Poland Flag

Poland's flag is two equal horizontal bands: white on top and red on the bottom. These are the heraldic colours of the Polish national emblem — the White Eagle on a red field — which dates back to the Piast dynasty in the 13th century.

The state flag adds the White Eagle coat of arms centred on the white stripe. The civil flag uses only the bicolour. The proportions are 5:8.

White and red have symbolised Poland since medieval times through the coat of arms of the Polish Kingdom — a white eagle on a red shield. The horizontal bicolour flag was formally adopted on 1 August 1919 following independence after World War I.

After World War II, communist Poland retained the same colours but added a communist-era emblem. Poland's restoration of democracy in 1989 returned the flag to the simple white-red bicolour, removing Soviet-era symbols.