Introduction
The national flag of Hungary is a horizontal tricolor of red, white, and green stripes of equal width. This simple yet powerful design is one of the oldest national flags in Europe, with its colors deeply rooted in Hungarian history and heraldry. The flag is used in both a plain civil version and a version featuring the coat of arms at the center, which is reserved for official state use.
The flag's proportions are formally defined, and its colors are specified using modern Pantone and RGB codes to ensure consistency. Its clean, triband layout makes it highly recognizable and easy to reproduce, contributing to its widespread display across the country.
Meaning & Symbolism
The colors of the Hungarian flag carry traditional meanings that have evolved over centuries. Red is said to symbolize strength and the blood shed for the homeland. White represents fidelity and the nation's noble virtues. Green stands for hope and the country's agricultural landscapes.
These colors first appeared together in the coat of arms of the Árpád dynasty, the founding rulers of Hungary. The sequence of red-white-green was formally established during the 1848-1849 Revolution and War of Independence, when it became a symbol of national sovereignty and reform.
History of the Hungary Flag
The tricolor design gained prominence during the 1848 Revolution against Habsburg rule, inspired by the French Tricolore as a symbol of liberty. It was officially adopted as the national flag of Hungary within the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1867. After the empire's dissolution, the flag was confirmed as the national flag of the independent Hungarian state.
The current form, including the precise shade definitions, was solidified by Act XLVIII of 1993, following the end of communist rule. This law reaffirmed the flag's status and detailed the specifications for its use, including the version with the coat of arms.
Curiosities
- The Hungarian flag is one of the few national flags whose colors are derived directly from a medieval coat of arms (the Árpád stripes).
- During the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, protesters cut out the communist emblem from the center of the flag, leaving a distinctive hole, creating a powerful symbol of resistance.
- The flag's colors are also used in reverse order (green-white-red) on the badge of the Hungarian national football team.
Download Flag
Download the flag of Hungary in high-quality SVG vector format or PNG raster images. SVG files can be scaled to any size without losing quality.
Construction Sheet
The flag has a 1:2 ratio, meaning its width is twice its height. It is divided into three horizontal stripes of equal width. The official color specifications are: Pantone 186 C for red, Pantone Safe for white, and Pantone 340 C for green. The coat of arms, when present, is centered on the white stripe.
Flags Similar to Hungary Flag
Common Misidentifications
Often confused with the flag of Italy due to the similar vertical tricolor pattern, though Hungary's stripes are horizontal.