List of flags of Montenegro

Flag of Montenegro above the Budva Citadel in Budva

This is a list of flags used in Montenegro. For more information about the national flag, visit the article Flag of Montenegro.

National flags

Flag Date Use Description
2004– National flag; civil and state ensign; naval ensign until 2010 Red with a golden border and the state coat of arms in the center. Ratio: 1:2. Adopted on 13 July 2004.[1]
National flag, vertical banner Red with a golden border and the state coat of arms in the center

Standards

Flag Date Use Description
2006– Standard of the president on land Square version of the state flag, with a border fleury
Standard of the president afloat Square version of the state flag, replacing red with blue, with a border fleury

Military

Flag Date Use Description
2010–present Flag of the Army of Montenegro Red background with the logo of the Armed Forces of Montenegro and the traditional motto "Čojstvo i Junaštvo" (roughly translated as "Humanity and Courage"), with golden borders
Naval ensign of Montenegro Blue with the national flag in as its canton, occupying 2/5 of its width and 1/2 of its length with a white anchor interlaced with three lines representing surface of the water in the right side
Naval jack of Montenegro Coat of arms of Montenegro on blue background, with golden borders

Municipal flags

Flag Date Use Description
2006–present Flag of Podgorica Two horizontal blue stripes and one broken line above two horizontal stripes on white background
Flag of Cetinje White cross pattée on red background
Flag of Bar Horizontally divided blue-yellow-green-yellow-blue
Flag of Berane Municipal coat of arms in the center on a white background
Flag of Bijelo Polje Light blue background with the coat of arms of the municipality in the center
Flag of Budva Blue background with three golden stars
Flag of Danilovgrad White background with the coat of arms in the center
Flag of Gusinje Light blue background with the coat of arms in the center
Flag of Herceg Novi The coat of arms of the municipality consists of a blue heraldic triangular shield on which is a silver stone-walled tower with a parapet. The flag consists of a white field with a centrally placed upright cross, blue outlined in gold.
2009–present Flag of Kotor The flag is bicolor, with a small emblem located in the center. The flag field is divided into two square panels in equal proportions, white at hoist and red at fly. Red recalls the main colour of the arms. The geometric center of the flag is charged, with the lesser arms placed on a medallion.
2012–present Flag of Mojkovac The flag is monochromatic, in bluish color, with a golden edge and elements of the coat of arms (the monument, a Brskovo coin, and two mining hammers and the Old Bridge), which reflect the cultural and historical heritage, located in the center of the flag's field.
2004–present Flag of Nikšić The flag is blue with the municipal coat of arms.
2013–present Flag of Petnjica The flag is white, with the emblem of the municipality in the center. The blue line near the bottom of the flag symbolizes the water resources of the municipality. The green line near the top of the flag symbolizes the natural environment of the municipality, with well-preserved landscapes and fertile land.
2006–present Flag of Plav Blue, embroidered in gold, with embroidered emblem in the center
Flag of Rožaje The flag is vertically divided white-green with the municipal coat of arms in the center. White stands for peace, while green stands for the natural resources of the municipality.
Flag of Šavnik Divided blue-white with the coat of arms in the center
2004–present Flag of Tivat The municipal flag is light blue with the coat of arms in the center.
2018–present Flag of Tuzi The municipal flag is light blue with the coat of arms in the center.
2006–present Flag of Ulcinj The municipal flag is white with the coat of arms in the center.
Unknown Flag of Žabljak The municipal flag is white with the coat of arms in the center.

Ethnic groups' flags

Flag Date Use Description
2008–present The national flag of Serbs in Montenegro Horizontal tricolor of red, blue and white with golden cross pattée
2004–present The national flag of Bosniaks in Montenegro White background with the coat of arms in the center
2020–present The national flag of Albanians in Montenegro[2][3] A red field with a black two-headed eagle in the center
The national flag of Croats in Montenegro[4][3] A horizontal tricolour of red, white, and blue, with the coat of arms in the centre
The national flag of Romani people in Montenegro[5][3] Horizontal bicolor of blue and green with a red wheel
2008–present The national flag of Turks in Montenegro A red field with a white star and crescent slightly left of center

Historical flags

National flags

Flag Date Use Description
1451–1496 Flag of medieval Montenegrin state Zeta Red flag with golden double-headed eagle
1516–1852 Flag of the Prince-Bishopric of Montenegro White cross pattée on red background
Red cross pattée on white background
1767–1773 Flag of Montenegro during the reign of Stephen the Little White background with red borders
1852–1860 Flag of the Principality of Montenegro under Danilo I Red flag with white double-headed eagle
1860–1905 Flag of the Principality of Montenegro under Nicholas I
1905–1918 State flag of the Principality (1905–10) and the Kingdom of Montenegro (1910–18)[6] Red-blue-white tricolor with white double-headed eagle
Civil flag of the Principality (1905–10) and the Kingdom of Montenegro (1910–18) Red-blue-white tricolor
1941–1943 Flag of Kingdom of Montenegro
1943–1944 Flag used during the German occupation of Montenegro
1945–1993 Flag of the People's/Socialist Republic of Montenegro Red-blue-white tricolor with the communist red star
1993–2004 Flag of the Republic of Montenegro Red-bluish-white tricolour, with "bluish" (plavetna/плаветна) meaning light blue[7]

Royal flags

Flag Date Use Description
15th century Stag of the House of Crnojević Flag during regime of House of Crnojević in Principality of Zeta (1451–1496)
Theocratical rule of Petrović-Njegoš dynasty Banner of the Prince-bishops of Montenegro and Metropolitans of Cetinje from House of Petrović Orthodox red cross in a white field with a red border. Represents the highly Christian virtue of subjected peoples and the desire to fight against invading Islam. Adopted during the Great Turkish War at the end of the 17th century.
c. 1852 Princely standard Court flag and princely standard during regime of Danilo II Petrović-Njegoš
1861–1900 Court flag and princely standard during regime of Nikola I Petrović-Njegoš
1910–1918 Royal standard of the King of Montenegro The lion was replaced by Nikola's cypher, "H.I." The crown was changed from a princely to a royal crown.

Civil ensigns

Flag Date Use Description
1881–1916 Civil ensign flag Tricolor with the Cyrillic cypher НІ (i.e. NI) of Prince Nicholas I topped with a golden crown in the center. Because the owners as well as the crew of Montenegro's Ulcinj cruisers were Muslims, Nikola changed the flag so as not to offend Islam.
1881–1916 Version of the civil ensign that was predominantly used. Usage extended beyond primary purpose to even of that of the national flag.
Late 1880–early 1881 Tricolor flag with the cross from the war flag (krstaš-barjak) with Nicholas' initials set in canton; stripes based on domestic national flag
Early 1880s–late 1880s Horizontally divided red-white-red with the cross from the war flag (krstaš-barjak) with Nicholas' initials set in canton; based on the naval flag of Austria-Hungary according to the Dalmatian marine codelines sanctioned by the 1878 Congress of Berlin

Military flags

Flag Date Use Description
1876–78 War flag, civil flag The Montenegrin war flag used in the Battle of Vučji Do (1876) was red with a white cross pattée in the center and a white border. This flag was used in Cetinje in 1878,[8] upon recognition of the independence of Principality of Montenegro by the Ottoman Empire at San Stefano.
19th century Montenegrin naval flags from the late 19th century The Montenegrin naval flags and civil ensigns during the rule of Prince Nicholas I of Montenegro
Early 19th-century–1880 Naval ensign (unofficial) White flag with a red St George's Cross. Inspired by the British Naval Ensign back from the 1814 British navy's takeover of the port of Kotor during the war between the Montenegrins and the French Empire.
Reign of Prince Danilo Petrović-Njegoš War Stag of Prince Danilo Army Flag signifying a unit of 1,000 men; red field with the double-headed eagle and Prince Danilo I's initials in it. Alaj-barjak of Prince Danilo, signifying the supreme command over the Montenegrin army.
War Stag in Prince Danilo's Army Flag signifying a unit of 100 men; red field, with the traditional Montenegrin Cross of Saint George and Danilo I's initials on it. Introduced by Prince Danil during his martial reforms. Based upon the old tribal Montenegrin flag.

Political flags

Flag Date Party Description
Current
2020s–present Reconstruction of the flag used by Montenegrin Greens widely used by Montenegrin nationalists
Former
1943–1991 League of Communists of Montenegro
1920s–1940s Flag used by Montenegrin Greens

See also

References