Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Meaning and history of the flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina has a blue field with a yellow isosceles triangle whose upper vertex touches the top edge of the flag. Along the triangle's hypotenuse run seven white five-pointed stars, with two half-stars at the top and bottom edges, creating the impression of a line of stars continuing beyond the flag's borders.

The yellow triangle represents the approximate shape of the country's territory, and its three vertices symbolize the country's three constituent peoples: Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs. The blue field and white stars evoke the flag of the European Union, reflecting the country's aspirations toward European integration, while the line of stars extending beyond the flag's edges symbolizes continuity without end.

This flag was imposed in 1998 by the international community's High Representative, Carlos Westendorp, after the parties to the Dayton Agreement failed to agree on a design. As a result, it generates little enthusiasm among any of the country's three ethnic groups, each of which tends to use its own symbols as well. It stands as a unique case of a national flag designed essentially by international mediators in a postwar setting.

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