Flag of Moldova

Meaning and history of the flag of Moldova

Moldova's flag is made up of three equal vertical stripes: blue at the hoist, yellow in the middle, and red on the outer edge. At the center of the yellow stripe sits the country's coat of arms, showing an eagle holding a cross in its beak and a scepter and olive branch in its talons, with a shield on its chest bearing an aurochs head. It was adopted on April 27, 1990.

The colors blue, yellow, and red are shared with Romania's flag, reflecting the deep linguistic, cultural, and historical ties between the two nations. The aurochs on the central shield is the traditional symbol of the medieval Principality of Moldavia. The eagle with the cross represents the country's Orthodox Christian heritage, while the scepter and olive branch symbolize sovereignty and peace, respectively.

The main difference from Romania's flag is precisely that central coat of arms, without which the two flags would be nearly indistinguishable, apart from a slightly darker shade of blue on Moldova's. This similarity has been a subject of internal political debate, given the complex relationship between Moldovan and Romanian identity. The flag thus reflects Moldova's position as a country whose identity remains under constant negotiation between its Latin heritage and Slavic influences.

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