Montenegro Flag

Illustration of a flag with a red, black and white horizontal stripe over black text on a white background

In 1881 the civil ensign of the principality and kingdom of Montenegro was used as the unofficial national flag. The ensign is tricolored with the Cyrillic cypher H.I., for Prince Nicholas I, topped with a golden crown. The current national flag was adopted in 2004 and features the coat of arms in the center of a red background surrounded by a golden border. The coat of arms of Montenegro features a two-headed eagle, a symbol of Byzantine and ancient Roman origin. The two-headed eagle represents the unity between the church and the state.