🇦🇹

Flag of Austria

Europe

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Quick Facts

Capital
Vienna
Flag adopted
1230
Population
9,200,931
Area
83,871 km²
Languages
German
Currency
euro (€) — EUR
Demonym
Austrian
Government
federal parliamentary republic
Subregion
Central Europe
Driving side
Right
Timezones
UTC+01:00
Independence
1804

Religions

  • Roman Catholic 55.2%
  • None 22.4%
  • Muslim 8.3%
  • Other 5.4%
  • Orthodox 4.9%
  • Evangelical 3.8%
  • Jewish 0.1%

About This Flag

The flag of Austria consists of three equal horizontal bands of red on top, white in the middle, and red on the bottom. According to legend, the flag's design originated during the Siege of Acre in 1191, when Duke Leopold V of Austria's white surcoat became completely soaked in blood, leaving only a white stripe where his belt had been.

While the legend is likely apocryphal, the red-white-red color scheme has been documented since at least 1230, making it one of the oldest national flag designs in the world. The flag was readopted in its current form on May 1, 1945, after being suppressed during the Nazi period when Austria was annexed into Germany.

What the colors & design mean

Red represents the blood shed for Austrian independence and strength. White symbolizes peace, honesty, and the faith of the people. The red-white-red pattern is one of the oldest heraldic color combinations in European history.

red white

Pattern: Horizontal Stripes

Bordering countries (8)

🇨🇿 Czech Republic 🇩🇪 Germany 🇭🇺 Hungary 🇮🇹 Italy 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein 🇸🇰 Slovakia 🇸🇮 Slovenia 🇨🇭 Switzerland

Fun Facts

  • Austria's flag is one of the oldest in the world — the red-white-red bands have been documented since at least 1230, predating most existing national flags by centuries.
  • The legendary origin story involving Duke Leopold V's blood-soaked surcoat at the Siege of Acre (1191) during the Third Crusade is one of the most famous flag origin legends in Europe.
  • Austria's flag was suppressed from 1938 to 1945 during the Anschluss (annexation by Nazi Germany), and its restoration after World War II symbolized the rebirth of Austrian sovereignty.
  • The state flag variant includes the Austrian federal eagle (Bundesadler), a single-headed eagle holding a hammer and sickle and wearing a mural crown, representing the workers, farmers, and middle class.

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These flags share similar colors and patterns:

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