Flag of Ukraine

Flag of Ukraine

The flag of Ukraine consists of two equal horizontal stripes of blue and yellow. It represents a clear blue sky over golden fields of wheat. The design was created as a symbol of Ukrainian identity, freedom, and independence.

Origins

Colors meaning:

• The Blue Stripe (Top): This stripe represents the blue sky. It stands for peace, calm, and the streams and spirituality of the country.
• The Yellow Stripe (Bottom): This stripe represents Ukraine's wheat fields. Ukraine is often called the "breadbasket of Europe" because it grows so much grain. The color also stands for prosperity and the richness of the land.

History

The flag was first created in 1848 by the Supreme Ruthenian Council, a political revolutionary group in western Ukraine who wanted to free their land from the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After the fall of the Russian Empire, Ukraine briefly became a independent country called the Ukrainian People's Republic and the government officially adopted the blue and yellow flag in 1917 to represent the new nation.

After the Soviet Union took control of Ukraine. The Soviets banned the blue and yellow flag because it was a symbol of Ukrainian nationalism and they replaced it with a red Soviet flag. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Ukraine regained its independence and brought back their historic blue and yellow flag. The Ukrainian parliament officially adopted it again on January 28, 1992.