Flag of Belarus

Meaning and history of the flag of Belarus

The flag of Belarus consists of two horizontal stripes, a red band covering the upper two-thirds and a green band covering the lower third. On the hoist side runs a vertical white stripe bearing a traditional red ornamental pattern called a 'rushnik,' a decorative motif typical of embroidered towels and textiles from Belarusian peasant culture.

This flag was adopted following a 1995 referendum under the government of Alexander Lukashenko, replacing the white-red-white flag that had been used briefly after independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The current design is a modified version of the flag of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, with the Soviet hammer, sickle, and star removed. The red and green colors were carried over from the Soviet period.

The white-red-white flag it replaced has deep historical roots, having been used by the Belarusian People's Republic in 1918, and it has since become a symbol of the democratic opposition. Belarus is the only European country whose current flag incorporates a traditional textile pattern as a design element, making it unique among the continent's flags. The rushnik along the hoist side is a richly meaningful feature that ties the flag to the artisanal traditions of the Belarusian people.

You can view the flag of Belarus in high resolution above and download it in several sizes for personal, educational or reference use. To explore more, visit the full Belarus profile, its map, or the current local time in Minsk.