Last modified: 2024-09-04 by 
zachary harden
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image by Željko Heimer, 8 April 2002
Official Name: Republic of Latvia (Latvijas
Republika)
Capital: Riga
Location: Baltic Eastern Europe
Government Type: Parliamentary Democracy
Flag adopted: 27
February 1990
Coat of arms adopted: 27 February 1990
ISO Code: LV
See also:
Regional Flags:
Other sites:
According to the Constitution the flags is "red with a
white stripe". In fact it is not really red but almost
brown.
giuseppe bottasini
Dr. Karlis Ulmanis, first Prime Minister and last President of Latvia before the Soviet invasion in 1940 described the meaning of the colors thus:
"Our red-white-red colors! What do they tell him who loves his native country ardently? White stands for right and truth, the honor of free citizens and trustworthiness. But the red reminds us of the blood that has been shed in the recent past. It has been shed at all times in the remote past and we are ready to offer it again for freedom and independence, for our nation and country."
Source:The Flag Bulletin VIII:3, Published by
the Flag Research Center, Box 580, Winchester, Mass 01890
USA, Summer 1969, ISSN 0015-3370
Dave Martucci, 2 September 1996
According to "Flags of All Nations" by Cleveland H. Smith and Gertrude R. Taylor (Thomas Y. Crowell Co., New York, 1946; pg.101):
"The Letts used the juice of berries to make the crimson for their original flag. Latvian poets say that the red in the flag indicates the readiness of the Latvians to give blood of their hearts for their freedom, which was represented by the white in the flag."
Dave Martucci, 6 September 1996
Color used for Latvian flag is defined as
"carmine-red". It means something dark brick red. Some
colorists define color as dark cherry red. Our company uses
0,100,90,40 (for printig on fine quality paper). Officialy colors
aren't standardized in any system.
Gvido Pētersons, 29 June 1999
According to Album 2000 [pay00]
- National Flag (CS-/C-- 1:2) - Red-white-red triband, ratio of
struipes 2+1+2. Latvians still call it simply red, at least in
legislation.
Željko Heimer, 8 April 2002
I came across a company's website (<www.karogufabrika.lv>),
where they list the official color of the "Latvian red"
as PMS 1807C. This color was apprently chosen by the Heraldic
Commission back in 1995 (April 11th). The page also give the
official specs as well as a list of flag flying holidays in
Latvia.
Ivan Sache, 25 April 2002
"Expatica"
reports on 26 February 2009 a government issue on the colour of
the Latvian flag.
"[...] Part of the Latvian government is turning its
attention to whether the national flag is the right colour.
The Baltic state's foreign ministry has noticed that several
different shades of red are being used on flags that are
commercially available.
As a result, it is proposing the establishment of a
"national symbols commission" which would regulate the
quality of flags and their compliance with uniform standards.
"The intention is to set up a commission that would regulate
the exact size, shape and colour of the flag," said a
foreign ministry spokesman. "It is important that exactly
the right Pantone colour is used -- the dark red that we call
Latvian red.”
The spokesman said there is also a plan to introduce an official
pennant, similar to those in many of the Scandinavian countries.
“This would prevent flagpoles being empty for much of the
year.”
Some foreign diplomats eager to observe correct protocol have
been confused by the variety of "Latvian" flags and the
symbols commission could also encourage the use of the European
Union flag alongside the national flag on government buildings,
the spokesman added. The commission would have the power to
restrict what could be sold as a Latvian flag and would issue
permits to certified flag makers.
Ivan Sache, 27 February 2009
The protocol manual for the
London 2012 Olympics (Flags and Anthems Manual
London 2012 [loc12]) provides recommendations
for national flag designs. Each
NOC was sent an image of the flag,
including the PMS shades, for their approval by LOCOG. Once this was obtained, LOCOG produced
a 60 x 90 cm version of the flag for further approval. So, while these specs may
not be the official, government, version of each flag, they are certainly what
the NOC believed the flag to be.
For Latvia: PMS 1807. The vertical flag is simply the horizontal version turned
90 degrees clockwise.
Ian Sumner, 10 October 2012
image by António Martins, 14 September 2010
I resampled and recolored the construction sheet.
António Martins, 14 September 2010
image by António Martins, 14 September 2010
The flag of Latvia, simple as it is, presents two distinct features that make
it rather unique among national flags: Its unusual shade of dark red, and the
arrangement of the stripes as a horizontal unequal triband, simple (2+1+2) yet
distinct. Such uniqueness lends itself to variant depictions and offsprung
flags, such as the following:
During the Singing Revolution that resulted the break-away from the Soviet Union
in 1990, in street demonstrations for it, the 1921-1939
flag was brought back to popular use, but often the fabric used was regular
medium red, the same as that of Soviet flags or the bottom stripe of the
pre-WW2 Lithuanian flag, often flown along.
(Note that even during the Singing Revolution this incorrect color was not
exclusive, maybe not even majority: See some contemporary photos:
http://www.lvarhivs.gov.lv/Praga68/jpg/4-5-5.jpg and
http://www.lvarhivs.gov.lv/Praga68/jpg/4-8-11.jpg from
http://www.lvarhivs.gov.lv/Praga68/index.php?id=1040)
Although this error seems to have disappeared from Latvia itself, due to raised
awareness and better access to coloring and textile technology, it still pops up
here and there randomly, often due to perpetuated mistakes based on secondary
sources.
There are at least two official postage stamps showing this medium red wrong
version: Bulgarian 2001 stamp of 0,24 (Michel B249; FotW Nº 02507)
http://www.lituanicaonstamps.com/images/bulgarija2001natosuvaziavim.jpg
http://www.lituanicaonstamps.com/images/bulgarija2001natoLTveliava.jpg and
Polish 1987 (?) 50 z³ stamp (FotW Nº 02565).
This flag variant resampled version of this one.
António Martins, 14 September 2010
In 1995, the State Heraldic Commission (Valsts heraldikas komisija) have chosen Pantone 1807 C for red color, later this was replaced by Pantone 201 C in 2009. On 1 May 2010, the Cabinet of Ministers issued the Procedures for the Application of the Law on the National Flag, which standardized Pantone 19-1629 TPX or 19-1629 TC for red field; an amendment made on 27 November 2018, which came into force 1 January 2019, stating that non-fabric flags, as well as representations produced using other techniques (including digital representations), would use Pantone 201 C, whilst physical flags would continue using 19-1629 TPX/TC.
Zoltan Horvath, 25 June 2024
image by Zachary Harden, 15 March 2010
Latvia has also adopted a vimpel but I am not certain when it
was adopted or what regulations it has. The information,
including the construction sheet, is at <www.saeima.lv>
(Latvian only). The ratio is 5x17x1 and the portions of 2:1:2 is
kept throughout the banner.
Zachary Harden, 15 March 2010
Latvijas valsts un tirzniecîbas karogs = National and
merchant flag
Valsts prezidenta standarts = President's standard
Ministru prezidenta karogs = Prime minister flag
Sűtòa karogs = Ambassador flag
Konsula karogs = Consul flag
Kara ministra karogs = War minister flag
Armijas virspavçlnieka karogs = Chief of latvian army flag
Admirâïa karogs = Admiral flag
Ostas valdes karogs = Harbour administration flag
Muitas valdes karogs = Customs flag
Kara kuěu karogs = Warship flag
Cietokðòa un kara kuěu bugspritkarogs = Warship bowsflag
Pasta karogs = Post flag
Hidrogrâfijas kuěa karogs = Survey vessel flag
Loču karogs = Harbour pilots flag
Jűras kapteiòa komandvimpelis = Commander pennon
Kara kuěu vimpelis = Warship pennon
Guy Babonneau, 12 March 2001 and Gvido Pētersons,
8 June 2001
There are official Flag days in Latvia (days when houseowner
should wear flag in front of house).
Note: (M) - means mourn (black ribbon) .
The flag days are:
- February 16 - Lietuvas Republikas neatkarîbas diena -
Independence day of Lithuania.
- February 24 - Igaunijas Republikas neatkarîbas diena -
Independence day of Estonia.
- March 25 - Komunistiskâ genocîda upuru piemiòas diena (S) -
Commemoration Day of Victims of Communist Terror (M)
- May 1 - LR Satversmes sapulces sasaukðanas diena (1920). Darba
svçtki - Convocation of the Constituent Assembly of the Republic
of Latvia (1920). Labour Day.
- May 4 - LR Neatkarîbas deklarâcijas pasludinâðanas diena
(1990) - Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia.
(1990)
- Juny 14 - Komunistiskâ genocîda upuru piemiòas diena (S) -
Commemoration Day of Victims of Communist Terror. (M)
- Juny 17 - Latvijas Republikas okupâcijas diena (S) -
Occupation of the Republic of Latvia. (M)
- July 4 - Ebreju tautas genocîda upuru piemiòas diena (S) -
Commemoration Day of Genocide against the Jews. (M)
- August 21 - Konstitucionâlâ likuma 'Par Latvijas Republikas
valstisko statusu¡ pieòemðanas un Latvijas Republikas
faktiskâs neatkarîbas atjaunoðanas diena - Passing of the
Constitutional Law on the Status of the Republic of Latvia as a
State and Actual Restoration of the Republic of Latvia.
- November 11 - Lâčplçða diena - Latvian Freedom Fightersÿ
Remembrance Day - Lacplesis Day.
- November 18 - Latvijas republikas proklamçðanas diena (1918)
- Proclamation of the Republic of Latvia. (1918)
- December 7 (first Sunday) - Pret latvieðu tautu vçrstâ
totalitârâ komunistiskâ reþîma genocîda upuru piemiòas
diena (S) - Commemoration Day of Victims of Genocide Against the
Latvian People by the Totalitarian Communist Regime. (M)
Every house or office building must wear flag. There is also
penalty (until 50 Ls - ~90 USD) for not displaying flag in days
mentioned above or displaying wrong, corrupt, dirty, without
ribbon, wrong mast or staff.
More details at see <www.latinst.lv>
Gvido Pētersons, 9 January 2003
