Flag of Kosovo

What the flag of Kosovo looks like

The flag of Kosovo is a dark blue rectangle with a width-to-height ratio of 5:7 (set by a 2009 protocol law), which is squarer than most national flags. A golden map of Kosovo's territory is placed in the center. Above it, six white five-pointed stars are set evenly along a gentle arc that bends over the map.

The use of a map is unusual. Maps are rare on national flags, and the flag of Cyprus is the only other national flag to use one. The design has no eagles, crosses or other emblems that could be tied to one community, which was a deliberate choice. You can see it in small form at the Kosovo flag emoji page.

Kosovo flag meaning and symbolism

The six stars are officially meant to symbolize the six main ethnic groups of Kosovo: Albanians, Serbs, Bosniaks, Turks, Roma and Gorani. The flag does not name the groups, and the aim of the design was that it would belong to all of the country's people.

The gold map shows the shape of the state and its territory. The blue background and white stars are sometimes compared to the flag of the European Union, but this is an interpretation rather than an official meaning, and the colors and construction of the flag are not defined in law.

History of the Kosovo flag

Kosovo was a province of Serbia within Yugoslavia, and later of Serbia and Montenegro. After the war of 1998-99, the United Nations took over the administration of the province in 1999 under UNMIK, and the UN flag was used officially in this period. Many Kosovo Albanians flew the red and black Albanian flag, and Kosovo Serbs used the Serbian flag.

As talks on the final status of Kosovo moved toward independence, a competition was held in 2007 for a new national flag. The rules stated that the design could not use symbols or colors linked to any one ethnic group, such as the red and black of the Albanian flag or the colors of the Serbian one. The competition drew 993 entries. The winning design was by Muhamer Ibrahimi, based on one of three proposals sent to the Assembly of Kosovo, and the Assembly approved a variant of it on 17 February 2008, the day independence was declared.

Kosovo is recognized as an independent state by around a hundred countries, including the United States and most European Union members. Serbia, which considers it a part of its territory, and some other countries do not recognize it.

Albanian flags in Kosovo

The Albanian flag is often seen in Kosovo, especially on holidays and at sports events. This is because most of the population is ethnic Albanian, and the Albanian flag is a symbol of national and cultural identity rather than a sign of allegiance to the state of Albania. The official state flag of Kosovo is the blue one with the map. Neighboring flags can be compared in the flags of Europe.