The current national flag of Belarus was adopted on June 7, 1995 and approved by referendum, replacing a previous design that had served since independence from the Soviet Union. The newer flag is similar to the 1951 flag of the Byelorussian SSR, used when Belarus was part of the Soviet Union, but it omits the hammer and sickle. Independent observers said that the referendum did not meet democratic standards.

The decorative pattern on the left edge is a traditional Belarussian pattern (the colours are reversed from the former Soviet flag). The red is supposed to symbolize the blood spilled by the defenders of Belarus, while the green is for the forests of the nation.

The former flag of Belarus was devised by the Belarus National Republic (March-December 1918), and was based on the colours of the Republic's coat of arms, which had a white horseman on a red background. The flag was later used by Belarus after it obtained independence in 1991, changing to the current version in 1995, after the controversial referendum.

See also:

• Flag of Byelorussian SSR

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