Flag of Croatia

The flag features three equal horizontal stripes of red, white, and blue in a 1:2 aspect ratio. Centered on these bands is the national coat of arms, which consists of a red and white checkered shield topped by a decorative crown of five smaller shields.

The horizontal stripes represent the three historical constituent kingdoms of Croatia, Slavonia, and Dalmatia. Central to the design is the 'šahovnica' or checkerboard, a national symbol dating back to the 15th century that represents the Croatian people. The five smaller shields in the crown signify the historical regions of Croatia proper, Dubrovnik, Dalmatia, Istria, and Slavonia, collectively commemorating the country's territorial integrity.

Although the red, white, and blue tricolor was first established during the 1848 revolutions, the current design was officially adopted on December 21, 1990. This version replaced the flag of the Socialist Republic of Croatia, which had featured a gold-edged red star since 1945. The modern heraldic crown was designed by artist Miroslav Šutej to distinguish the new republic's symbols from previous historical iterations.