Flag of EstoniaEesti Vabariik

What the flag looks like

The Estonian flag consists of three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black (middle) and white (bottom). The proportion is 7:11, unusually close to square for a national flag. It was first adopted on 21 November 1918, banned during the Soviet occupation, and readopted on 8 May 1990, shortly before Estonia declared full independence from the USSR.

Colors and meaning

Blue represents the sky, the sea, Estonia's lakes and the loyalty of the Estonian people, black represents the dark soil of the Estonian land and the hardships endured by its people, and white represents snow, purity, hope and the Estonian people's striving for freedom.

Blue

Represents the sky, the Baltic Sea and Estonia's 2,000+ islands and 1,400 lakes. It is also associated with loyalty, faith and the Estonian national flower, the cornflower.

Black

Represents the dark soil of the Estonian land and the dark clothing traditionally worn by Estonian peasants. It symbolizes the hardships endured by the Estonian people, particularly under foreign rule.

White

Represents snow, purity, hope and the Estonian people's striving for freedom and enlightenment.

Origin

The colors were adopted by the Estonian Students' Society in 1881 and became the national flag when Estonia declared independence in 1918.

History and adoption

The blue-black-white tricolor was first consecrated by the Estonian Students' Society on 4 June 1884 in Otepää. It became a symbol of Estonian national identity during the period of Russification in the late 19th century. When Estonia declared independence on 24 February 1918, the flag was adopted as the national flag on 21 November 1918. During the Soviet occupation (1940–1991), the flag was banned and replaced with the flag of the Estonian SSR. Estonian independence activists continued to use the tricolor, and it was readopted on 8 May 1990, before Estonia formally declared independence on 20 August 1991.

Key facts

Adopted

8 May 1990

Proportion

7:11

Designer

Estonian Students' Society

Capital

Tallinn

Country code

EE

Similar flags

Botswana, Lithuania

Historical and related flags

Estonia has used several flags across its independence, Soviet and post-Soviet periods.

• Estonian Students' Society (1884–1918): First use of the blue-black-white tricolor.
• First Republic (1918–1940): Tricolor adopted as the national flag.
• Estonian SSR (1940–1953): Soviet red flag with hammer and sickle.
• Estonian SSR (1953–1990): Red flag with blue-black-white stripes at the bottom.
• Current flag (1990–present): Blue-black-white tricolor readopted.
• Naval ensign: Adds the Estonian coat of arms.

Frequently asked questions

What does the flag of Estonia look like?

The flag of Estonia has three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black (middle) and white (bottom). The proportion is 7:11.

When was the flag of Estonia adopted?

The current flag of Estonia was officially adopted on 8 May 1990.

What do the colors mean?

Blue represents the sky, the sea, Estonia's lakes and the loyalty of the Estonian people, black represents the dark soil of the Estonian land and the hardships endured by its people, and white represents snow, purity, hope and the Estonian people's striving for freedom.

Which flags look similar to the Estonia flag?

Botswana uses blue with a black-and-white stripe. Lithuania uses yellow-green-red. Estonia's blue-black-white is unique among national flags.