Flag of PolandRzeczpospolita Polska

What the flag looks like

The Polish flag consists of two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red (bottom). The proportion is 5:8. It was adopted on 1 August 1919, one year after Poland regained independence, and has remained unchanged since — with the exception of the period of communist rule (1945–1989), when the flag was used without changes but the coat of arms on official variants was altered.

Colors and meaning

White represents peace and the white eagle of Poland's coat of arms, and red represents the blood shed for Polish independence and the red field of the Polish coat of arms. The colors derive from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth coat of arms and are among the oldest national colors in Europe.

White

Represents peace and the White Eagle, the heraldic symbol of Poland since the 10th century. White is also associated with the Polish nobility and the Virgin Mary.

Red

Represents the blood shed for Polish independence and the red field of the Polish coat of arms, which features a white eagle on a red shield.

Origin

The white-and-red bicolor derives from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth's coat of arms, which combined the White Eagle of Poland on red with the White Knight of Lithuania. The colors have been associated with Poland since the 13th century.

History and adoption

The white-and-red bicolor became a symbol of Polish national identity during the November Uprising of 1830–1831, when Polish insurgents wore white-and-red cockades. After Poland regained independence in 1918, the flag was formally adopted on 1 August 1919. During the communist era (1945–1989), the flag remained the same but the state coat of arms (used on official flags and government buildings) was altered to remove the crown from the eagle. The crown was restored in 1990. The current flag law, defining proportions and shades, dates from 1980 and was amended in 2004.

Key facts

Adopted

1 August 1919

Proportion

5:8

Designer

Traditional — derived from the Polish coat of arms

Capital

Warsaw

Country code

PL

Similar flags

Indonesia, Monaco, Singapore

Historical and related flags

Poland has used several national flags across its history, but the white-red bicolor has been consistent since the 19th century.

• Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1795): A white eagle and knight on a red field.
• November Uprising (1830–1831): White-red cockades popularized the bicolor.
• Second Polish Republic (1919–1939): White-red bicolor adopted.
• Polish government-in-exile (1939–1990): Used the bicolor with the crowned eagle.
• People's Republic of Poland (1945–1989): Same flag with an uncrowned eagle on official variants.
• Third Polish Republic (1990–present): Crowned eagle restored on the coat of arms.

Frequently asked questions

What does the flag of Poland look like?

The flag of Poland has two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red (bottom). The proportion is 5:8.

When was the flag of Poland adopted?

The current flag of Poland was officially adopted on 1 August 1919.

What do the colors mean?

White represents peace and the white eagle of Poland's coat of arms, and red represents the blood shed for Polish independence and the red field of the Polish coat of arms. The colors derive from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth coat of arms and are among the oldest national colors in Europe.

Which flags look similar to the Poland flag?

Indonesia and Monaco use a horizontal red-white flag, which is the reverse of Poland's. Singapore uses red-white with a crescent and stars. Poland's white-red is unique in Europe.