Flag of Armenia
The Armenia flag is a horizontal tricolor of red, blue and orange, in equal bands from top to bottom. It was first used by the independent Republic of Armenia in 1918 and was restored in 1990 as the Soviet Union ended.
What the flag of Armenia looks like
The flag of Armenia consists of three horizontal bands of equal width: red at the top, blue in the middle and orange at the bottom. The proportions are 1:2. It has no coat of arms, stars or text, which makes it a simple tricolor.
The orange is the most unusual part. It is sometimes compared to the color of the apricot, a fruit closely linked with Armenia, and is also described as gold. In Armenian the flag is often simply called the tricolor (yerraguyn). The Armenia flag emoji shows the same three bands.
Armenia flag colors
Color codes measured from the official design. Use HEX for the web and CMYK for print.
HEX
#D90012RGB
217, 0, 18CMYK
0, 100, 92, 15 HEX
#F2A800RGB
242, 168, 0CMYK
0, 31, 100, 5 HEX
#0033A0RGB
0, 51, 160CMYK
100, 68, 0, 37 Armenian flag colors and meaning
The colors are explained in the law on the national flag and in traditional accounts. Red stands for the Armenian Highland, the Armenian people's continued struggle for survival, the maintenance of the Christian faith, and Armenia's independence and freedom. Blue stands for the sky and the will of the people to live under a peaceful sky. Orange stands for the creative talent and hard-working nature of the Armenians.
The meanings of the colors are interpreted in many ways. When the colors were debated in 1918, several members of parliament said red represented the blood of the Armenian people. Such readings are informal and vary from source to source. Mount Ararat, where the Bible says Noah's ark came to rest, appears on Armenia's coat of arms rather than on the flag.
History of the Armenian flag
Armenia has used many banners over its long history, including those of the Armenian kingdoms, which often showed lions and eagles. The red, blue and orange tricolor was chosen on 1 August 1918 at the first session of the National Assembly of the First Republic of Armenia, on a proposal by Stepan Malkhasyants. It was meant as a temporary design, and the republic used it until Soviet forces took Yerevan on 29 November 1920.
Under Soviet rule, Armenia's flag was a red banner with gold lettering, later with a hammer and sickle, and from 1952 it had a blue stripe through the center. The tricolor was banned until 1988. As the Soviet Union weakened, the Armenian Supreme Soviet adopted the tricolor on 24 August 1990, and Armenia declared independence in 1991. A law on the national flag was passed in 2006.
Armenia celebrates Flag Day on 15 June, in honor of the day in 2006 when the law was passed.
Armenia flag facts
| Country | Republic of Armenia |
|---|---|
| Flag adopted | August 24, 1990 |
| Proportions | 1:2 |
| Colors | #D90012, #F2A800, #0033A0 |
| Flag emoji | π¦π² |
| Country code | AM, ARM (ISO 3166) |
| Capital | Yerevan |
| Continent | Asia |
| Population | 2,930,450 |
| Area | 29,743 kmΒ² |
| Currency | Armenian dram |
| National anthem | Mer Hayrenik |
Armenia flag: frequently asked questions
What does the Armenian flag symbolize?
Red stands for the Armenian Highland, the people's struggle for survival, the Christian faith and independence, blue for the will to live under peaceful skies, and orange for the creative talent and hard work of the people.
What country is π¦π²?
π¦π² is the flag of Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus. It shows the red, blue and orange horizontal tricolor.
Who designed the flag of Armenia?
The tricolor was proposed by Stepan Malkhasyants for the First Republic of Armenia in 1918. It was brought back in 1990.
Is Armenia part of Europe or Asia?
Armenia lies in the South Caucasus, in Western Asia, though it has close historical and cultural ties to Europe and is a member of the Council of Europe.
What was Armenia called in the Bible?
The Bible refers to the region as Ararat, and its highest peak, Mount Ararat, is where Noah's ark is said to have come to rest. Armenians call their country Hayastan.
