Flag of Ukraine

Meaning and history of the flag of Ukraine

Ukraine's flag consists of two horizontal stripes of equal width: blue on top and yellow on the bottom. This simple yet powerful design was officially adopted on January 28, 1992, following independence from the Soviet Union, though its origins go back to the 19th century, when it was first flown during the 1848 revolution in Lviv.

The colors of the Ukrainian flag represent the blue sky above the vast fields of golden wheat that characterize the Ukrainian landscape, historically known as the "breadbasket of Europe." This interpretation, deeply rooted in national identity, ties the flag to the country's land and nature. Blue and yellow also have heraldic roots in the coat of arms of the 13th-century Principality of Galicia-Volhynia, which depicted a golden lion on a blue field.

The Ukrainian flag is one of the most minimalist in the world, sharing its two-horizontal-stripe structure with flags such as Monaco's, Indonesia's, and Poland's, though with a unique color combination. During the Soviet era the flag was banned and replaced by the flag of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Its restoration in 1992 carried deep significance for Ukrainian national identity, and it has since become an internationally recognized symbol.

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