Flag of Poland
Two equal horizontal bands, white above red. A version with the coat of arms in the white band is for official use abroad and at sea.
What the flag means
The colours are heraldic and have no official symbolism. White comes from the White Eagle of Poland and red from the shield behind it; the Pursuer of Lithuania is also white on red. Heraldic practice puts white, the colour of the charge, above red.
History
The Sejm adopted white and red as the national colours on 7 February 1831, during the November Uprising. After independence in 1918, a law passed by the Sejm on 1 August 1919 made the white and red bicolour the national flag. A presidential decree of 13 December 1927 fixed the red as vermilion. The Act of 31 January 1980 on the coat of arms, colours and anthem replaced that wording with exact colour coordinates.
Poland has marked Flag Day on 2 May since 2004.
Flags that look like this one
Indonesia and Monaco are both red over white. Only the shape differs: Indonesia's flag is 2:3, Monaco's is 4:5. Poland reverses the order, with white on top.
Flags of Poland's neighbours
Sources
- Wikipedia: Flag of Poland
- Flags of the World: Poland
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Read how we research flags in our editorial policy, or report a mistake.
