LATVIA

The national flag of Latvia was re-adopted on February 27, 1990. The same flag was used by independent Latvia from 1918 until the country was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940; post-Soviet Latvia sees itself as the same state as pre-Soviet Latvia, not merely a successor state. The present day flag design was adapted by artist Ansis Cīrulis in May 1917. The Latvian national flag, together with the national coat of arms was affirmed in this format by a special parliamentary decree of the Republic of Latvia passed on 15 June 1921.