Latvia’s national flag is a 1:2 carmine-white-carmine horizontal triband. The white center band is half the height of either carmine band, producing a 2:1:2 construction.
Specification
The national-flag law describes a carmine field crossed by a horizontal white stripe. Its Annex 1 supplies the reference image, while the law requires the same proportions regardless of the flag’s physical size.
Reference colors
HEX #9D2235 / asset screen value; textile code 19-1629HEX #FFFFFF / RGB 255, 255, 255Construction notes
Divide the hoist into five equal units: two carmine, one white, and two carmine. The flag’s fly is twice its hoist. The law separately specifies textile color-system values, so screen artwork should be identified as a rendering rather than a substitute for manufacturing references.
Historical record
A red flag with a white band appears in a thirteenth-century regional chronicle. Artist Ansis Cīrulis prepared the influential modern sketch during Latvia’s national movement, and the Constitutional Assembly formalized the state flag in 1921. Its legal status was restored in 1990 during the restoration of Latvian independence.
Source trail
| Measurement | Proportion | Calculated example: 100 cm high |
|---|---|---|
| Overall height:width (hoist:fly) | 1:2; width is twice the height | 100 cm high × 200 cm wide |
| Top:middle:bottom band heights | 2:1:2; five equal height units in total | 40 cm : 20 cm : 40 cm |
| Top carmine band | 2/5 of the total height | 40 cm high |
| Middle white band | 1/5 of the total height | 20 cm high |
| Bottom carmine band | 2/5 of the total height | 40 cm high |
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Latvia’s flag formalized?
Latvia’s Constitutional Assembly formalized the state flag on 15 June 1921. This is distinct from the earlier reference to a red flag with a white band in a thirteenth-century regional chronicle and from the influential modern sketch prepared by Ansis Cīrulis during Latvia’s national movement. The medieval reference, modern design and formalization are separate historical milestones.
When was its status restored?
The flag’s legal status was restored on 27 February 1990, during the restoration of Latvian independence. This is a restoration milestone, distinct from formalization on 15 June 1921; the two dates do not imply uninterrupted legal status between them.