Flag of Albania
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-->The national flag of Albania is a base red flag with a black two-headed eagle in the centre. It is derived from the similar seal of Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg, a 15th century Albanian who led the revolt against the Ottoman Empire that resulted in brief independence for Albania from 1443 to 1478. The current flag was officially adopted on April 7, 1992, but previous Albanian states such as the Kingdom of Albania and the post-war communist state had used much the same flag, with the former sporting the "Helmet of Skanderbeg" above the eagle and the latter a red star with a yellow rim. Albania's civil ensign and naval ensign, both maritime flags are different from the national flag. The civil ensign consists of three horizontal lines of red, black, and red. The naval ensign is similar to the national flag, except that the eagle is on a white field, and the lower portion of the flag has a red stripe.
The flag of Albania may be the inspiration for the flag of the fictional nation of Syldavia in Hergé's Tintin cartoons. It also influenced the revival of the Navarrese arrano beltza.
The presidential flag of the Albanian-populated province of Kosovo is also based in the flag of Albania.
It should be noted that the flag of Albania is very similar to the Byzantine flag due to its ties to the ancient empire.
See also
| National flags | National coats of arms |
|---|---|
| Flags of sovereign states | Coats of arms of sovereign states |
| Flags of dependent territories Flags of unrecognized states | Coats of arms of dependent territories Coats of arms of unrecognized states |
External links
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