NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Flag of Latvia

The national flag of Latvia was re-adopted on February 27, 1990. The same flag was used by independent Latvia from 1918 until the country was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940; post-Soviet Latvia sees itself as the same state as pre-Soviet Latvia, not merely a successor state. Image File history File links Flag_of_Latvia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Latvia. ... Image File history File links FIAV_110100. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_Latvia. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_Latvia. ... Image File history File links FIAV_000001. ... February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... MCMXC redirects here; for the Enigma album, see MCMXC a. ... 1940, Red Army tanks enter Riga. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Succession of states. ...

History

The red-white-red Latvian flag was first mentioned in the chapters of Ditleb von Alnpeke’s Rhyme Chronicle of Livonia (Livländische Reimchronik). This historical evidence places the Latvian flag among the oldest flags in the world. The chronicle tells about a battle that took place around 1280, in which ancient Latvian tribes from Cēsis, a city in the northern part of Latvia, went to war, bearing a red flag with a white stripe. CÄ“sis (German: Wenden) is a town in Latvia located in the northern part of the Vidzeme Central upland. ...

A legend refers to a mortally wounded chief of a Latvian tribe who was wrapped in a white sheet. The part of the sheet on which he was lying remained white, but the two edges were stained in his blood. During the next battle the bloodstained sheet was used as a flag. According to the legend this time the Latvian warriors were successful and drove the enemy away. Ever since then Latvian tribes have used these colours.

Based on the aforementioned historical record, the present day flag design was adapted by artist Ansis Cīrulis in May 1917. The Latvian national flag, together with the national coat of arms was affirmed in this format by a special parliamentary decree of the Republic of Latvia passed on 15 June 1921. June 15 is the 166th day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ...

Colours and proportions

The "red" colour of the Latvian flag is in fact maroon — a particularly dark shade of red which is composed of brown and purple. It is sometimes referred to as Latvian red. The flag's colour proportions are 2:1:2 (the upper and lower red bands being each twice as wide as the central white band), and the ratio of the height of the flag to its width is fixed at 1:2. Maroon is a color related to dark red. ... Brown, when used as a general term, is a color which is a dark orange, red or rose, of very low intensity. ... An African Daisy of almost psychedelic purple Purple is any shades of color occurring between blue and red; this color is sometimes confused with the more narrowly-defined spectral color violet. ...

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For the record label, see Pantone Music. ... The RGB color model utilizes the additive model in which red, green, and blue light are combined in various ways to create other colors. ... Web colors are colors used in designing web pages, and the methods for describing and specifying those colors. ... Web colors are colors used in designing web pages, and the methods for describing and specifying those colors. ... Cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black) CMYK (or sometimes YMCK) is a subtractive color model used in color printing. ...

Display of the flag

Latvian law states that the flag and national colours can be displayed and used as an ornament if proper respect to the flag is guaranteed. Destruction, disrespectful treatment or incorrect display of the flag is punishable by law.

The flag shall be placed at least 2.5 m above the ground and properly secured to the flagstaff. The flagstaff shall be longer than the longest side of the flag, straight, painted white, and preferably made of wood. The finial at the tip of the flagstaff shall be wider than the flagstaff. Where the flag is not displayed continuously, it shall be raised at sunrise and lowered at sunset. If flown for a festival or funeral, it shall be raised before and lowered after the end of the occasion. Finial at Aachen town hall Illustration by Viollet-le-Duc, 1856 The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed to decoratively emphasise the apex of a gable, or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. ...

If the flag is flown from a flagpole in mourning, it shall be raised to half-mast. If fixed to a flagstaff, a black ribbon whose width is 1/20 the width of the flag shall be secured to the flagstaff above the flag; the ribbon shall be of sufficient length to span the width of the flag.

Displaying with other flags

All flags must be similar in size and flown at the same height. If flags are flown outdoors, the national flag is always placed to the left. In a line of flags the national flag can also be placed at both ends of the line; if flags of other countries or international organisations are flown in line with the flag of Latvia, then the flags must be placed in Latvian alphabetical order or according to the protocol of the particular country or international organisation. If two flags are placed indoors then the national flag must be placed on the right side; if multiple flags are placed indoors then the national flag is placed in the middle while other flags are placed in Latvian alphabetical order.

Flag days

February 16 is the 47th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... February 24 is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... March 25 is the 84th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (85th in leap years). ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... May 4 is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... June 17 is the 168th day of the year (169th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the United States holiday, the Fourth of July, see Independence Day (United States). ... November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... November 18 is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Official Standards

Presidential Standard of Latvia

The Standard of the President is white with the rectangular cross in the colour proportions of the national flag. In the centre of the cross covering the interruption of the colours of the national flag there is the Coat of Arms of Latvia. The height of the Coat of Arms is 1/3 of the width of the Standard, the centre of the sun depicted on the shield of the Coat of Arms is in the centre of the Standard. The proportion between the width of the national colours and that of the Standard is 1:5. The proportion between the length and width of the Standard is 3:2. Image File history File links Presidential_Flag_of_Latvia. ... Image File history File links Presidential_Flag_of_Latvia. ... Coat of Arms of Latvia The Latvian National Coat of Arms was formed after the proclamation of an independent Republic of Latvia on November 18, 1918, and was specially created for its independent statehood. ...

Standard of the Prime Minister of Latvia

The Standard of the Prime Minister of Latvia is white with the symmetric cross in the colour proportions of the national flag. In top left canton of the flag the Coat of Arms is placed. The height of coat of arms is 5/6 of the height of canton, sun of coat of arms is in centre of canton. The proportion between the width of the national colours and that of the Banner is 1:5. The proportion between the length and width of the Banner is 3:2. Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Prime_Minister_of_Latvia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Prime_Minister_of_Latvia. ... The Prime Minister of Latvia is the most powerful member of the Latvian government, and presides over the Latvian cabinet. ... Coat of Arms of Latvia The Latvian National Coat of Arms was formed after the proclamation of an independent Republic of Latvia on November 18, 1918, and was specially created for its independent statehood. ...

Standard of the Speaker of the Saeima

The Standard of the Speaker of the Saeima is white with the symmetric cross in the colour proportions of the national flag. In top right canton of the flag the Coat of Arms is placed. The height of the coat of arms is 5/6 of the height of the canton; the sun of coat of arms is in the centre of the canton. The proportion between the width of the national colours and that of the Banner is 1:5. The proportion between the length and width of the Banner is 3:2. Coat of Arms of Latvia The Latvian National Coat of Arms was formed after the proclamation of an independent Republic of Latvia on November 18, 1918, and was specially created for its independent statehood. ...

Standard of the Minister of Defence of Latvia

The Flag of the Minister of Defence of Latvia is white with the symmetric cross in the colour proportions of the national flag. In top left canton of the flag the soldier insignia is placed. The height of insignia is 3/5 of the height of canton. The proportion between the width of the national colours and that of the Banner is 1:5. The proportion between the length and width of the Banner is 3:2. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The Standard of the Minister of Defence of Latvia The Ministry of Defence, Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republikas AizsardzÄ«bas ministrija) is the Latvian government ministry in charge of the formation and implementation of national security and defence policy, and for the overall management and control of the activities...

See also

Coat of Arms of Latvia The Latvian National Coat of Arms was formed after the proclamation of an independent Republic of Latvia on November 18, 1918, and was specially created for its independent statehood. ... Dievs, svētī Latviju (God Bless Latvia) is the national anthem of Latvia. ... Flag of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic This flag was adopted by the Latvian SSR on January 17, 1953. ...

References

External links

Screenshot of the Flags of the World website Official flag Flags of the World (or FOTW) is the Internets largest website devoted to vexillology, containing comprehensive information about all kinds of flags. ...

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Flags of Europe

Albania · Andorra · Armenia² · Austria · Azerbaijan⁴ · Belarus · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus² · Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Georgia⁴ · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Ireland · Italy · Kazakhstan¹ · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Republic of Macedonia · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Russia¹ · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey¹ · Ukraine · United Kingdom · Vatican City This is a list of international and national flags used in Europe. ... Flag ratio: 1:2 The Flag of the Republic of Macedonia represents a rising yellow sun with eight rays extending to the edges of the red field. ... Flag of Montenegro (2004â€“present) The flag of Montenegro was changed on 12 July 2004 by the Parliament of Montenegro into a red banner bearing the coat of arms adopted in 1993. ... The flag of Serbia is a tricolour with Pan-Slavic colours, with three equal horizontal fields, red on the top, blue in the middle and white on the bottom, and the Coat of Arms of Serbia centered vertically and located left of center by one-seventh of the flags...

Dependencies, autonomies and other territories
Abkhazia⁴ · Adjara² · Åland · Akrotiri and Dhekelia · Azores · Crimea · Faroe Islands · Gibraltar · Guernsey · Isle of Man · Jersey · Kosovo · Nagorno-Karabakh² · Nakhchivan² · Transnistria · Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus^2, 3 · A dependent territory, dependent area or dependency is a territory that does not possess full political independence or sovereignty as a State. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Types of administrative and/or political territories include: A legally administered territory, which is a non-sovereign geographic area that has come under the authority of another government. ... In the red canton, the open hand represents Abkhaz nationhood. ... On 20 July 2004, the Supreme Council of the Ajarian Autonomous Republic, Georgia ratified a new flag for the region. ... Flag of Ã…land The flag of Ã…land points to the location of the islands - it is the Swedish flag with an additional red cross symbolising Finland. ... Flag Ratio: 1:2 The Union Flag (commonly, the Union Jack) is the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. ... The Flag of the Azores The flag of the Azores is similar to the flag of Portugal used from 1830-1910, except that the Portuguese coat of arms has been removed and been replaced by the Goshawk (in Portuguese: AÃ§or), the symbol of the Azores. ... Flag ratio: 1:2 The flag of Crimea is in use since 1992 and was officially adopted on April 21, 1999. ... DioGuardi proposal for a new flag of Kosovo. ... Flag Ratio: 1:2 The flag of Nagorno-Karabakh, an unrecognised self-proclaimed government in a region of Azerbaijan, is identical to the flag of Armenia, with only a white pattern added. ... Flag of Azerbaijan presently used as the flag of Nakhchivan. ... The Transnistrian flag is a version of the former flag of Moldavian SSR which served as a flag of the whole country until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 with slightly different colors and no hammer and sickle or red star. ... TRNC Flag The flag of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is based on the flag of Turkey with the colors reversed and two horizontal red stripes added at the top and bottom. ...

¹ Has significant territory in Asia. ² Entirely in West Asia, but considered European for cultural, political and historical reasons. ³ Only recognised by Turkey. ⁴ Partially or entirely in Asia, depending on the definition of the border between Europe and Asia. A transcontinental country is a country belonging to more than one continent. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ... A map showing Southwest Asia - The term Middle East is more often used to refer to both Southwest Asia and some North African countries Southwest Asia, or West Asia, is the southwestern part of Asia. ...

Categories: National symbols of Latvia | National flags A national flag is a flag that symbolises a country and that can usually be flown by citizens of that country. ... This gallery of sovereign-state flags shows the flags of sovereign states in the list of sovereign states. ... This overview contains the flags of dependent territories. ... This overview contains the flags of self-proclaimed states that have declared their independence, exert control over (at least part of) the claimed territory and population, but have not been acknowledged as independent states by the international community at large. ... This gallery contains the flags of states that were (at least de facto) independent in the past. ... A modern coat of arms is derived from the medi val practice of painting designs onto the shield and outer clothing of knights to enable them to be identified in battle, and later in tournaments. ... This gallery of sovereign state coats of arms shows the coat of arms of sovereign states in the list of sovereign states. ... This overview shows the coat of arms of dependent territories. ... This overview contains the coats of arms of self-proclaimed states that have declared their independence, exert control over (at least part of) the claimed territory and population, but have not been acknowledged as independent states by the international community at large. ...

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