Croatia

3×5' nylon national flag of Croatia.

The red and white checkerboard at the heart of Croatia's flag, the šahovnica, is one of the most recognizable emblems in Europe. It has represented Croatia for more than five centuries and now appears on everything from passports to football shirts.

Design

Three equal horizontal bands of red, white and blue. Centered and overlapping the bands is the coat of arms: a shield of 25 red and white squares, topped by a crown of five small shields.

History & Symbolism

Red, white and blue were adopted as Croatian colors in 1848, in the Pan-Slavic movement. The present flag was adopted on 21 December 1990, as Croatia moved toward independence from Yugoslavia. The five shields of the crown represent Croatia's historic regions: the oldest known Croatian arms (a star over a crescent), Dubrovnik, Dalmatia, Istria and Slavonia.

Flag Specifications

• Adopted: 21 December 1990
• Official proportions: 1:2
• Colors: red, white, blue
• Emblem: checkerboard shield with a crown of five regional arms

Vexillographer's Note

On the national arms the checkerboard begins with a red square in the upper left. A white first square marks a different, older variant, and getting it wrong is a classic reproduction error.

Humphrys Flag Company · Old City Philadelphia · Est. 1864