Flag of Ukraine
Article 20 of the Constitution of Ukraine states: "...Державний Прапор України – стяг із двох рівновеликих горизонтальних смуг синього і жовтого кольорів." Translation: "National Flag of Ukraine is a banner of two equal-sized horizontal strips colored blue and yellow".
Blue and white banners were widely used by Cossacks between XVI-XVIII century. However, it wasn't the only possible combination since normally cossacs would fly Hetman's banners which were similar to the coats of arms of the nobility. However, yellow and blue were the colours common on coats of arms in Galicia. In fact, the coat of arms of Lviv to the day remains a golden lion on a blue field.
The true starting point of the current national flag of Ukraine can be set in 1848, when during the Spring of the Nations yellow and blue banner flew over the Lviv magistrate for the first time. Although this move didn't have significant consequences, the newly formed Ukrainian divisions in the Austrian army used yellow and blue banners in their insignia.
It has to be noted that although most Ukrainians identify their flag as "yellow and blue", the current flag in reality is blue and yellow. The whole transition is quite notable. Although in 1848 the flag was indeed yellow and blue (yellow on top, blue at the bottom), in daily work Ukrainian nationalists turned the flag to be able to explain its meaning to a common person. The common explanation of "blue sky above yellow field of wheat" was invented around that time, and, although it has nothing to do with the choice of colours and the history of the original yellow and blue banner, it did certainly formed the flag as we know it today.
In the late 19th century,the Austro-Hungarian empire was much more tolerant towards the Ukrainian national movement than the Russian Empire. Therefore, a lot of literary work was done there, thus spreading the idea to the rest of Ukraine.
The flag of Ukraine was officialy adopted for the first time in history in 1918 by a short-lived Ukrainian People's Republic. At that time it had already turned into blue and yellow and sported a Tryzub in the upper left corner. The insignia remained unchanged by the successive government of Pavlo Skoropadsky and was later integrated into the Flag of Ukrainian SSR by the Bolsheviks.
Under Soviet rule this flag was forbidden as a symbol of nationalism. The Ukrainian SSR had its own flag. The flag was officially restored in 1992.
