On June 2, 1992, the

Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Artsakh, officially the Republic of Artsakh () or the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (),, is a breakaway state in the South Caucasus whose territory is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan. Artsakh controls a part of the former N ...

(NKR), a

breakaway state Breakaway or Break Away may refer to: Film, television and radio * ''Breakaway'' (1955 film), a British film * ''Breakaway'' (1990 film), an Australian film featuring Deborah Kara Unger * ''Breakaway'' (1996 film), an American film featuring T ...

in the

South Caucasus The South Caucasus, also known as Transcaucasia or the Transcaucasus, is a geographical region on the border of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, straddling the southern Caucasus Mountains. The South Caucasus roughly corresponds to modern Arme ...

region, adopted a flag derived from the

flag of Armenia , Image = Flag of Armenia.svg , Use = 111000 , Symbol = , Proportion = 1:2 , Adoption = 28 May 1918 (re-adopted on 24 August 1990) , Design = A horizontal tricolour of red, blue, and apricot , Designer ...

, to which a white, five-toothed, stepped carpet pattern is added, beginning at the two verges of the flag's fly and meeting at a point equal to one-third of the distance from that side. The NKR was renamed the Republic of Artsakh in 2017 after a referendum and has retained the flag.

Description

The flag is a rectangular panel of three horizontal and equal-length stripes. On the right side of the panel is a white five-pronged stepped carpet pattern. The pattern occupies one-third of the flag. The flag's aspect ratio is 1:2. The flag was adopted on June 2, 1992. The symbolism of the colors is as follows: Red — the ongoing struggle of the

Armenian people Armenians ( hy, հայեր, '' hayer'' ) are an ethnic group native to the Armenian highlands of Western Asia. Armenians constitute the main population of Armenia and the ''de facto'' independent Artsakh. There is a wide-ranging diaspora ...

for existence,

Christian faith Christianity is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism, monotheistic religion based on the Life of Jesus in the New Testament, life and Teachings of Jesus, teachings of Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth. It is the Major religious groups, world's ...

, independence and freedom,

blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when ...

— the will of the Armenian people to live under a peaceful sky, orange — solidarity and hard work of the Armenian people, and the white pattern represents the mountains of Armenian Artsakh, and also forms an arrow pointing westward to symbolize the aspiration for eventual union with Armenia. This symbolizes the Armenian heritage,

culture Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups ...

and population of the area, and the triangular shape and zigzag cut represent Artsakh as a separated region of Armenia. The white pattern on the flag is also similar to the designs used on rugs, a symbol of national identity.

History

Designed on the basis of the Armenian tricolor, featuring a zigzag pattern of white color reminiscent of ornaments and patterns of traditional Armenian carpets. The idea of color separation and sketch came from the first head of the NKR Supreme Council

Artur Mkrtchyan Artur Aslani Mkrtchyan ( hy, Արթուր Ասլանի Մկրտչյան; 16 February 1959 – 14 April 1992) was the first Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, elected on 7 January 1992. He made an important contrib ...

. By the decree of the Supreme Council of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic of January 26, 1993, the coat of arms, flag and anthem of the NKR were approved. The flag is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Artsakh, and was adopted at a national referendum held on December 10, 2006. The Law "On the Flag, Coat of Arms and Anthem of the NKR" was adopted on November 27, 2008. The description of the flag has undergone minor changes in the 2017 NKR Constitution.

Gallery

File:Flag and Crest on Public Building - Stepanakert - Nagorno-Karabakh (18900985430).jpg File:Flag and Shell Exhibit - Museum of Missing Soldiers - Stepanakert - Nagorno-Karabakh (19123241201).jpg File:Poste-frontière Arménie-Karabagh sur la route Vardenis-Mardakert.JPG File:Askeran Marzadasht 26.06.2011.jpg File:2014 Wank, Szkoła (02).jpg File:Armenian day of remembrance 2016 j.jpg File:Աղ ու Հացով.jpg

References

Artsakh Artsakh, Republic of Republic of Artsakh Artsakh {{Artsakh-stub

Description

History

Gallery

See also

References