Flag of North Macedonia

Flag origins

North Macedonia's flag has a yellow sun on red with eight rays extending to the edges. Adopted in 1995, it symbolizes the 'new sun of liberty,' an expression also found in the national anthem. Red and yellow are traditional regional colors. The country adopted the name North Macedonia in February 2019 following the Prespa Agreement, so the flag predates that name by about twenty-four years.

Flag story

The 1992 flag showed the sixteen-rayed Vergina Sun, an ancient Macedonian symbol discovered in northern Greece. Its use prompted a major dispute with Greece and trade restrictions in 1994. The 1995 interim agreement was followed by the present eight-rayed design. The 2018 Prespa Agreement also provided for removal and non-reuse of the earlier symbol in public places, with exceptions for archaeological artifacts.

Editorial notes and references

Edited by ABELHA WORKS. The English text translates the administrator-edited Japanese description. Legends should be distinguished from documented history. General reference links do not substantiate every statement in the text.

• North Macedonia — general information on Wikipedia
• Japan MOFA: countries and regions (Japanese)

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