Flag of Azerbaijan
The national flag of Azerbaijan was officially approved on February 5, 1991. The flag represents a tricolour, the band of blue, green and red colours are arranged horizontally. In the centre of the flag, there is an eight-pointed star and a crescent.
Flag of Azerbaijan Design and Colour Scheme
The national flag of Azerbaijan consists of three horizontal stripes of equal width, from top to bottom: light blue, red, and green. In the centre are a white crescent and eight-pointed star.
The first President of the Azerbaijani National Council Mammed Amin Rasulzade noted in his speech, at the parliament’s session of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, that the colours relate to Turkic freedom, modernity, and Islamic culture.
- The Colour blue symbolises the freedom of Azerbaijan.
- The Colour Green symbolises the future of Azerbaijan that is manifesting in the natural environment.
- The Colour Red symbolises the present life of Azerbaijanis.
- The Star symbolises the eight Turkic peoples from which it has over the centuries.
- The Crescent symbolises the country’s dominant religion, Islam.
Brief History about the Flag of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan first declared its independence on November 9, 1918. However on 28th April 1920, The Russian Army invaded the country, Azerbaijan was renamed the Azerbaijan SSR, and became part of the Soviet Union, uniting with Georgia and Armenia to form the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic.
After the Fall of Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, Azerbaijan SSR took eight different flags. The current flag came into use during the Independence demonstrations. In 2009, the Azerbaijani government declared November 9 as National Flag Day, which was intended to be a day to respect the flag together with its history and symbolism.
The first President of the Azerbaijani National Council Mammed Amin Rasulzade noted in his speech, at the parliament’s session of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, that the colours relate to Turkic freedom, modernity, and Islamic culture. The composer of the anthem of Azerbaijan Uzeyir Hajibeyov includes in the song references to the meaning of the flag: bright blue for Azerbaijan’s multinationalism, red for progress and culture, and green for Islam.
The flag is referred to in the Constitution and mentioned two times in the national anthem. On land, the flag is used as the civil, state and war flag; at sea, it is used as the civil, state, and naval ensign, as well as the naval jack. The flag also has official status in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. A presidential decree declared 9 November, the date when in 1918 this flag was adopted as the national flag of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, as the national Flag Day.
