Flag of Austria-Hungary

What the flag looks like

Austria's red-white-red stripes in the hoist half and Hungary's red, white and green in the fly half, with the crowned coats of arms of Austria and of Hungary side by side across the white stripe.

What it means

The ensign joined the colors and arms of the two halves of the Dual Monarchy, which shared one ruler but kept their own governments.

How to remember it

Austria-Hungary's ensign is two flags stitched together: Austria's red-white-red on the left and Hungary's red-white-green on the right, each with its own crowned shield.

Fun facts

• Austria-Hungary never had a single national flag; this was the civil ensign flown by its merchant ships from 1869, while each half used its own colors on land.
• The monarchy was created by the Compromise of 1867, which split the Habsburg empire into Austrian and Hungarian halves sharing a monarch, an army and a foreign policy.

Austria-Hungary at a glance

Existed

1867–1918

Flag used

1869–1918

Today

Austria, Hungary, Czechia and others

Capital

Vienna

Region

1867–1918

Languages

German, Hungarian

Currency

Austro-Hungarian krone (K)

Flag adopted

1869

Flags often confused with Austria-Hungary

• Austria: Austria-Hungary's ensign and Austria both show red-white-red stripes. Austria's flag is plain all the way across; Austria-Hungary's fly half turns into Hungary's red, white and green, with two crowned shields on the white.
• Hungary: Austria-Hungary's ensign and Hungary both show red, white and green stripes. Hungary's flag is plain all the way across; Austria-Hungary uses those colors only in the fly half, beside Austria's red-white-red and two crowned shields.