Flag of Belarus - Design

Design

The basic design of the national flag of Belarus was first described in the Presidential Decree No.214 of June 7, 1995. The national flag is a rectangular cloth consisting of two horizontal stripes that consider of an red upper stripe and green lower stripe. The red stripe is two-thirds and the green stripe one-third of the flag width respectively. A vertical red-on-white Belarusian decorative pattern, which occupies one-ninth of the flag's length, is placed against the flagstaff. The flag's ratio of width to length is 1:2.

The flag does not differ significantly from the flag of the Byelorussian SSR, other than the removal of the hammer and sickle and the red star, and the reversal of red and white in the hoist pattern. While there is no official interpretation for the colors of the flag, yet one explanation given by President Lukashenko states that red stands for freedom and sacrifice for the nation's forefathers and the green stands for life.

In addition to the decree, "STB 911–2008: National Flag of the Republic of Belarus" was published by the State Committee for Standardization of the Republic of Belarus in 2008. It gives the technical specifications of the national flag, such as the details of the colors and the ornament pattern. The red ornament design on the national flag was, until 2012, 1/12 the width of the flag, with the white margin 1/9 the width of the flag. Since 2012, the red pattern has occupied the whole of the white margin (which stayed at 1/9th).