The Flag - By Stuart Notholt

he flag of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabagh (Artsakh) was adopted on June 2nd 1991. It is derived from the flag of Armenia, which consists of three equal horizontal stripes of red, blue and orange -- with a westwards pointing step like arrow (white division), which signifies very graphically Karapagh's current separation from Armenia, and its hopes for union with the Motherland. The design also recalls that of the world famous (and very expensive) Armenian rugs.

The Artsakh flag is surely a good example of what a national flag should be, it is highly distinctive and individual and encapsulates its nation's history, culture and aspirations. 

The Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabagh is made up of the following elements:

The eagle - which is the dominant figure on the coat-of-arms. A symbol of pride and strength.

 The shield - centred on the chest of the eagle is a shield made up of three deferent elements; 

• A panorama of a mountain range, which represent the topography of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabagh, from which its name was derived, (Nagorno - in Russian means mountainous). 
• A stone monument of a male and a female head, which represents the men and women of Karabagh, Its name is "We are our mountains" and it is located in Stepanakert, the capital.
• The tricoloured part with the white step like arrow is the flag of Karabagh.

The ribbon - The inscription on the ribbon in Eastern Armenian reads "Lernayin Gharabaghi Hanrapetoutioun - Artsakh", which means "Republic of Mountainous Karabagh - Artsakh ".