The flag of Azerbaijan is a tricolour with a white crescent and an eight-pointed star. Its history began in 1918, in the time of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR), and today the flag is one of Baku’s main sights thanks to the huge flagpole at National Flag Square.
In short: the tricolour was adopted on 9 November 1918; it became the state flag again on 5 February 1991; Flag Day is celebrated on 9 November.
History of the Flag
On 21 June 1918 the ADR adopted its first flag: a red cloth with a white crescent and star. On 9 November 1918 the government approved the tricolour that, in essence, still exists today. The colours are linked to the ideas of Ali bey Huseynzade, a philosopher, doctor and public figure who formulated the idea “Turkify, Islamize, Europeanize.”
After Soviet power was established in 1920 the tricolour was abolished. On 5 February 1991, before independence was restored in October of that year, it was reinstated as the state flag with slight changes to shades and size. Today it is enshrined in the Constitution.
Meaning of the Colours and Symbols
Blue expresses the Turkic identity of the Azerbaijani people. Red symbolises progress and the aspiration to modern development. Green is linked to Islam, the religion of the majority.
The white crescent and eight-pointed star sit on the red stripe. Historians interpret the star in different ways: some see eight letters in the Arabic spelling of “Azerbaijan,” others eight Turkic peoples. The flag has three equal horizontal stripes and a width-to-length ratio of 1:2.
Flag Day
Since 2009, under a law of 17 November, 9 November has been marked as State Flag Day. It is a non-working day, with ceremonies and cultural events, and buildings and streets are decorated with the tricolour. The flag flies over government buildings, schools and squares, and appears on souvenirs, clothing and public transport.
National Flag Square in Baku
The main place to see the flag is National Flag Square on Neftchiler Avenue in Bayil. In 2010 a 162 m flagpole with a 70 × 35 m flag was raised here, and Guinness World Records certified it as the world’s tallest. The complex later closed for reconstruction and reopened on 8 November 2024. The current flagpole is much taller, about 201 m, and the flags are record-sized: Guinness confirmed the record for the largest flag flown in November 2024 (36 × 72 m), and in 2025 a 40 × 80 m flag was raised at the square.
Below the pedestal of the flagpole is the State Flag Museum (opened 1 September 2010), built in the shape of an eight-pointed star. Its halls cover flags, the independence period, the armed forces and ceremonial uniforms. Check opening hours and visiting rules in advance on official resources.
The story of Azerbaijan’s flag is a story of national identity, progress and loyalty to tradition. When you visit Baku, be sure to see National Flag Square and recall the saying attributed to Mammad Amin Rasulzade: “Once raised, the flag will never fall.”
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