Flag of Kosovo

This article primarily discusses the current flag of the Republic of Kosovo. For flags previously used in Kosovo, see List of flags of Kosovo.

Republic of Kosovo
UseNational flag
Proportion5:7 (1:1.4 by law)[1]
Adopted17 February 2008; 16 years ago (2008-02-17)[2]
DesignA blue field charged with a map of Kosovo in gold, surmounted by an arc of six white five-pointed stars
Designed byMuhamer Ibrahimi

The flag of the Republic of Kosovo[a] was adopted by the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo immediately following the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo[2] on 17 February 2008.[2][3] The flag design emerged from an international competition, organized by an informal group from the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government known as the Kosovo Unity Team, which attracted almost one thousand entries.[4] The winning design was proposed by Muhamer Ibrahimi.[5] It shows six white stars in an arc above a golden map of Kosovo, all on a blue field.[6] The stars symbolize Kosovo's six major ethnic groups: Albanians, Serbs, Bosniaks, Turks, Romani, and Gorani.[7]

Before the declaration of independence, Kosovo had come under the administration of the United Nations and used the UN flag for official purposes. The Serb and Albanian populations had used their own national flags since the 1945–1992 Socialist Yugoslavia period. Ethnic Serbs used a red, blue and white tricolor, which also forms the basis of the flag of Serbia. The ethnic Albanian population have used the flag of Albania since the 1960s as their ethnic flag. Both these flags can still be seen in use within Kosovo.

Serbia has not recognized the independence of Kosovo and continues to claim the area as the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija. Unlike the case of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, the Serbian authorities have not adopted a unique flag to represent this claimed province, using the flag of Serbia instead.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference ksprotocollaw was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Fawkes, Helen (2008-02-17). "Kosovo celebrates 'dream come true'". BBC News. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
  3. ^ "Kosovo MPs proclaim independence". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2008-02-17. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
  4. ^ Wander, Andrew (2008-02-08). "With independence looming, Kosovo to pick a flag". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
  5. ^ "Prime Minister Thaçi meets designer of Kosova flag Mr. Muhamer Ibrahimi" (in Albanian). Office of the Prime Minister of Kosovo. 2008-02-23. Archived from the original on 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
  6. ^ "Parliament adopted the flag of Kosovo state". Archived from the original on February 27, 2008. Retrieved February 17, 2008., Kosovapress, Priština, 17 February 2008.
  7. ^ Reeves, Terri Bryce (2008-02-19). "Former Kosovar leader rejoices from afar". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2008-02-19.


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