Flag of Poland

Flag of Republic of Poland

Proportion	5:8
Adopted	1 August 1919
(1928–1980)

The flag of Poland is a rectangular, divided into two stripes: white above red. It was created in its modern form in 1921. The colors white and red were earlier declared the official national colors in 1831 by the Polish Parliament in 1831.

For many centuries the Polish flag was a white eagle on a red background.

Details

The ratio of height to width is 5 to 8. The two horizontal stripes are of equal height.

There is a second version which has a coat of arms in the upper (white) half. The use of this flag is legally restricted.

If the flag is shown hanging vertically, the white should be on the left.

Polish flag day is May 2.

The Color White

Shades of white on the flag white white 2 #FFFFFF #E9E8E7 approximate since 1980

The exact color of the white was not clearly stated until 1980.

The Color Red

Shades of red on the flag crimson cinnabar red crimson 2 #DC143C #E34234 #FF0000 #D4213D 1921-30 1928-80 approximate since 1980

The exact color of the red was not clearly stated originally, and has changed through the years. In 1919 the official act did not clearly define the red. In 1921 the Polish Ministry of Military Affairs used crimson as the shade of red in publications. In 1928 the president of Poland said the red should be vermilion. That was used until 1980, when people needed to specify the red more scientifically.

Similar flags in other places

The same flag design is used in the German region Thuringia and the Spanish region Cantabria.

Both Indonesia and Monaco have flags that are the same colors, but upside-down.

Related pages

• Poland