List of Estonian flags

The national flag of Estonia is a tricolour featuring three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white. The proportion of the flag is 7:11, with a nominal size of 105 × 165 cm. In Estonian it is called the "sinimustvalge" (literally "blue-black-white"), after the colours of the bands. The flag became associated with Estonian nationalism in the beginning of the 20th century and was used as the national flag (riigilipp) when the Estonian Declaration of Independence was issued on 24 February 1918. The flag was formally adopted on 21 November 1918. On 12 December 1918 the flag was raised for the first time as the national symbol atop of the Pikk Hermann tower in Tallinn.[1]

The following is a list of flags associated with Estonia.

National flag

Flag Date Use Description
Since 1990
1944
1918–1940		 Flag of Estonia (state and civil flag and ensign) A horizontal tricolour of blue, black, and white
Since 1990
1944
1918–1940		 Flag of Estonia (vertical) When displayed vertically, the blue band should appear on the left when viewed by an observer

Standards

Head of state

Flag Date Use Description
Since 1993[2] Flag of the President of the Republic National tricolour with the greater coat of arms in the centre
1922[3]–1940 Flag of the State Elder

Ministers

Flag Date Use Description
Since 2005[4][5] Flag of the Minister of Defence National tricolour with the lesser coat of arms offset to hoist
1927–1940[6]: 170  Flag of the Minister of War

Military flags

Flag Date Use Description
Since 2003[6]: 227  Flag of the Estonian Defense Forces Coat of arms of Estonia in banner form
Since 1994[6]: 235 
1927–1940[6]: 170 		 Flag of the Commander of the Defence Forces Blue and white swallowtail with the lesser coat of arms offset to hoist, and yellow horizontal bands at the top and bottom
1927–1940[6]: 170  Flag of the Lieutenant General Similar to the flag of the Commander of the Defence Forces, but with yellow band only along the top
1927–1940[6]: 170  Flag of the Major General Similar to the flag of the Commander of the Defence Forces, but with yellow band only along the bottom
Since 2012[6]: 366  Flag of the Estonian Special Operations Force A black field with a white rhombus, fly side corner open, and a horizontal white sword

Army

Flag Date Use Description
Since 2005[6]: 340  Flag of the Estonian Land Forces A black field with a vertical silver sword, in front of it a crenellated golden beam with three blue lions

Navy

Flag Date Use Description
Since 1994[6]: 282 
1927–1940[6]: 170 		 Naval ensign of the Estonian Navy Swallow-tailed national tricolour with the lesser coat of arms in the centre
Since 2008[6]: 283 
1927–1940[6]: 170 		 Naval jack White field with a black saltire and blue cross
Since 2018[7] Flag of the Vice Admiral Same as the flag of the Lieutenant General
Since 2018[7] Flag of the Counter Admiral Same as the flag of the Major General
1927–1940[6]: 170  Similar to the current flag of the Counter Admiral, but without any yellow bands
Since 2018[7] Flag of the Commodore
Since 2008[6]: 283 
1927–1940[6]: 170 		 Pennant of the Commander of the Navy White swallow-tailed pennant with a blue chevron issuing from the hoist and a yellow anchor near the hoist
Since 2008[6]: 283 
1927–1940[6]: 170 		 Pennant of a Commander of Division Same as the pennant of the Commander of the Navy, but without the anchor
1927–1940[6]: 170  Senior officer afloat pennant White triangular pennant with a horizontal blue band in the middle
Since 2008[6]: 283 
1927–1940[6]: 170 		 Pennant of a warship commander White streamer with the national tricolour at hoist
?
1923–1940		 Presidential pennant

Air Force

Flag Date Use Description
Since 1996[6]: 304  Flag of the Estonian Air Force Emblem of the Air Force on a white field, with the word "ÕHUVÄGI" above it

Defence League

Flag Date Use Description
Since 1999[8]
1925–1940[9][10]		 Flag of the Defence League The emblem of the Defence League (a silver eagle holding a silver sword and the lesser coat of arms) on a yellow field

Government flags

Flag Date Use Description
? Minister of Internal Affairs pennant
? Border Guard pennant
? Police and Border Guard flag Coat of arms of Police and Border Guard Board in banner form
Since 1993 Flag of the Estonian Internal Security Service Dark blue field with its coat of arms in the middle, "VIRTUTE ET CONSTANTIA" at the top, and "KAITSEPOLITSEIAMET" (historical), "1993" at the bottom.[11][12]
Since 1923[13] Border Guard The letters PV are visible on the national flag which is defaced with green and yellow markings
Since 2004 Customs flag
1923[14]–2004 Customs flag National flag with red square bearing caduceus and letter T in the top canton

Sporting flags

Flag Date Use Description
Flag of Estonian Olympic Committee A white flag with the logo of Estonian Olympic Committee in the middle.

Postal flag

Flag Date Use Description
1994–2009[15] Postal flag Flag of Estonia defaced with a post horn

County flags

Further information: Counties of Estonia

Each county of Estonia has adopted a flag, each of them conforming to a pattern: a white half at the top bearing the county's coat of arms in the middle, and a green half at the bottom.

Flag Administrative division Adopted Description
Harju Since 1939[16]
Hiiu Since 1996
Ida-Viru Since 1997
Jõgeva Since 1996
Järva Since 1939[16]
Lääne Since 1939[16]
Lääne-Viru Since 1996
Põlva Since 1996
Pärnu Since 1939[16]
Rapla Since 1996
Saare Since 1939[16]
Tartu Since 1939[16]
Valga Since 1939[16]
Viljandi Since 1939[16]
Võru Since 1939[16]

History

Municipal flags

See also: List of city flags in Europe § Estonia

Political flags

Flag Date Party
Since 2022 Parempoolsed
Since 2018 Estonia 200
Eesti 200
Since 2006 Isamaa
Since 1994 Estonian Reform Party
Eesti Reformierakond
Since 1991 Estonian Centre Party
Eesti Keskerakond
Since 1990 Social Democratic Party
Sotsiaaldemokraatlik Erakond

Flags of ethnic groups

Flag Date Use Description
Since 2003[17] Flag of Setos Baltic pick-up [et] pattern arranged in a Nordic cross on a white field
Since 2003 Flag of Votians
Since 2013[18][19] Flag of Võros White regular octagram on a dark green field
Since 2013[20] Flag of Mulks Blue field with a black side, separated by a red looped lucet cord [et] with a white outline
Since 1996 Flag of Noarootsi Parish [21]

Historical flags

Flag Date Use Description
1953–1990 Flag of Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic Red flag with a golden hammer and sickle and outlined star above them in the top-left corner. A band of blue and white water waves in the lower half.
1944–1953
1940–1941		 Flag of Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic Red flag with a golden hammer and sickle in the top-left corner and "ENSV" (Eesti Nõukogude Sotsialistlik Vabariik) written above the hammer and sickle.
1941–1944 Flag of German Reich Red field with a white disc with a black swastika at a 45-degree angle. The swastika disk is slightly off-centre.
Flag of the Estonian Workers' Commune (1918-1919) 1918–1919
(50 days)		 Flag of the Estonian Workers' Commune A red flag with a golden canton. Inside the canton, the texts meaning "Estonian Workers' Commune", separated by a red line:
Estonian: "Eesti Töörahva Kommuun";
Russian: "Эстляндская трудовая коммуна" ("Estlyandskaya Trudovaya Kommuna").

On the red field there are also white Russian inspections "НА БАРИКАДЫ ЭСТОНСКИЙ ПРОЛЕТАРИАТ" "ЗА СОВЕТСКУЮ ЭСТЛЯНДИЮ, ВЕЛИКУЮ ВОЛГУ, УРАЛ, СИБИРЬ ВО ИМЯ III КОММУНИСТИЧЕСКАГО ИНТЕРНАЦИОНАЛА", which means "On the barricades is the Estonian proletariat. For Soviet Estonia, greater Volga, Ural and Siberia, in the name of the third Communist International".[22][23]

1918 Flag of German Empire Horizontal black-white-red tricolour.
1896–1917 Flag of Russian Empire Horizontal white-blue-red tricolour.
1858–1896 Flag of Russian Empire Horizontal black-yellow-white tricolour.
1650–1721 Flag of the Duchy of Estonia under Sweden
1561–1650 Flag of the Duchy of Estonia under Sweden
1570–1579 Flag of the Kingdom of Livonia
1587–1629 Flag of The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Version with additional arms of the House of Wasa.
1569–1587 Flag of The Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Tailed red-white-red triband with the coat of arms in the middle.
1559–1645 Flag of the Duchy of Estonia under Denmark–Norway
1237–1561 Flag of the State of the Teutonic Order White flag with a black cross.
1300–1346 Flag of the Duchy of Estonia under The Kingdom of Denmark

Proposed flags

Flag Date Description
Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Proposed Nordic cross flag
Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Proposed Nordic cross flag
Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Proposed Nordic cross flag
Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Proposed Nordic cross flag
1919 Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Proposed cross flag

See also

References

  1. ^ "Estonia's Blue-Black-White Tricolour Flag". Archived from the original on 17 December 2007.
  2. ^ "Riigilipu seadus". Riigi Teataja (in Estonian). 23 March 1993. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  3. ^ "Riigi Teataja 6 juuli 1922 — DIGAR Eesti artiklid". 6 July 1922. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  4. ^ "Kaitseministri lipu ja Eesti mereväe lipu kirjeldus" [Description of the flag of the Defence Minister and the flag of the Estonian Navy] (in Estonian). Riigi Teataja. 17 October 2005. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  5. ^ "Kaitseminister saab taas oma lipu" (in Estonian). Postimees. 13 October 2005. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Konso, Kalev (2018). Eesti kaitsevägi 100 : Eesti kaitseväe ja väeosade sümbolid 1918-2018 (in Estonian). Kaitsevägi. ISBN 9789949414109.
  7. ^ a b c Roosipuu, Tauri (15 March 2019). "Mereväe sümbolid kaitseministri määruses". Meremees : Eesti merendusajakiri (in Estonian). Estonian Maritime Academy. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  8. ^ "Kaitseliidu üldlipu ja embleemi kirjelduse kinnitamine". Riigi Teataja (in Estonian). 5 October 1999. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  9. ^ "The Defence League's symbols and style guide". Kaitseliit. Archived from the original on 18 January 2026. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  10. ^ Lään, Tanel (2012). Ühine tahe. Pilguheit Kaitseliidu minevikku 1925-1940 (in Estonian). Kaitseliit. p. 31. ISBN 9789949307883.
  11. ^ "Eesti". De Rode Leeuw. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  12. ^ "Symbols and traditions". Kaitsepolitseiamet. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  13. ^ "VAU - Sisene". www.ra.ee.
  14. ^ "VAU - Sisene". www.ra.ee.
  15. ^ Postilipu kasutamise korra kinnitamine
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Riigi Teataja 15 august 1939 — DIGAR Eesti artiklid". dea.digar.ee.
  17. ^ "Setomaa valla sümbolid" [Symbols of the Setomaa Parish]. Riigi Teataja (in Estonian). 30 January 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  18. ^ "Võrokõisi lipp". Võro Selts (in Võro). Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  19. ^ "Võro People Wave New Flag". ERR. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  20. ^ "Üleskutse: heiskame Mulgimaa lipud!". Sakala (in Estonian). Postimees. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  21. ^ most of the remaining Estonian Swedes in Estonia live in this parish and this flag reflects the Swedish heritage of the region.
  22. ^ "Estonia in the Soviet Union (early flags)". Flag of the World. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  23. ^ "Эстония в 1917 – 1919 годах". Vexillographia. Russian Centre of Vexillology and Heraldry. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_military_flags_of_Estonia