Flag of Moldova
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| Use | National flag and civil ensign     (Obverse shown) |
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| Proportion | 1:2 |
| Adopted | May 17, 1990 |
| Design | A blue, yellow, and red tricolor, with the national coat of arms in the center bar on the obverse only |
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| Variant flag of Moldova | |
| Use | War flag    |
| Proportion | 2:3 |
| Adopted | March 28, 1991 (?) |
| Design | A blue cloth, bearing a red cross within a larger yellow cross. On the front of the cloth, in the center, lies the Emblem of the National Army. The reverse of the flag has the chromatic layout and features in the center the army motto in golden letters: Romanian: "Pentru Onoare! Pentru Patrie! Pentru Tricolor!" (For Honor! For Country! For the Tricolor!) |
The national flag of Moldova is a vertical tricolor of blue, yellow, and red, charged with the coat of arms of Moldova (an eagle holding a shield charged with an aurochs) on the center bar on the obverse side only. The flag ratio is 1:2 [1]. The blue, red, and yellow tricolor of Moldova is almost identical to the flag of Romania, reflecting the two countries' cultural affinity. On Moldova's flag the yellow stripe is charged with the national arms. Like the Romanian coat of arms, the Moldovan arms, adopted in 1990, features a golden eagle holding an Orthodox Chrisitian cross in its beak. Instead of a sword, the eagle is holding an olive branch, symbolizing peace. The blue and red shield on the eagle's breast is also different- on it are an aurochs head, a star, a rose, and a crescent, all traditional symbols of Moldova. These two flags are also very similar to the flags of Chad, Andorra, and the flag of Queen's University in Ontario, Canada which are all based on vertical stripes of blue, yellow, and red.
Along with the flag of Paraguay and the flag of Saudi Arabia, the flag of Moldova is the only national flag with differing obverse and reverse sides[2]. Although the reverse of the flag is officially stated as not containing any coat of arms, Moldovan flags with a coat of arms printed on the reverse are also used:
 The obverse of the Flag of Moldova |
 The reverse of the Flag of Moldova |
 TV screen shots of Moldovan flags showing the coat of arms printed on both sides. The first picture is of a flag at an oil refinery; the other two are of a flag flying from a Moldovan military vehicle. |
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Colors
The color shades of the Moldavian flag are not explicitly named. The Regulation regarding the flag states that the colors of the flag must match the ones shown in the annex. Moldavian heraldist and vexillologist Silviu Andrieş-Tabac stated in an interview[3] that in 1990, when the flag was created, "it taken into account that many countries have similar tricolor flags. As a result, it was decided to abandon the ultramarine blue, which is present on the Romanian flag, in favor of the emerald-blue, used on the mural paintings of Voroneţ monastery...".
The French Album des pavillons nationaux et des marques distinctives (2000) by Armand du Payrat and Daniel Roudaut is suggesting the following Pantone nouances, including those of the coat of arms[4]:
| Blue | Yellow | Red | Green | Dark Gold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 549 | 143 | 186 | 340 | 464 |
However, the current flags usually display a darker shade of blue, as shown on the presidential site[5].
Military flag
The Flag of the Moldovan National Army represents a unique military vexilologic insignia[6].
The cloth of the flag has the same chromatics as the State Flag of the Republic of Moldova.
The partition reminds of the old Moldavian military flags. The red central cross reminds of Saint George, the protector of the medieval Moldavian army.
The motto "Pentru Onoare! Pentru Patrie! Pentru Tricolor!" represents the belief of the Moldovan soldiers.
The Flag of the National Army of the Republic Moldova is the symbol of the military glory, of the tradition and continuity, honor and loyalty of the soldiers and officers to the country.
History
Wallachia and Moldova have, in the past, been partially united and culturally similar, as such the flags of Romania and Republic of Moldova are also similar. The flag of Moldova was created in 1990, and is based on the national colours of Romanians, the blue-yellow-red tricolor. The reverse side differs from Romanian flag in proportion, and by having a lighter blue.
 Flag of the first independent Democratic Moldavian Republic, 1917. |
 Flag of the Moldavian Congress (Sfatul Ţării, 1917) |
 Flag of Romania (1867-1948, 1990-present) |
 Flag of the Moldavian Socialist Soviet Republic, 1952-1990 |
See also
- List of flags of Moldova
- Flag of Moldavian SSR
- Coat of Arms of Moldova
- Flags whose reverse differs from the obverse
References
- ↑ flags.net, Flag of Republic of Moldova
- ↑ "Drapelul de stat al Republicii Moldova" (in Romanian). The President of the Republic of Moldova. http://www.presedinte.md/simb.php?lang=rom&page=702. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
- ↑ Interview with Moldavian heraldist and vexillologist Silviu Andrieş Tabac, published in the daily newspaper "Vremea", 29 August 2003
- ↑ Flag of Moldova at vexilla-mundi.com
- ↑ Flag of Moldova. The President of the Republic of Moldova.
- ↑ The Flag of the Moldovan National Army at the Moldavian Ministry of Defence
External links
- Moldova at Flags of the World
- THE DECISION OF THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA about the approbation of the Regulation regarding the State Flag of the Republic of Moldova (Moldovan Presidential website)
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