bo leaves, one in each corner. Around the background is a yellow border, and to its left are 2 vertical stripes of equal size in green and saffron, with the saffron stripe closest to the lion. The lion represents the Sinhalese ethnicity and the bravery of the Sri Lankan nation while the four Bo leaves represent Mettā, Karuna, Mudita and Upekkha.

The orange stripe represents the Sri Lankan Tamils, the green stripe represents Sri Lankan Moors, and the maroon background represents the majority of Sinhalese, like the lion, this is the color used in early flags of Sri Lanka by Kings. It was adopted in 1950 following the recommendations of a committee appointed by the 1st Prime Minister of Ceylon, The Rt Hon D.S. Senanayake. Flag of Tasmania The current state flag of Tasmania was officially adopted following a proclamation by Tasmanian colonial Governor Sir Frederick Weld on 25 September 1876, and was first published in the Tasmanian Gazette the same day. The governor's proclamation here were three official flags, they being the Governor's flag, the Tasmania Government vessel flag, and a Tasmania merchant flag.

Up until 1856 when Tasmania was granted responsible self-government, the Union flag and the British ensign were primarily used on state occasions.[ Flag of Thailand The flag of the Kingdom of Thailand (Thai: ธงไตรรงค์, Thong Trairong, meaning "tricolor flag”) shows five horizontal stripes in the colors red, white, blue, white and red, with the central blue stripe being twice as wide as each of the other four. The design was adopted on 28 September 1917, according to the royal decree about the flag in that year issued by Rama VI. Flag of the Bahamas The flag of the Bahamas has an approximately 1:2 aspect ratio. The black equilateral triangle on the left represents the unity and determination of the people of the Bahamas. The triangle is oriented toward three equal-width stripes symbolizing areas of natural resource; two aquamarine stripes at the top and bottom of the flag representing the sea and one gold stripe representing the sun. The flag was adopted on July 10, 1973. Flag of the Central African Republic The flag of the Central African Republic was adopted on December 1, 1958.

It was designed by Barthélemy Boganda, the first president of the autonomous territory of Oubangui-Chari, who believed that "France and Africa must march together." Thus he combined the blue, white and red of the French tricolour and the Pan-African colors red, green and yellow. Flag of the Dominican Republic The flag of the Dominican Republic, as described by Article 31 of the Dominican Constitution, features a centered white cross that extends to the edges and divides the flag into four rectangles—the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue. A large coat of arms featuring a shield with the flag design and supported by a bay laurel branch (left) and a palm frond (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield, a blue ribbon displays the national motto: Dios, Patria, Libertad (God, Fatherland, Liberty). Below the shield, the words República Dominicana appear on a red ribbon (this red ribbon is depicted in more recent versions as having its tips pointing upward).

Flag of the United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland uses as its national flag the royal banner known as the Union Flag or Union Jack — technically the latter term, although the more common name for the flag, refers to its use as naval jack when flown at sea. Flag of the United States The national flag of the United States of America, often simply referred to as the American flag, consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton (referred to specifically as the "union") bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars. Flag of Trinidad and Tobago The flag of Trinidad and Tobago was adopted upon independence from the United Kingdom on August 31, 1962. The flag was chosen by the independence committee of 1962. Red, black and white symbolize fire (the sun, representing courage), earth (representing dedication) and water (representing purity and equality).

Flag of Tunisia The red and white flag of Tunisia, adopted as national flag in 1959, was in origin the naval ensign of the kingdom of Tunis, adopted in 1831 by Al-Husayn II ibn Mahmud. The current official design dates to 1999. The star and crescent recalls the Ottoman flag and is therefore an indication of Tunisia's history as a part of the Ottoman Empire. Flag of Vanuatu The flag of Vanuatu was adopted on February 13, 1980. When the Vanua'aku Party led the country to independence as Vanuatu in 1980, the colors of the party flag - red, green, black and yellow - were chosen to be the basis for the national flag. A parliamentary committee chose the final design based on submissions from local artists. Flag of Vatican City The flag of Vatican City was adopted on June 7, 1929, the year Pope Pius XI signed the Lateran Treaty with Italy, creating a new independent state governed by the Holy See. The Vatican flag is modeled on the flag of the earlier Papal States.

flags of europe : definition of flags of europe and synonyms of flags of europe (English) Flag of Albania The flag of Albania , adopted in April 1992, is a red flag with a black two-headed eagle in the centre. It is derived from the seal of Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg , a 15th century Albanian who led the revolt against the Ottoman Empire that resulted in brief independence for Albania from 1443 to 1478. 1866 — Flag of Andorra The flag of Andorra , adopted in 1866, is a tricolour of blue, yellow, and red with the coat of arms of Andorra in the centre. It is based on the flags of France and Spain. The coat of arms of Andorra is based on the Catalan flag (4-red-coloured ribbons with yellow background). 1918 — 1938 1945 — Flag of Austria , originally adopted in 1918, was officially adopted (again) in 1945, after being banned during World War II .

Stripes of red and white have been a collective emblem of Austria for over 800 years, and their first usage on the flag occurred in 1191. According to long established legend, the red and white flag was designed to resemble the bloodstained white coat worn by the Duke of Austria during a fierce battle. 1990 — Flag of Armenia The flag of Armenia (or the "Armenian Tricolour") was officially adopted on August 24, 1990. It was first used by the short-lived Democratic Republic of Armenia from 1918-1920. According to the Constitution of Armenia , "red symbolises the Armenian Highland, the Armenian people's continued struggle for survival, maintenance of the Christian faith, Armenia's independence and freedom. Blue symbolises the will of the people of Armenia to live beneath peaceful skies. Orange symbolises the creative talent and hard-working nature of the people of Armenia." [4] 1991 — Flag of Azerbaijan The flag of Azerbaijan was officially adopted on February 5, 1991. It is based on an earlier flag used by the short-lived Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918-1920).

It features three equal horizontal bands of blue, red, and green. A crescent and eight-pointed star, Turkish symbols, are centred in the red band which represents progress. The country had a long alliance with Turkey , and the blue colour has long been associated with the Turkic peoples. Green symbolises Islam . 1995 — Flag of Belarus Belarus ' flag was officially adopted on May 16, 1995. The dominant red and green were colours used on its flag when it was a republic of the former Soviet Union. The woven fabric ornament on the left uses traditional Belarusian red and white colours. 1831 — The flag of Belgium was officially adopted on January 23, 1831. Black, gold and red are symbolic of the country's coat of arms ; black representing the shield; gold representing the lion, and red representing the lion's claws and tongue. The vertical layout is taken from the French Tricolour . 1998 — Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina The flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag.

The remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuse of the triangle. The three points of the triangle stand for the three nations of Bosnia: Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs. It is said to represent the map of Bosnia. 1878 — 1946 The flag of Bulgaria was adopted in 1989 and consists of three horizontal bands of white, green and red. 1990 — Flag of Croatia The flag of Croatia , adopted in December 1990, consists of three equal horizontal stripes of red, white and blue, which has been the Croatian flag since 1848. In the middle is the Coat of arms of Croatia, which replaced a five-pointed red star with yellow border in the centre, which was there when Croatia was part of Yugoslavia . 1960 — The flag of Cyprus was officially adopted on August 16, 1960. The island is depicted in a copper shade representative of its name; the name Cyprus has roots in the Sumerian word for copper (zubar) from the large deposits of copper found on the island.

The crossed green olive branches symbolise the hope for peace between the Turks and the Greeks. It was designed by İsmet Güney , a Turkish Cypriot painter. 1920 — 1939 Flag of the Czech Republic The first flag of Czechoslovakia was white over red, and those colours are the heraldic colours of Bohemia . The blue triangle was added to the flag in an effort to distinguish it from the Polish flag, and blue is said to represent the State of Moravia . 1219 — The flag of Denmark is the world's oldest state flag still in use. Legend has it that it appeared as a sign from heaven to King Valdemar II in 1219. Known as the Dannebrog ("Danish Cloth"), this blood-red flag with an off-centred white cross (a " Scandinavian Cross ") became a model for other regional flags. 1918 — 1940 1990 — The flag of Estonia officially re-adopted on May 8, 1990.

Blue represents loyalty, and the country's beautiful blue skies, seas and lakes; black is symbolic of past oppression and the fertile soil; and white represents virtue, winter snows, and Estonia's long struggle for freedom and independence. 1918 — The flag of Finland was officially adopted on May 29, 1918. The off-centred blue cross is based on the Scandinavian Cross , widely used on Scandinavian national flags. The blue colour is symbolic of blue skies, and the thousands of lakes in Finland. The white represents the winter snows. 1794 — 1814 1830 — The flag of France was officially adopted on February 15, 1794. The tricolour consists of three vertical bands of equal width, displaying the country's national colours: blue, white, and red. The blue band is positioned nearest the flag-staff, the white in the middle, and the red on the outside. Red, white and blue have come to represent liberty, equality and fraternity - the ideals of the French Revolution . Blue and red are also the time-honoured colours of Paris , while white is the colour of the Royal House of Bourbon .

1919 — 1933 1949 — The flag of Germany was officially re-adopted on May 23, 1949 and subsequently used by West Germany while the country was divided into East and West before reunification in 1990. The tricolour flag was designed in 1832, and the black, red, and gold colours were taken from the uniforms of German soldiers during the Napoleonic Wars or taken from the coat of arms of Holy Roman Empire . 2004 — Flag of Georgia This recently adopted flag is a simple white rectangle, with a central red cross connecting all four sides of the flag; in each of the four corners is a small red cross. The flag is based on a historic five-cross design that dates back to the 14th century. 1978 — The flag of Greece was officially adopted in 1822. Features a white cross, and a combination of nine blue and white horizontal stripes. The shade of blue has varied over the years, and darker blue (shown) is now commonly used. The cross is symbolic of the vision of Constantine i.e. a white cross in a blue sky.

The alternating white and blue stripes represent the independence of the Greek people. During the centuries of Ottoman domination the Greeks (i.e. the "Roman Nation" as they were referred to by the Ottomans) were represented by a flag of alternating red and blue stripes. The red, representing the Ottoman Empire , was replaced by white upon independence. 1957 — The flag of Hungary : was officially adopted in 1848. The overall design is modelled after the French Tricolour . Red is said to symbolise strength, green hope, and white faithfulness. 1915 — Flag of Iceland The flag of Iceland was adopted in June 1915 to represent Iceland. In June 1944 it was instated as the flag of the independent republic of Iceland. Like other Scandinavian flags, it is based on the Scandinavian Cross . It is a reverse colour image of the Flag of Norway . The blue represents the sea, the white represents the snow and glaciers and the red symbolises volcanic lava. 1922 — The flag of Ireland was officially adopted on January 21, 1919. Modelled after the French Tricolour , Ireland's flag uses colour to symbolise religions.

Green is representative of Catholics , orange is representative of Protestants , and the white is symbolic of the union of both. 1948 — Derived from an original design by Napoleon , it consists of three vertical bands of equal width, displaying the national colours of Italy : green, white, and red. Green was said to be Napoleon's favourite colour. 1937 — The flag of Liechtenstein consists of two horizontal bands of blue and red with a gold crown in the canton. 1992 — Flag of Kazakhstan The flag was officially adopted on June 4, 1992 after Kazakhstan seceded from the former Soviet Union. The blue field is said to symbolise the sky above the people. A golden steppe eagle is represented beneath the shining sun, and a traditional national ornamentation is shown at left. 1918 — 1940 1990 — The flag of Latvia was officially adopted on February 27, 1990. The design is symbolic of a revered time-honoured legend of a wounded Latvian leader: the deep red colour represents the blood he shed, and the white the cloth used to wrap his wounds.

2004 — The flag of Lithuania was officially re-adopted on March 20, 1989, before Lithuania gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. Yellow is symbolic of the country's wheat fields, green symbolic of the forests, and red symbolises patriotism. Collectively the colours represent hope for the future, freedom from oppression, and the courage of the Lithuanian people. 1972 — The flag of Luxembourg was officially adopted in 1972, although used since 1848 following Luxembourg's independence from the Netherlands in the late 1800s. The flag uses a combination of red, white, and blue that date to the 13th century, and the Grand Duke 's coat of arms. 1995 — Flag of the Republic of Macedonia The flag of the Republic of Macedonia depicts a rising yellow sun with eight rays extending to the edges of the red field. It represents "the new sun of liberty", evoked in the Macedonian national anthem Denes nad Makedonija (Today Over Macedonia). 1964 — The flag of Malta was officially adopted on September 21, 1964.

The flag uses the traditional red and white colours which pre-date those of the Knights of Malta and which Government emulate the arms of the former Universitas of Mdina. The George Cross (upper left), outlined in red, was added to the flag in the 1940s, as King George VI of the United Kingdom presented it to islanders for outstanding gallantry during World War II . 1990 — Flag of Moldova Moldova 's flag was officially adopted on May 12, 1990. Once part of Romania , Moldova's flag reflects that association, as the two countries use almost identical shades of red, yellow and blue in their national flags. The centred Moldova shield's main feature is a golden eagle holding an Orthodox Christian Cross in its beak. The olive branch is said to symbolise peace. 1881 — The flag of Monaco has two horizontal bands of red and white - these have been the heraldic colours of the House of Grimaldi since at least 1339. 2004 — The flag of Montenegro , adopted in July 2004, is a red banner bearing the coat of arms adopted in 1993.

The coat of arms derives from those of King Nikola . 1937 — The flag of the Netherlands was officially adopted on February 19, 1937. At one time this tricolour flag was orange, white, and blue, as those were the livery colours of William of Orange , a Dutch prince. In the 17th century, red replaced the orange as a flag colour, because the orange dye used on the flag was unstable, and turned red after exposure to the sun. 1821 — 1844 Flag of Norway The flag of Norway is red with a blue Scandinavian cross outlined in white; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog , the flag of Denmark. It was adopted in 1821, but a union mark was added in the canton from 1844 to 1898. 1919 — The flag of Poland was officially adopted on August 1, 1919.

The colours red (actually magenta) and almost whites have long been associated with Poland and its coat of arms [5] , at least from establishing of the Constitution of 3 May, 1791. 1911 — The flag of Portugal was officially adopted on June 30, 1911. The design is that of a rectangular bicolour (2:3 ratio ) with a field vertically divided into two stripes of different width—a green stripe on the hoist , and a larger red stripe on the fly . The minor version of the national coat of arms ( armillary sphere and Portuguese shield) is entered over the boundary between the colours at equal distance from the upper and lower edges. The field colours, especially the green, originally represented a radical republican -inspired change that broke the bond with the former religious monarchical flag. In the ensuing decades, these colours were popularly propagandised as representing the hope of the nation (green) and the blood (red) of those who died defending it, as a means to endow them with a more patriotic and dignified, therefore less political, sentiment.

1848, 1867 — 1948 1989 — The flag of Romania was officially re-adopted in 1989. The first red-yellow-blue flag dates from 1834 but the colours themselves are thought to have had special significance from earlier times. The current layout dates since 1848 A vertical tricolour of bands of blue , yellow , and red of equal width and overall proportions of 2:3 (height-width). It could be inspired by the French flag. 1883 — 1918 The flag of San Marino comprises equal horizontal bands of white and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the centre. 2004 — Flag of Serbia The flag of Serbia consists of three horizontal bands of red, blue and white, with the coat-of-arms located left of centre. By accident or design the colours are that of the Russian flag reversed. Flag with three horizontal bands of red, blue and white has been used as the national flag of Serbia and Serbs since 1835.

Red, blue, and white are considered Pan-Slavic colours, but red and blue also occur on flags attributed to a 13th-century king of Serbia. 1992 — The flag of Slovakia was officially adopted on September 1, 1992. Red, white, and blue are traditional Pan-Slavic colours . The entered Slovakian arms features a dominant white cross atop a blue symbolic reference to the country's mountains. 1991 — The flag of Slovenia was officially adopted on June 24, 1991. Red, white, and blue are taken from the Carniolan coat of arms. The flag without the coat of arms was in use from 1848 to 1945. The Slovenian coat of arms features three gold stars, symbolizing the Counts of Celje . The mountains shown in white are representative of the Alps , and Mount Triglav , Slovenia's national symbol, in particular; the wavy blue lines across the bottom indicate Slovenia's access to the sea. 1981 — The flag of Spain was officially adopted on July 19, 1927, though use of similar designs dates to the late 18th century.

The red and golden-yellow colours were first used in the late 1700s by the King of Spain as he tried to easily differentiate his ships from those of other countries. They're also the original colours found within the arms of both the Castile , Aragon and Navarre regions of the country, the regions first united by King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile . 1569 — The flag of Sweden was officially adopted on June 22, 1906. The off-centred yellow cross (The Scandinavian Cross ) is taken from the Danish flag . The yellow and blue colours are taken from the national coat of arms . 1889 — Flag of Switzerland The flag of Switzerland consists of a red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the centre. It is one of only two square flags, the other being that of the Vatican City . It is based on the flag of the Canton of Schwyz , which dates back to 1474 at least. 1844 — Flag of Turkey The flag of Turkey consists of a white crescent moon and a star on a red background.

The flag is practically identical to the last flag of the Ottoman Empire , adopted in 1844. There are several claims as to the origin of that flag . 1918 — 1920 Flag of Ukraine Ukraine 's flag was adopted on September 4, 1991, shortly after the collapse of the former Soviet Union. This is the country's original flag used by the short-lived Ukrainian People's Republic , but it was banned for many decades under Soviet occupation. The shade of blue is said to be symbolic of the sky, while the yellow represents Ukraine's golden wheat fields. 1801 — The ' Union Jack ' merges the red cross of Saint George ( patron saint of England ), edged in white, superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland ), which are superimposed on the saltire of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland ). The flag of Wales , the other country of the United Kingdom , is not graphically represented.

1929 — Flag of Brittany The flag, called Gwen ha du (White and black) was created in 1923 by Morvan Marchal (1900-1963, a member of various political and cultural organizations). He used as his inspiration the old breton flag (a centred black cross on a white background), called Kroaz du (Black cross), and the flags of the United States and Greece as these two countries were seen at that time as the respective symbols of liberty and democracy. The nine horizontal stripes represent the traditional dioceses of Brittany into which the duchy was divided historically. The five black stripes represent the French or Gallo speaking dioceses of Dol, Nantes, Rennes, Saint-Malo and Saint-Brieuc—while the four white stripes represent the Breton speaking dioceses of Trégor, Léon, Cornouaille and Vannes. The ermine canton recalls the ducal arms of Brittany. 1984- The flag of the Republika Srpska is based on the red-blue-white Serbian tricolour.

1999- Flag of Sardinia 1990- The current Flag of Sicily was adopted July 28, 1990 under regional law N. 2, Art. 12. The law was later updated in 1998. It was not until January 1, 2000, under regional law N. 1, that the flag was adopted as the official symbol of Sicily, including legislation mandating public display of the flag at all Sicilian public buildings. The flag, officially used by the ancient Kingdom of Sicily , has existed in various forms since 1282. The flag is rectangular in form and is characterised by the presence of the Trinacria ( triskelion ) in the centre. It features a softened image of the winged-head of Medusa and three ears of wheat (replacing snakeheads) representing the island's fertility. The three bent legs represent the island's three capes or points, while in mythology it's said to represent good luck and prosperity. The background of the flag is divided by a diagonal from left to right, and is coloured gold (lower left) and red-orange (upper right).

The colours represent the cities of Palermo and Corleone, respectively, the first two to found a confederation against the Angevin rule. 1983- Description 1954- The flag of Åland ( Finland ) was officially adopted 3 April 1954. As of 1992, it serves as the civil and state flag and ensign. This traditional Scandinavian Cross flag features blue, yellow, and red, all said to be borrowed from the national colours of Sweden and Finland . 1960- The current flag of both Akrotiri and Dhekelia Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) is the Union flag as no flag exists for the SBAs. 1979- Flag of Azores The flag of Azores has the colours of the flag of Portugal until 1910. It also has 9 stars representing the islands of the archipelago, the Portuguese shield and a Goshawk (in Portuguese Açor) that gives the name to the archipelago. I shows striking similarities with the flag of the now deceased Azores Liberation Front .

1940- Merkið, the flag of the Faroe Islands ( Denmark ) was first used in 1919, was mandated by the British as the civil and state ensign in 1940, and became the official civil and state flag and ensign on 23 March 1948. The flag uses Norwegian colours, commemorating the Faroes once being part of Norway. 1502- Flag of Gibraltar The Gibraltar flag dates from 1502, as it's based on the original arms granted it by Spain . The red and white field is taken from the arms, and it is dominated by a red three-towered fortress, complete with a gold key. 1985- Flag of Guernsey The flag of Guernsey , adopted in 1985, consists of the red cross of St. George with an additional gold cross within it. The change was prompted by confusion over Guernsey and England using the same flag. The gold cross represents Duke William of Normandy , who had such a cross on his flag in the Battle of Hastings , given to him by Pope Alexander II .

c13- The flag of the Isle of Man features a red field with a centred triskelion of three bent legs joined at a central point. 1980- Flag of Jersey The flag of Jersey , adopted in June 1979, is white with a diagonal red cross, surmounted by a yellow Plantagenet crown, the badge of Jersey (a red shield holding the three leopards of Normandy in yellow). Prior to this, the flag was a plain red saltire on a white field. 1978- Lithuania This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website Lithuania image by eljko Heimer, 23 October 2004 Official Name: Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika) Capital: Vilnius Flag adopted : 1 September 2004 (Originally Adopted 20 March 1989) Coat of arms adopted: 20 September 1991 ISO Code: LT Change in Flags (2004) On 1st September, 2004 a new law concerning the flag has come into force.

As a result of this, it has changed the measurements of the flag - they used to be 1:2, and since 1st September they are 3:5. Besides, the State flag has been legalized. The state flag is red and has a national emblem of Lithuania in the centre of it. Timas Pelanis, 20 October 2004 According to < > , the new flag law of Lithuania (since 1 Sept. 2004) set the flag ratio as 3:5 (instead of 1:2). No data about naval ensign and jack. Jan Zrzavy, 22 October 2004 1. The historical flag of Lithuania (it is the one I called the state flag) has been legalized during the First Republic of Lithuania (1918-1940). But the state flag was a three-colour flag (yellow, green and red), as it is now.

The historical flag, as written in article 2 of Law on The Flag of The Republic of Lithuania and Other Flags, is the historical symbol of the State of Lithuania, the red cloth, in the centre of which there is Vytis - a silver knight on the white horse, holding a silver sword in his right hand over his head. By the left shoulder of the knight there is a blue shield with a gold double cross. The saddle, saddlecloth and belts are blue. The hilt of the sword, the bridle bit, the stirrup and spur, the metal details of the sheath and horse clothing are gold. Truly, the flag was legalized, but it is not widely used. The law says the flag is hoisted on historical holidays such as 16th February (Day of Re-establishment of the State of Lithuania), 11th March (Day of Re-establishment of Lithuania's Independence), 6th July (Statehood Day), 15th July (Grunwald Battle Day), 25th October (Constitution Day) and by historically significant buildings. 2. The law gives exact proportions for the flag.

The article 3 of the law says the proportions of the width and length of the State flag and the historical flag shall be 3:5. Usually, the flag flown on the buildings, is 1 m wide and 1.7 m long, as well as the historical flag. The measurements of the State flag and the historical flag can be different, but the ratio of their width and length must always be 3:5. The Law on The Coat of Arms does not give any exact proportions for the emblem. Timas Pelanis, 28 October 2004 National Flag at the London 2012 Olympics The protocol manual for the London 2012 Olympics (Flags and Anthems Manual London 2012 [ loc12 ]) provides recommendations for national flag designs. Each NOC was sent an image of the flag, including the PMS shades, for their approval by LOCOG. Once this was obtained, LOCOG produced a 60 x 90 cm version of the flag for further approval. So, while these specs may not be the official, government, version of each flag, they are certainly what the NOC believed the flag to be.

For Lithuania: PMS 1235 yellow, 349 green, 180 red. The vertical flag is simply the horizontal version turned 90 degrees anti-clockwise. Ian Sumner, 10 October 2012 The Flag The first of the former SSRs to break decisively with Moscow, Lithuania adopted its old tricolour as its official state flag in March 1989. Like the other Baltic states, and indeed, the other captive nations of the former USSR, the flag had been used during Lithuania's previous period of independence from Russia - from 1918 to 1940. In the flag, yellow stands for grain, green for forests, and red for the blood shed in defense of the nation. Stuart Notholt According to the Grossen Flaggenbuch, the first horizontal triband adopted as Lithuanian national flag after WWI had the proportions 3:2. The current national flag, with proportions 2:1, is therefore not strictly a readoption of the pre-WWII flag.

Ivan Sache, 9 March 1998 From < neris.mii.lt/homepage/flag1.html >: The state flag of the Republic of Lithuania is cloth consisting of three horizontal stripes: yellow (the upper), green (the middle) and red (the lower). The colours of the flag arise from various aspects of nature and Lithuanian values. The ratio of the width and length of the flag is 1 to 2. In olden times, Lithuanians had many flags. During the Zalgiris battle, the flag of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was red, with white coat of arms, the Vytis, embroidered on it. The Lithuanian public renewed discussion as to what the Lithuanian national flag ought to be only towards the end of the 19th century. Various combinations of two or tree colours prevailing in traditional national dresses (red, yellow, green, white) were used in national flags.

The present-day flag and its colours were chosen by a special commission (Jonas Basanavicius, Tadas Daugirdas, Antanas Zmuidzinavicius) set up by the provisional supreme body of state power - the Lithuanian Council - of Lithuanian state under restoration. On April 19, 1918 the Lithuanian Council approved the design proposed by the commission. After Lithuania's occupation and annexation by the Soviet Union, the flag was placed under a ban and anyone flying it incurred severe punishment. A great many of these flags appeared at various rallies held by the Sajudis movement in the summer of 1988. Soon the flag was legalized: first, recognized as the national and later as the state flag on November 18, 1988, and on June 26, 1991 (the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania law " On the state flag of the Republic of Lithuania"). Dov Gutterman 17 April 1999 Official Lithuanian tricolor is not based on Lithuanian heraldic tradition, but still was legitimized in 1918.

Many Lithuanian intellectuals weren't satisfied with this unexplainable flag with no heraldic tradition and new tricolor project was offered in February, 1940. This flag was exactly the same size as existing tricolor, so were lines of colors. Only combination was different: white-yellow-red. This combination was based on Lithuanian coat-of-arms colors, white - color of figure, red - color of background, yellow - color of details. Such forming of tricolors on coat-of-arms colors base is rather usual. Legitimization of new tricolor was seriously considered, and probably would have occured, but Soviet occupation in June, 1940 interrupted the proccess. Giedrius Kiaulakis, 19 January 2001 From Album 2000 [ pay00 ] - National Flag (CSW/C-- 1:2) - Horizontal tricolour of yellow-over-green-over-red. As is already correctly noted by Ivan, modern flag is ratio 1:2, while the pre-WWII one was, according to [ neu92 ] in ratio 2:3.

eljko Heimer, 13 May 2002 Specification of the colors of flag of Lithuania in CMYK are: Yellow - C0/M30/Y100/K0 Given by Heraldic Comission of Lithuania. Robertas Jucaitis, 17 January 2003 The dark shade of the green was already in use in 1918. Perhaps is a coming to the roots or they are trying to diferentiate from african countries (where light shades are in use). In flag Report 14 we can read: German Ocupation - The territory of Lithuania remained occupied by German forces during most of the war. There existed a flag in the Smaller Lithuania (Region of Memel) with the colors green, white and red (casually the Hungarian colors reverted). These colors were also those of a Konigsberg-based Lithuanian students association since 1829 and other in Tilsit since 1885. The Lithuanians of Russia also adopted this flag during World War I. Togheter with this flag, Jonas Basanavicius proposed to readopt the traditional flag, red with the white knight.

In the Conference of San Petersburgo of 1917 Adomas Varnas proposed a variation in the knight who would be endowed with a torch, and with blue background (perhaps derived from an ancient military flag). Lithuanian Tariba (Council) (Sept. 1917) - The Lithuanian National Council was created in September under the control of the Allies and with very little influence in the country. As the Lithuanians were using various flags and no one had yet prevailed as the national one, the Council adopted de facto a flag green over red. On 11 December 1917 the Lithuanian National Council proclaimed the independence of the country, but the German troops were still there. In February 1918 Germany allowed the proclamation of independence from Russia but kept the occupation regime. Lithuania State (February 1918) - A special commission ruled that the colors of Lithuania would be yellow, green and red. It was approved on 19 April 1918. Initially the shade of red and green was very dark, later to turn to a medium shade.

Kingdom of Lituania (July 1918) - In May 1918, after the peace with Russia (Brest-Litovsk) this country resigned its rights on the region. Germany agreed to recognize the independence of Lithuania provided that its government would be satisfactory for the German interest. In July 1918 Germany proposed the creation of an independent Lithuanian state, in the form of a Kingdom, that would be in perpetual alliance with the German Empire. There were negotiations with prince William of Urach (of the royal dynasty of Wuttemberg) to be offererd the crown (July) but the pressures of the annexionist groups made the attempt to fail. In November, the German defeat supposed the end of the project. The Lithuanian National Council, supported by the Entente, took the power and established a Constitution in November 1918. on 11 November 1918 the national flag was hoisted. No flag different from the one adopted by the National Council was designed for the hypothetical Kingdom of Lithuania. Jaume Olle', 28 Febuary 2003 From The Heraldry of Lithuania, Vol.

1, Vilnius 1998: "The Lithuanian State (National) Flag Description - The State flag of the Republic of Lithuania is the national flag. It consists of a cloth which is made up of three equal horizontal bands: yellow on top, green in the middle, red on the bottom. The relationship of the width of the flag to the length is 1:2. Overview - Flags have been used as identifying signs since ancient times. They were most popular in warfare during the Middle Ages, when even army units were named after their banners. The Lithuanian flag is mentioned for the first time in the chronicles of Vygand of Marburg. He wrote that in 1337, during the battle at Bajerburg castle (near Veliuona), Tilman Zumpach, head of the riflemen of the Crusaders, used a flaming lance to burn the Lithuanian flag, before mortally wounding the Duke of Trakai. But the chronicler did not describe what this flag looked like. Much more is known about Lithuania's later flags. In the 15th C., J.

Dlugosz claimed that Vytautas brought 40 regiments, all carrying red banners, to the Battle of Tannenberg. Thirty of the banners were embroidered with an armoured knight holding a raised sword and riding a white, black, bay, or dappled horse, while ten bore the embroidered device with which Vytautas branded his horses (the Columns of the Gediminas family). According to J. Dlugosz, these banners were named after territories or dukes: Vilnius, Kaunas, Trakai, Medininkai, Zygimantas Kaributas, Semionas Lengvenis, etc. It is thought that the regiments bearing the Columns of the Gediminas family were brought from the territories of Vytautas' patrimonial estates (the Trakai Duchy), and those bearing the knight from the other regions of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In the Middle Ages the concept of a ruler and a State were one and the same. Thus it is doubtful that we would ever find Information about the flag of the State of Lithuania during the 15th C., because back then, the Grand Duke represented the State.

A distinction emerged only in the 16th C. From then on one also finds the State flag being mentioned. The first to describe it was Alexander Guagnini in 1578. The flag of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was made of red silk and had four points. Its principal side, the one on the right from the flag staff, was charged with a white mounted knight underneath the ducal crown, and the other with the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the patron of Lithuania. Later only the knight is mentioned as being embroidered on both sides of the flag. The red flag of the State with its white knight survived until the end of the 18th C. National flags composed of bands appeared later. The French revolution of 1789, which replaced the royal white flag in use up to that time with the tricolour: red-white-blue (the edge colours later changed position), was the greatest impetus for their transformation. Three equal bands meant the equality of all before the law, as did the new slogan: Freedom-Equality-Fraternity, which is used to this day on the emblem of the French Republic. By the 19th C., most European States had national tricoloured flags.

Normally they were composed of the colours of the State coat of arms. Thus the German flag is made up of the colours of the black eagle with red talons and beak on a field of gold: black-red-gold; the Belgian flag, black-yellow-red - bears the colours of the golden lion with red claws on a field of black. Other states like Denmark and the Scandinavian countries assigned their old flags the status of national flag. The crosses depicted on their flags were the symbols of the patron saints of those countries. In Lithuania, which belonged to the Russian Empire from the end of the 18th C., a national movement developed under exceptionally difficult conditions. Thus flags which aspired to the status of a national flag, first appeared abroad. Perhaps the oldest and most constant was the green-white-red flag of Lithuania Minor, known from the 17th C. American Lithuanian associations began to use double or tricoloured flags in the second half of the 19th C.

It is known that there were white-blue, white-red-blue, red-yellow-blue flags, and there is mention in 1912 of a red-green-yellow flag, in 1914 of a yellow-green-red one, as well as other colour combinations. The variety of flags can be explained by the fact that the groups of Lithuanians were divided and scattered, with no strong unifying center which could consolidate one version. There was merely the idea of a national flag. Discussions in Lithuania re the national flag began at the 1905 Lithuanian Congress in Vilnius. J. Basanavicius thought that the flag of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - the white knight on red - was the most fitting. But the majority of Congress participants did not agree, because for them the colour red evoked unwelcome associations of revolution. Discussion vis-?-vis the national flag was renewed again in 1917, with the opening up of prospects for the restoration of sovereignty. At a meeting J. Basanavicius and Lithuanian public activists decided that the flag's colours might be found in ethnic weavings. A.

Zmuidzinavicius took on the task, and subsequently decorated the hall of the Vilnius City Theatre, which hosted a Lithuanian Conference in September 1917, with small green-red flags. The conference delegates did not like the two-colour flag A. Zmuidzinavicius had created; they found it far too gloomy. A special commission made up of J. Basanavicius, A. Zmuidzinavicius and T. Daugirdas was formed to create a flag. They decided to supplement the two colours with yellow. In the beginning T. Daugirdas suggested inserting a narrow yellow band between the red and green, claiming that such a combination would symbolize the dawn very well. After long argument, on April 19, 1918, the commission finally decided that the Lithuanian national flag had to be made up of three horizontal bands of equal width: yellow-green-red. Yellow meant the sun, light, and goodness, green symbolized the beauty of nature, freedom, and hope, and red stood for the land, courage, and the blood which had been spilled for the Homeland.

Soon after the Council of Lithuania confirmed the national flag, and also approved the historical one charged with the mounted white knight on one side, and the Columns of the Gediminas family on the other. However in 1922, the Lithuanian Constitution acknowledged only the tricolour flag, and named it the State flag. The ancient historical one was not officially legalized, but was later used by the President of the Republic. It must be said that before the war there was a great deal of discussion about the colours of the national flag. On May 8, 1940, the State Heraldry Commission had even decided to present the President with a new project for the flag. The yellow-green-red was to be replaced by yellow-red-white. In addition one side was to be charged with an image of the mounted knight, and the other with the Columns of the Gedminas family. The colours were taken from the coat of arms created in 1934. But further decisions were suspended by political changes. On September 27, 1940 after the Soviets occupied Lithuania, the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Lithuanian SSR replaced the tricolour with a red flag.

The canton was charged with the golden inscription "Lithuanian SSR" above a golden hammer and sickle. In 1950 Moscow ordered every republic to manufacture tricoloured flags, whose upper half was to be red, and whose lower half could be of their own choosing. On July 15, 1953 the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Lithuanian SSR confirmed a new red-white-green flag. Its upper red band took up two-thirds (or eight-twelfths) of the cloth, the middle white band one-twelfth, and the bottom green three-twelfths. This flag was used until 1988. By the summer of 1988 the old tricolour had begun to fly during events held by Lithuania's Sajudis and other public organizations. It was officially hoisted on Gediminas Castle Tower in Vilnius for the first time after the war, at 10:00 on October 7, 1988.

On November 18 at the tenth session of its eleventh convention, the Supreme Council of the Lithuanian SSR was forced to change a chapter of the Constitution, and to grant the yellow-red-green flag the status of State flag. The colours of the flag (yellow approximating orange, a rich green, and red approximating purple) were recreated according to flags of the Independent Republic of Lithuania which had been preserved by museums and private individuals. It was confirmed by the Presidium of the Supreme Council on January 25 1989." Audrius Slapsinskas, 24 June 2003 The only thing I have on the colours of the Lithuanian flag that is official is a protocol issued by the Lithuanian Standards Board on 26 March 1996 which gave them according to Swedish Standard SS 01 91 02 (Colour Atlas) Edition 2, 1989 as Yellow 01080-Y10R, Green 5050-G and Red 1090-R.

Christopher Southworth, 27 September The following was written by Reuters at < news.excite.com >: Prime Minister Faces Fine for Failing to Fly Flag (Updated 11:24 AM ET February 26, 2001). VILNIUS (Reuters) - Lithuanian Premier Rolandas Paksas could be fined for failing to fly the country's flag at his home on Saturday to mark nearby Estonia's independence day, the daily Respublika said. The paper said Paksas faced a fine of up to $50. His office declined to comment. Homeowners in all three Baltic states are obliged to fly their national flags on the Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian independence days. Michael P. Smuda, 26 Febuary 2001 Flags in Churches At St Michael the Archangel (built as an Orthodox church end 19C and eventually a Catholic one) in Kaunas, I saw: Left of the altar (to the altar's own right): a Vatican bicolour, yellow above white i.e. horizontal stripes. Right of the altar (to the altar's own left): the national flag.

This was the only church were I saw this kind of arrangement, at least of the many a tourist is supposed to see. However, after restauration Vilnius cathedral may well (re?)introduce something similar. Jan Mertens, 15 August 2003 Lithuanian UFE A while back, I noticed a picture of a group of Lithuanian people gathering for what, I don't remember. What I do remember is the flag that was present. It was the Lithuanian tri- color, but, in the upper left corner there was a black double cross. Do you know of this flag and its meaning? Tim Plonis, 1 September 1999

Question: Which European country's national flag is a horizontal tricolour: Blue, Black and White?
Answer: ESTONIA