Page 172 - (DK) Complete Flags of the World

Europe

Russian Federation

Ratio: 2:3 Adopted: August 22, 1991 Usage: National and Civil

The colors of the Since its official
flag were orginally adoption in 1799,
the colors of the Russian
Moscow. White, tricolor has had a
blue, and red are major influence
Pan-Slavic colors on other east
European flags

Russia was formed in the 15th century. The USSR was
established in 1922 and included much of Asia. The USSR
collapsed in 1991 and produced the Russian Federation.

At the end of the 17th century, Tsar them from foreign domination. They
Peter the Great of Russia visited have since become known as the Pan-
western Europe. Following this Slavic colors.
visit he decided to adopt a variation
of the Dutch flag as a civil ensign THE HAMMER, SICKLE, AND STAR
T
T
for Russian ships. This was a After the Russian Revolution of 1917,
horizontal tricolor of white, blue, the Communists abolished all former
and red. It was only officially flags and instead adopted the Red
recognized in 1799. Peter the Great Flag as the flag of the Soviet Union.
also adopted a flag for the Russian This contained a gold hammer and
navy, which was white with the blue sickle, symbols of the proletariat and
diagonal Cross of St. Andrew. the peasants, under a gold-edged red
star, to represent unity. As a Soviet
THE PAN-SLAVIC COLORS republic, Russia used this flag with
Both the color and tricolor design of a vertical blue bar at the hoist.
this first flag had a major influence on When the Soviet Union collapsed
many of the flags of Eastern European in 1991, the former flags of Russia,
nations during the 19th century, who including the white, blue, and red
looked to Russia for help in liberating tricolor were restored.

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