Flag of Albania

Use	National flag and state ensign.
Proportion	5:7
Adopted	April 7, 1992
Design	A silhouette of an open-winged bicephalated eagle on a red field.
Use	Civil ensign.
Proportion	2:3
Design	A horizontal bicolor triband of red, black, and red.
Use	Naval ensign.
Proportion	2:3
Design	A silhouette of an open-winged bicephalated eagle on a white field with a wide horizontal red stripe below.

Flag of the Socialist People's Republic of Albania used from 1946 to 1992

Flag of Albania under German Occupation (1943-1944)

The flag of Albania under Italian Occupation (1939-1943)

Flag of the Albanian Kingdom (1928-1939)

Flag of the Principality of Albania (1914-1925)

The national flag of Albania is a red flag with a black two-headed eagle in the center. It is the only red and black flag of a recognized sovereign state. It is claimed to be derived from the similar seal of Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg, a 15th century Albanian who led the revolt against the Ottoman Empire that resulted in brief independence for some regions of Albania from 1443 to 1478. The current flag was officially adopted on April 7, 1992, but previous Albanian states such as the Kingdom of Albania and the post-war communist state had used much the same flag, with the former sporting the "Helmet of Skanderbeg" above the eagle and the latter a red star with a yellow rim. Image File history File links Flag_of_Albania. ... The design and description of flags typically uses specialised flag terminology with precise and technical meanings, and is hence a form of jargon. ... The Dannebrog, national flag of Denmark, is the oldest state flag still in use. ... For other uses, see Flag (disambiguation). ... Ensign of the Russian Navy An ensign is a distinguishing flag of a ship or a military unit, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office. ... Ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... Image File history File links FIAV_111010. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Silhouette (disambiguation). ... Double-headed eagle emblem of the Eastern Roman Empire. ... Image File history File links Civil_Ensign_of_Albania. ... The design and description of flags typically uses specialised flag terminology with precise and technical meanings, and is hence a form of jargon. ... The civil ensign (a. ... Ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... Image File history File links FIAV_000100. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_Albania. ... The design and description of flags typically uses specialised flag terminology with precise and technical meanings, and is hence a form of jargon. ... A naval ensign is the flag used by a countrys navy on their ships. ... Ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... Image File history File links FIAV_000001. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Albania_1946. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Albania_1946. ... From 1945 until 1992 Albania had a Communist government. ... This article is about the Albanian Kingdom in the 20th century. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Flag Anthem Himni i Flamurit Capital Tirana Language(s) Albanian Religion none Government Constitutional monarchy King  - 1939-1943 Victor Emmanuel III Lieutenant-general  - 1939-1943 Francesco Jacomoni di San Savino  - 1943 Alberto Pariani Historical era World War II  - Italian Invasion April 7, 1939  - Disestablished July 25, 1943 Currency frang ar... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Flag Anthem Himni i Flamurit Capital Durrës Language(s) Albanian Government Principality Prince  - 1914 William Prime Minister  - 1914 Essad Pasha History  - Independence May, 1913  - Established February 21, 1914  - Disestablished March 7, 1914 The Principality of Albania was a short lived monarchy in the Balkans established on February 21, 1914. ... == The origins of the symbol == I. The oriental origine of the Two-headed eagle A/ The apparition of the symbol with the Hittites It seems that two-headed symbols are known for long time. ... Skanderbeg and the people, sculpture by Janaq Paço and Genc Hajdari in the National Museum, Krujë, Albania. ... Scanderbeg sculpture Gjergj Kastrioti (Italian: Giorgio Castriota) (1405–January 17, 1468), better known as Skanderbeg or Skenderbej, was an Albanian leader who resisted the expanding Ottoman Empire for 25 years and is today considered a national hero of Albania. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... Motto دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1683, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299–1326) Bursa (1326–1365) Edirne (1365–1453) Constantinople (1453–1922) Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 (first) Osman I  - 1918–22 (last) Mehmed VI Grand Viziers  - 1320... Events Albanians, under Skanderbeg, defeat the Turks John Hunyadi defeats Turks at the Battle of Nis Vlad II Dracul begins his second term as ruler of Wallachia, succeeding Basarab II. Births January 27 - Albert, Duke of Saxony (died 1500) February 23 - Matthias Corvinus of Hungary (died 1490) May 17 - Edmund... Events February 18 - George, Duke of Clarence, convicted of treason against his older brother Edward IV of England, is privately executed in the Tower of London. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... The Kingdom of Albania was established by Charles of Anjou in the territory he conquered from the Despotate of Epirus in 1271. ... Arms of Skanderbeg at the Museum of Kruja Skanderbeg was a prominent figure in the history of Albania. ...

The National Assembly of Vlora which proclaimed Albanian Independence on 28 November 1912 approved the flag as a symbol of the Albanian nation. is the 332nd day of the year (333rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

The National Eldery of Durres which created the government of Muslim Albania in 1914 approved the flag of Esat Pasha as the symbol of Albania, whereas the Muslim Albanians who created their parallel government until 1915 used their old Ottoman flag as their symbol.

The horizontal open-winged eagle symbolises the lack of submission of the highland Albanians to foreign conquest. The communist regime added a yellow five-pointed star to the flag, which was removed by the first Albanian pluralist parliament in 1992 after the communist collapse.

Albania's civil ensign and naval ensign, both maritime flags are different from the national flag. The civil ensign consists of three horizontal bands of red, black, and red. The naval ensign is similar to the national flag, except that the eagle is on a white field, and the lower portion of the flag has a red stripe. The civil ensign (a. ... A naval ensign is the flag used by a countrys navy on their ships. ... A Maritime flag or Naval Jack is a national flag used exclusively on boats and other watercraft. ...

The flag of Albania may be the inspiration for the flag of the fictional nation of Syldavia in Hergé's Tintin comics. It also influenced the revival of the Navarrese arrano beltza. National motto: (English: rub yourself there, get stung ) Official language Syldavian Capital Klow Largest city Klow Population 642,000 (1939) Government Constitutional monarchy Head of State and Head of Government King Muskar XII (1939) Consolidation 1127 Currency Khôr National anthem Rejoice, Syldavia! National animal Pelican Syldavia is a fictional... Georges Prosper Remi (May 22, 1907 – March 3, 1983), better known by the pen name Hergé, was a Belgian comics writer and artist. ... The Adventures of Tintin (French: ) is a series of Belgian comic books created by Belgian artist Hergé, the pen name of Georges Remi (1907–1983). ... “Navarra” redirects here. ... Arrano beltza Arrano beltza The arrano beltza (black eagle in Basque) is an ancient Basque and Navarre symbol which displays a black eagle upon a yellow background and is mostly, though not exclusively, used by Basque nationalists as a symbol of Euskal Herria, the Basque Country. ...

The presidential flag of Kosovo, which is ethnically largely Albanian, is also based on the flag of Albania. For other uses, see Kosovo (disambiguation). ...

Symbolism and Evolution

Although the flag of Albania is very similar to the Byzantine flag due to its ties to the ancient empire (much like any country in Eastern Europe), in Albania the symbol of the bicephalous eagle has acquired another interpretation by communists. It refers to the territory of Albania as the crossroads between eastern and western cultures and the unity of its peoples despite religious cleavages. Whereas the Serbs, for example created their medieval empire of Tsar Stefan Dusan, or Modern Greece, whose nationalist program Megali Idea borrowed heavily from Byzantine tradition Albania possesses a four-fold confessional divide and was forced by the Habsburgs to maintain a laic identity. Similarly, although unsubstantiated, the name Land of the Eagles may refer to the mountainous territory of the country, and the inhabitants of this territory. The Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... Tsar (Bulgarian, Serbian and Macedonian цар, Russian  , in scientific transliteration respectively car and car ), occasionally spelled Czar or Tzar and sometimes Csar or Zar in English, is a Slavonic term designating certain monarchs. ... Tsar Stefan Uroš IV Dušan Silni (the mighty) (Цар Стефан Душан Силни) (around 1308-December 20, 1355) was a Serb king (September 8, 1331-1346) and tsar (1346-December 5, 1355). ... The Megali Idea (Greek: Μεγάλη Ιδέα, lit. ...

See also

• Emblem of Albania
• The Tale of the Eagle
• Religion in Albania
• Epirus
• Flag of Kosovo

The Emblem of Albania is an adaptation of the Flag of Albania. ... The flag of Albania features an eagle. ... The majority of Albanians today are either Atheists or Agnostics. ... The name Epirus, from the Greek Ήπειρος meaning continent may refer to: // Epirus (region) - a historical and geographical region of the southwestern Balkans, straddling modern Greece and Albania Epirus (periphery) - one of the thirteen peripheries (administrative divisions) of Greece. ... The flag of the Republic of Kosovo was adopted by the Assembly of Kosovo following the unilateral declaration of independence of the Republic of Kosovo from Serbia on 17 February 2008. ...

External links

• Albania at Flags of the World

Flags of the World (or FOTW) is an Internet-based vexillological organization and resource. ...

References

• Noel Malcolm, Kosovo: A Short History (New York: New York University Press, 1999), 29
• Marin Barleti, Storia de Vita et Gestis Scanderbegis, Princeps Epirotarum trans. Stefan I. Prifti (Tirane: Shtypshkronja “Mihal Duri” 1964).