Flag of Slovakia

Meaning and history of the flag of Slovakia

The flag of Slovakia was adopted on September 1, 1992, shortly before the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. It has three equal horizontal stripes of white, blue, and red, the pan-Slavic colors shared by numerous Slavic nations. To distinguish it from the flag of Russia, which has the same stripes, Slovakia added its coat of arms, shifted toward the hoist.

The coat of arms shows a silver double cross rising from three blue hills, a symbol dating back to the twelfth century that represents the country's Christian tradition. The three hills symbolize the Tatra, Fatra, and Matra mountain ranges, though the last of these now lies within Hungarian territory. The double cross, also called a patriarchal cross, is one of the oldest and most recognizable symbols of Slovak identity.

Combining the pan-Slavic tricolor with the heraldic coat of arms makes the flag distinguishable from those of Russia, Slovenia, and other countries that share similar color schemes. Before 1992, Slovakia flew various flags throughout its history, including that of the Slovak State during World War II. The current flag represents recovered sovereignty and the continuity of Slovak national tradition.

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