Flag of Montenegro

What the flag means

Article 4 of the constitution describes the flag without giving it a meaning. The arms reproduce those of the Petrović dynasty, Montenegro's former rulers. The explanatory notes to the 2004 law trace the double-headed eagle back to the earlier Crnojević dynasty.

History

The Assembly passed the Law on State Symbols in July 2004, two years before independence. The new flag, designed by Radoslav Rotković, was based on an old royal banner and replaced the red, light blue and white tricolour used since 1993. It was kept after independence in 2006 and written into the 2007 constitution.

Some of the first flags made under the 2004 law had a gold fringe in place of the border. A specification published in September 2004 made clear that a border was meant.

Earlier flags of Montenegro

1. 1852–1860Red with a white double-headed eagle over a lion
2. 1905–1918Red, blue and white horizontal tricolour (Principality, then Kingdom)
3. 1945–1993Red, blue and white tricolour with a red star
4. 1993–2004Red, light blue and white horizontal bands in 1:3 proportions

Flags of Montenegro's neighbours

• Albania
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Croatia
• Kosovo
• Serbia