Flag of Armenia

What the flag means

Article 2 of the 2006 Law on the National Flag defines the colours. Red is the Armenian Highland, the people's continuing struggle for survival, the Christian faith, independence and freedom. Blue is the wish to live under a peaceful sky, and orange is the creative talent and hard work of the Armenian people.

History

The National Assembly of the First Republic of Armenia approved the tricolour on 1 August 1918. According to Simon Vratsian, Stepan Malkhasyants proposed it, and Prime Minister Hovhannes Kajaznuni kept orange when green was suggested in its place. After the Soviet takeover of Yerevan on 29 November 1920 the flag was banned. In 1988 the Communist Party leader Suren Harutyunyan allowed it to fly in Yerevan again, and the Supreme Soviet readopted it on 24 August 1990, changing the proportions from 2:3 to 1:2.

Armenia marks Flag Day on 15 June, the date parliament passed the 2006 flag law.

Earlier flags of Armenia

1. 1922–1936Red with the republic's initials in gold Armenian letters in the upper hoist corner
2. 1952–1990Red with a horizontal blue stripe and a gold hammer, sickle and star

Flags of Armenia's neighbours

• Azerbaijan
• Georgia
• Iran
• Turkey