Austria - Current

The flag of Austria has three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red. The Austrian flag is possibly the oldest national flag design in the world. The Danish flag, said to be the oldest national flag "in continuous use", is at least a century younger.

The flag was not used after the Anschluß, or the unification with Nazi Germany in 1938, but was restored with independence in 1945.

According to legend, the flag was invented by Duke Leopold V of Austria (1157–1194) as a consequence of his fighting during the Crusades. After a fierce battle, his white battle dress was completely drenched in blood. When he removed his belt, the cloth underneath was untouched by it, revealing the combination of red-white-red. So taken was he by this singular sight that he adopted the colours and scheme as his banner. Duke Friedrich II (1210-1246), the last of the Babenberg dynasty, who was nicknamed the "Quarrelsome" or the "Warlike", designed a new coat of arms in red-white-red in the year 1230 in his attempt to become more independent from the Holy Roman Empire. The first colour document bearing them dates from 1232.

There is no prescription on the ratio of this flag for civil use. Shade of red used is medium red: RGB: 255-0-0