Flag ratio: 2:3

The official flag of Georgia is the "five-cross flag", restored to official use on January 14, 2004 after a break of some 500 years. It was previously the flag of the medieval Georgian kingdom and had been used as the official symbol of the United National Movement political party. Image File history File links Flag_of_Georgia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Georgia. ... Image File history File links FIAV_111110. ... January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Politics of Georgia Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | Liberal parties | Georgian political parties ...

History of the flag

The "five-cross flag" has been used since at least the 13th century. The central element of the flag is St. George's cross (still used as the national flag of England), who is the patron saint of Georgia. According to the Georgian scholar Giorgi Gabeskiria, the four extra crosses were probably added during the reign of George V of Georgia (also known as "the Brilliant" or "the Splendid"), who drove out the Mongols. Around that time, the new design was adopted as a variant of the Jerusalem cross, a symbol used by crusaders in the Holy Land, which likewise used a large central cross with four smaller "crosslets" in the four quadrants. The crosses are said to have represented the five Holy Wounds of Christ. (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... The St Georges cross, a red cross on a white background, is the national flag of England and has been since about 1277. ... The Flag of England The Flag of England is the St Georges Cross. ... Giorgi V the Brilliant George V, the “Brilliant” (Georgian: გიორგი V ბრწყინვალე, Giorgi V Brtskinvale; also translated as the Illustrious, or Magnificent) (born 1286 or 1289 – died 1346) was King of Georgia from 1299 to 1302 and again from 1314 until his death. ... Honorary guard of Mongolia. ... A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars intersecting each other at a 90° angle, dividing one or two of the lines in half. ... Terra Sancta sive Palæstina with Israelite tribal allotments shown. ... Flag of Georgia, a variant of the Jerusalem cross representing the five Holy Wounds The Five Holy Wounds or Five Sacred Wounds of Christ were the five piercing wounds inflicted upon Jesus during his crucifixion. ... This page is about the title or the Divine Person. For the Christian figure, see Jesus. ...

The flag fell out of use later in the medieval period, but was revived by Georgian patriotic movement following the country's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. A majority of Georgians, including the influential Catholicos-Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church, supported the restoration of the flag and in 1999 the Georgian parliament passed a bill to change the flag. However, it was not endorsed by the President, Eduard Shevardnadze. It was adopted in the late 1990s by the main opposition party, the United National Movement led by Mikhail Saakashvili, as a symbol of popular resistance to Shevardnadze's rule. His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia is the head of the Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church. ... The Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church (Saqartvelos Samotsiqulo Avtokepaluri Martlmadidebeli Eklesia in Georgian language) is one of the worlds most ancient Christian Churches, founded in the 1st century by the Apostle Andrew. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Eduard Amvrosiyevich Shevardnadze (Georgian: ედუარდ შევარდნაძე, Russian: Эдуа́рд Амвро́сьевич Шевардна́&#1076... Politics of Georgia Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | Liberal parties | Georgian political parties ... Mikhail Saakashvili briefing the press at UN headquarters Mikhail Saakashvili (Georgian: მიხეილ სააკაშვილი) (born December 21, 1967, in Tbilisi) is a Georgian jurist and politician and the current President of Georgia. ...

The flag was adopted by the Georgian parliament on January 14, 2004. It was formally endorsed by a presidential decree signed by Saakashvili on January 25, following his election as President of Georgia. Its adoption was not without controversy, as some complained that the adoption of a party's political flag as a national emblem was an anti-democratic move. January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 25 is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Earlier flags of Georgia

Flag of Georgia, 1918-1921, 1990-2004

Image File history File links Flag_of_Georgia_(1990-2004). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Georgia_(1990-2004). ...

Independent Georgia (1918-1921, 1990-2004)

During Georgia's brief existence as an independent state (the Democratic Republic of Georgia) from 1918-1921, a tricolor flag was adopted (right). The design resulted from a national flag-designing contest won by Jakob Nikoladze, a painter. It was abolished by the Soviet Union following the 1921 takeover of Georgia but was revived on November 14, 1990 by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia. It lost popularity thereafter as it became associated with the chaotic and violent period following Georgia's independence from the Soviet Union. Motto: None Anthem: Dideba Zetsit Kurtheuls (Praise Be To The Heavenly Bestower of Blessings) Capital Tbilisi Largest city Tbilisi Official language(s) Georgian Government Chairman of the Government Parliamentary democracy Noe Zhordania Independence - Declared - Formerly From the Russian Empire May 26, 1918 Transcaucasian Federation Population c. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... November 14 is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 47 days remaining until the end of the year. ... This article is about the year. ... The Supreme Council of the Republic of Georgia was the first National Parliament of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era (in 1990 - 1992). ...

Soviet Georgia (1921-1990)

Flag of Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic, 1921-1990

During the Soviet period, Georgia adopted a number of versions of the red Soviet flag incorporating either the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic's name, or a red hammer and sickle with a star in a blue sun in canton and blue bar in the upper part of flag (right). The flag of Georgian SSR was abolished by the Georgian government when it declared independence from the Soviet Union in November 1990. Image File history File links Flag_of_Georgian_SSR.svg The flag of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Georgian_SSR.svg The flag of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. ... Soviet Flag: 1:4 ratio July 1923-November 13, 1923 The first official flag of the Soviet Union was adopted in December of 1922 at the First Congress of Soviets of the USSR. It was agreed that the red banner was transformed from the symbol of the Party to the... State motto: პროლეტარ ყველა ქვეყნისა, შეერთდით! Official language Georgian since 1978 Capital Tbilisi Chairman of the Supreme Council Zviad Gamsakhurdia (at independence) Established In the USSR:  - Since  - Until February 25, 1921 December 30, 1922 April 9, 1991 Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 10th in former Soviet Union 69,700 km² -- Population  - Total (1989)  - Density Ranked... The symbol as it appeared on the Soviet flag The hammer and sickle as it appears on Communist Party of China flag since 1917. ... Red star on the Soviet flag The five-pointed red star (a pentagram without the inner pentagon) is a symbol of Communism and Socialism and represents the five fingers of the workers hand, as well as five of six inhabited continents. ... The design and description of flags typically uses specialised flag terminology with precise and technical meanings (a form of jargon). ... Flag of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic This flag was adopted by the Georgian SSR on April 11, 1951. ...

External links and references

• Flag of Georgia, President of Georgia website.
• The Law of Georgia on the National Flag (2004), Parliament of Georgia website.(Georgian)
• "Georgia", Flags of the World
• "What's With Georgia's Flags?", Slate, November 25, 2003

The President of Georgia (ge: საქართველოს პრეზიდენტი) is the head of the state of Georgia. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Slate is an online news and culture magazine created in 1996 by former The New Republic editor Michael Kinsley and owned by Microsoft (as part of MSN). ... November 25 is the 329th (in leap years the 330th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...