Flag of North Rhine-Westphalia

The flag of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia is a horizontal tricolor consisting of green, white and red.

North Rhine-Westphalia
NameLandesflagge
UseCivil flag and ensign
Proportion3:5 (or 1:2)
Adopted1953 (in use from 1948)
DesignA horizontal tricolour of green, white, and red.
Variant flag of North Rhine-Westphalia
NameLandesdienstflagge
UseState flag
Proportion3:5 (or 1:2)
Adopted1953 (in use from 1948)
DesignThe civil flag with the addition of the coat of arms.

Overview

After the establishment of North Rhine-Westphalia in 1946, the tricolor was first introduced in 1948, but was not formally adopted until 1953.[1] The plain variant of the tricolor is considered the civil flag and state ensign, while government authorities use the state flag (Landesdienstflagge) which is defaced with the state's coat of arms.[1]

The flag is a combination of the two former provinces of Prussia that comprise most of the state: the Rhine Province and Westphalia. The state ensign can easily be mistaken for a distressed flag of Hungary, as well as the former national flag of Iran (1964-1980). The same flag was used by the Rhenish Republic (1923-1924) as a symbol of independence and freedom.

Flags from preceding Prussian provinces:
Rhine Province
(1822–1946)		 Westphalia
(1815–1946)

References
  1. Government of North Rhine-Westphalia (1953-03-10). "Gesetz über die Landesfarben, das Landeswappen und die Landesflagge" (in German). Archived from the original on 2005-03-12. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
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