Flag Overview
What does the flag of Russia look like? The Russian flag is three equal-sized horizontal bands of white, dark blue, and red. The current version was updated on December 11, 1993, and serves as the civil and state flag and ensign.
Meaning of the Flag
There are various interpretations of what the flag of Russia is designed to symbolize. The three colors of the flag – red, white and blue – through the years have been said to represent different traits. While there is no official ruling on what the flag is designed to represent, there is a popular consensus among Russia’s people. It is believed by many that the color white stands for frankness and nobility. Russians believe that the blue stands for many things, including faithfulness, chastity and honesty. The red is believed to represent love, courage and generosity.
Colors of the Flag
As previously mentioned, the colors of the Russian flag are red, white and blue. The flag’s design features a horizontal band of each color, each of the same width and length. From top to bottom, the colors are arranged as follows: white, blue and red. There are no specific colors designated by the Russian government for use on the flag, although federal agencies typically use the same colors. Federal constitutional law simply outlines the colors as being “white,” “red” and “dark blue.”
History of the Flag
The tricolor flag used by Russia today was first used in 1705. It was used as a merchant flag and the colors were used to represent the importance of God (white), the king (blue) and the people of Russia (red). It wasn’t until 1883 when the flag was authorized for land use. In 1896, it was designated as the national flag.
The flag was used until the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic (or the Soviet Union) was formed in 1917. During this time, the national flag was changed to a new design featuring a bright red field with a hammer, sickle and red star. This flag was in use until the Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, a flag was used that featured a 1:2 ratio – a flag that was used prior to the revolution. However, the tricolor flag was restored in 1993 and has been in use ever since.
Flag Facts
The first flag of Russia was believed to first be in use in 1668. Since that time, there have been multiple variants.
Russia’s president uses a variant flag, which features the same tricolor design with the coat of arms in the middle. This flag has been in use since 1994.
National flag day is celebrated in Russia on August 22. The holiday was established in 1994. The constitutional crisis of 1993 was a driving force behind bringing back the tricolor flag that is used today.
Location
Is Russia in Asia? The eastern part of Russia forms the northern part of Asia, called North Asia or known as Asian Russia or Siberia.
Is Russia part of Europe? The Europe-Asia divide is marked by the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caucasus Mountains, and the Turkish Straights. The western part of Russia is to the east of this divide and includes Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Russia’s two largest cities. Seventy-seven percent of Russia’s population is located to the east of the divide, while 75% of the land is located in the west. Because of this, some people believe that Russia is in Europe due to the population density and the location of the capital, Moscow. On the other hand, because a majority of Russia’s land is in Asia, some believe that Russia is officially part of Asia.
There is no clear answer as to whether Russia is officially part of Asia or part of Europe. One factor determining this answer is each individual’s definition of a continent. For those who believe there are five or six, combining Europe and Asia into Eurasia as one continent, the answer is clear.
