Flag of Greece
Europe
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Athens
- Flag adopted
- 1978
- Population
- 10,400,720
- Area
- 131,990 km²
- Languages
- Greek
- Currency
- euro (€) — EUR
- Demonym
- Greek
- Government
- parliamentary republic
- Subregion
- Southern Europe
- Driving side
- Right
- Timezones
- UTC+02:00
- Independence
- 1830
Religions
- Greek Orthodox 85.5%
- None 9.5%
- Other 3%
- Muslim 2%
- Unspecified 1%
About This Flag
The flag of Greece, known as the Galanolefki ('blue and white'), consists of nine alternating blue and white horizontal stripes with a blue canton in the upper hoist corner bearing a white cross. The nine stripes are popularly said to represent the nine syllables of the Greek motto 'Eleftheria i Thanatos' ('Freedom or Death'), though this interpretation is disputed by historians.
The cross represents the Greek Orthodox Church, which played a central role in preserving Greek identity during nearly 400 years of Ottoman rule. The blue and white colors have been associated with Greece since antiquity.
The current design was established as the sole national flag on December 22, 1978.
What the colors & design mean
Blue represents the sea and sky of Greece. White symbolizes the purity of the Greek independence struggle and the waves of the Aegean. The cross represents the Greek Orthodox faith. The nine stripes are popularly linked to the nine syllables of 'Eleftheria i Thanatos' (Freedom or Death).
Pattern: Horizontal Stripes, Canton Design, Cross Design
Bordering countries (4)
Fun Facts
- Greece alternated between two official flags for over 150 years: a plain white cross on blue (used on land) and the striped version (used at sea) — the striped naval flag became the sole national flag in 1978.
- The exact shade of blue has changed many times throughout Greek history, ranging from light sky blue under the monarchy to the current dark blue adopted after the fall of the military junta in 1974.
- The motto 'Eleftheria i Thanatos' (Freedom or Death) was the rallying cry of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire (1821-1829).
- Greece is considered the birthplace of Western democracy, the Olympic Games, and Western philosophy — its flag is one of the most historically layered in Europe.
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