Montenegro’s flag is a red field edged in gold, with the country’s coat of arms and its double-headed eagle at the centre.
The current flag was adopted on 13 July 2004, while Montenegro was still part of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. It remained the national flag after independence in 2006 and was constitutionally recognized under Montenegro’s 2007 constitution. Its standard horizontal proportion is 1:2, and a vertical version is also used.
The eagle is a longstanding heraldic emblem in Montenegrin history. Its roots reach back to medieval rulers of Zeta, including the Crnojević dynasty, and it later became associated with the Petrović-Njegoš rulers. The double-headed form has Byzantine and ultimately Roman associations and is often interpreted as representing linked secular and religious authority.
The shield on the eagle’s breast displays a golden lion passant, while the eagle holds a sceptre and orb and wears a crown. Montenegro is sometimes confused with Albania or Serbia because all three use double-headed eagles in national heraldry, but Montenegro’s red-and-gold bordered flag is distinctive.