The Kosovo flag – in Albanian Flamuri i Kosovës – shows a golden map of Kosovo on a blue field, with six white stars arranged in an arc above it. Here you can get the Kosovar flag as a premium 90 × 150 cm flag with gold fringes, as a car flag set for the side window and as a bonnet flag – shipped from Germany. Further down you’ll learn what the six stars mean, how the flag came about and how it differs from the Albanian flag.
The Kosovo flag at a glance
| Design | Blue field, golden outline map of Kosovo, above it six white five-pointed stars in an arc |
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| Name in Albanian | Flamuri i Kosovës |
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| Colours | Blue, gold, white |
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| Adopted | 17 February 2008, the day of the declaration of independence |
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| Designer | Muhamer Ibrahimi, winner of a competition with almost 1,000 entries |
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| Special feature | Alongside Cyprus, one of the few national flags showing the outline of its own country |
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Which Kosovo flag is right for you?
Many customers order the Kosovo flag together with the Albania flag. You’ll find further flags such as Dardania and UÇK in the flag overview.
Meaning of the Kosovo flag
The six stars, according to the designer, stand for the country’s six largest communities: Albanians, Serbs, Bosniaks, Turks, Gorani, and Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians. The message: large and small communities are equal in the state.
The blue and the stars deliberately recall the European flag. Muhamer Ibrahimi named Kosovo’s path towards Euro-Atlantic integration as his inspiration.
The golden map shows the outline of the country. Because the flag uses no colours or symbols of any single community, it is regarded as a deliberately neutral state flag.
History of the Kosovo flag
- Until 1999: Kosovo had no state flag of its own. Kosovo Albanians used the red-and-black Albanian flag as a sign of their identity.
- 1999 to 2008: Under UN administration, the flag of the United Nations was used officially. In October 2000, President Ibrahim Rugova presented the blue Dardania flag as a proposal, but it did not become the state flag. Background in the article Dardania & the Illyrian heritage.
- 17 February 2008: With the declaration of independence, parliament adopted today’s flag based on Muhamer Ibrahimi’s design. Independence is recognised by many, but not all, states; Serbia does not recognise it.
Kosovo flag or Albanian flag?
The blue Kosovo flag is the state flag of the Republic of Kosovo – it flies on public buildings, at official occasions and at matches of the national team, the Dardanët. For most Kosovo Albanians, the red-and-black Albania flag is the symbol of the shared Albanian nation and is flown especially on 28 November. That is why many families hang both flags side by side. More on this in Një Komb – two flags, one nation.
When is the Kosovo flag flown?
- 17 February: on Independence Day (Dita e Pavarësisë), Kosovars celebrate all over the world – including in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
- Dardanët matches: in the stadium, at public viewings and in the car parade afterwards.
- Weddings and family celebrations: as a car flag or bonnet flag in the convoy.
Frequently asked questions about the Kosovo flag
What do the six stars on the Kosovo flag mean?
They stand for the six largest communities: Albanians, Serbs, Bosniaks, Turks, Gorani, and Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians. This is how designer Muhamer Ibrahimi explained it when the flag was introduced in 2008.
Since when has the Kosovo flag existed?
Since 17 February 2008. It was adopted by the Assembly of Kosovo on the day of the declaration of independence. Before that, there was no state flag of its own.
Who designed the Kosovo flag?
Muhamer Ibrahimi. His design won a competition with almost 1,000 entries; he also designed Kosovo’s coat of arms.
Why is there a map on the Kosovo flag?
The map shows the outline of the country and is a neutral symbol that does not single out any community. Apart from Kosovo, only Cyprus has a map on its national flag.
Why do you see so many Albanian flags in Kosovo?
The great majority of the population is Albanian. For them, the red-and-black flag is the symbol of the nation and the blue Kosovo flag the symbol of the state – the two are not mutually exclusive.
What sizes does the Kosovo flag come in?
The premium flag measures 90 × 150 cm, the usual format for pole and balcony. There are also car flags in 30 × 40 cm and a bonnet flag that covers the whole bonnet.
