Flag of Lithuania

What the flag looks like

Three equal horizontal stripes of yellow, green and red.

What it means

Yellow stands for the sun and prosperity, green for forests and hope, and red for courage and the blood shed for the country.

How to remember it

Sun over forest over red earth: Lithuania is yellow-green-red from the top with nothing else on it; Myanmar adds a white star, and Bolivia starts with red.

Fun facts

• First adopted in 1918, the flag was banned under Soviet rule and restored in 1989; its proportions changed from 1:2 to 3:5 in 2004.
• French geographers placed the geographical center of Europe just north of Vilnius in 1989.

Lithuania at a glance

Capital

Vilnius

Region

Northern Europe

Population

2.9 million

Area

65,300 km²

Languages

Lithuanian

Currency

Euro (€)

Flag adopted

1989

Flags often confused with Lithuania

• Myanmar: Lithuania and Myanmar both have yellow, green and red horizontal stripes. Myanmar has a large white star across all three stripes; Lithuania's flag is plain.
• Bolivia: Bolivia and Lithuania both use horizontal red, yellow and green stripes. Bolivia goes red, yellow, green from the top; Lithuania goes yellow, green, red.
• Ghana: Ghana and Lithuania both have red, yellow and green stripes. Ghana has red on top and a black star; Lithuania has yellow on top and no emblem.
• Ethiopia: Ethiopia and Lithuania both use green, yellow and red stripes. Ethiopia has green on top and a blue disc with a star; Lithuania has yellow on top and no emblem.