Country profile: Montenegro

Red and gold are the traditional colours of the Petrović-Njegoš dynasty, which ruled Montenegro until 1918. The red banners of the prince-bishops, and later of King Nicholas I, already bore the double-headed eagle.

Within Yugoslavia, and then in the federation formed with Serbia, Montenegro first used a red, blue and white tricolour. The law on state symbols of 13 July 2004 adopted the current flag: a red field with a gold border, bearing the coat of arms in the centre.

Montenegro became independent after the referendum of 21 May 2006 and kept this flag, which breaks with the pan-Slavic tricolour it had shared with Serbia.

The elements of the Montenegrin flag refer to the country's history:

• Red and gold: the colours of the Petrović-Njegoš dynasty and of the old Montenegrin banners.
• Double-headed eagle: inherited from Byzantium, it symbolises the union of Church and State, long combined in the person of the prince-bishops.
• Lion: placed on the eagle's shield, it is associated with the episcopal authority of the former rulers.

13 July, the date the flag was adopted, is also Montenegro's Statehood Day: it commemorates the recognition of Montenegro's independence at the Congress of Berlin in 1878.

The gold border framing the red field is a rare feature among national flags.

The flag recalls that of neighbouring Albania, which is also red with a double-headed eagle, but the Montenegrin eagle is golden and crowned.