Flag of North Macedonia
A red flag with a golden-yellow sun in the centre whose eight rays widen as they stretch out to the edges and corners.
At a glance
- Adopted
- October 5, 1995
- Shape (height : width)
- 1:2
- Capital
- Skopje
- Continent
- Europe
- Colours
- red
- golden yellow
What it means
- Sun: the "new sun of liberty" mentioned in the national anthem, "Denes nad Makedonija" (Today over Macedonia)
- Red and yellow: the sources give no separate official meaning for the colours
Where it came from
The flag was designed by Miroslav Grcev. In 1995 he proposed 12 different designs, and one with a sun whose rays reach across the whole flag was chosen.
Parliament adopted the new flag on 5 October 1995.
History
In Yugoslav times (1944-1992), the republic's flag was red with a red communist star edged in gold. In August 1992, soon after independence, a red flag with a 16-ray sun known as the Vergina Sun was adopted.
Greece objected to that sun, which it saw as a symbol of ancient Macedonian history in Greece, and the dispute led to an economic blockade in 1994. After talks sponsored by the United Nations, the country adopted the current eight-ray sun in 1995. Under the 2018 Prespa Agreement, it also agreed to stop using the Vergina Sun in public.
Fun facts
- The designer proposed 12 versions before one was chosen.
- The rays get wider as they move away from the sun, and they reach every edge and corner.
- In Yugoslav times, it was the only republic flag without the Pan-Slavic colours.
Easy to mix up with
Kyrgyzstan: Kyrgyzstan is red with a yellow sun too, but its sun has 40 short rays and a yurt crown
Japan: Japan's military rising-sun flag has rays too, but the national flag is a plain red disc on white
Questions
What does the flag of North Macedonia look like?
A red flag with a golden-yellow sun in the centre whose eight rays widen as they stretch out to the edges and corners.
What do the colours and symbols on the flag of North Macedonia mean?
Sun: the "new sun of liberty" mentioned in the national anthem, "Denes nad Makedonija" (Today over Macedonia); Red and yellow: the sources give no separate official meaning for the colours.
When was the flag of North Macedonia adopted?
The current flag of North Macedonia was adopted on October 5, 1995.
What colours are on the flag of North Macedonia?
The flag of North Macedonia uses red and golden yellow.
Which flag is easy to mix up with the flag of North Macedonia?
It is easy to mix up with the flag of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan is red with a yellow sun too, but its sun has 40 short rays and a yurt crown
Famous landmarks in North Macedonia
🎯 Play the flag quiz 🌍 Play the globe
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org
- crwflags.com
- Flag picture: flagcdn.com (Wikimedia Commons)