Flag of Andorra

The flag of Andorra was hoisted in its current form - three vertical stripes in blue, yellow and red, with the coat of arms in the yellow stripe - in 1866. It is said that it was designed by Emperor Napoleon III. The flag unites the colors blue and red, two colors of the French tricolor, and the colors yellow and red, the Spanish colors. The design of this flag was intended to show more of the French influence on the country. Anyway, this tricolor replaced the flag of Andorra from 1806, which showed the traditional national colors yellow and red in a vertical arrangement. These are the colors of the Counts of Foix and also of the Bishop of Urgel. The coat of arms of Andorra is divided into four parts, and shows in the individual fields a bishop's miter (=> Urgel), three red stakes (=> Foix), four red stakes (=> Roussillon) and two cows (=> Béarn). Different variants of the flag can be seen in the country, also partly with and partly without arms. Two variants of this coat of arms are known ? one with a crown, one without a crown, but with a luxuriant decoration around the shield ? both of which can be seen on flags. The reasons for this could be the following: 1.) In 1993 a new constitution was adopted, which guaranteed Andorra full sovereignty. Before that Andorra was a kind of French-Spanish feudal state. Possibly, in this context, the crown was removed from the coat of arms, because of its character as a feudalistic symbol.2.) There are traditional differences in Andorra between the Spanish and the French speaking population, which partly use their own heraldry.

The flag of Andorra was hoisted up for the first time in the today's pattern ? three vertical stripes in blue, yellow and red, in the yellow stripe the coat of arms ? in the year 1866. Ostensibly it was designed by emperor Napoleon III. The flag joins the colors blue and red, two colors of the French tricolor, and the colors yellow and red, the Spanish colors. The styling of this flag should better express the French influence of the country. Anyhow substitutes this tricolor the Andorra's flag from 1806, which showed the traditional colors of the country, yellow and red, in vertical arrangement. This are the colors of the earls of Foix and even of the bishop of Urgel.

The coat of arms of Andorra is quartered, and shows in the individual fields a miter (=> Urgel), three red poles (=> Foix), four red poles (=> Roussillon) and two cows (=> Béarn). In the country are to see various variants of the flag, even partly with and partly without coat of arms. From this coat of arms are known two variants ? once with crown, once without crown, however instead the crown with a abundant adornment around the blazon ? which both could be to see on flags. The reasons for that could be the following:

1.) In the year 1993 was adopted a new constitution, in which Andorra garanties full sovereignty. Before Andorra was a kind of French-Spanish feud state. Maybe that the crown was deleted from the coat of arms in this context, because hers character as feudalistic symbol.

2.) There are traditional differences between the Spanish and the French speaking population in Andorra, which use partially their own heraldry.