NATIONAL SYMBOLS
The State FlagÂ
The three-color national flag of Azerbaijan was accepted by the government of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan on November 9, 1918. After the collapse of the Democratic Republic in April 28, 1920 and the establishment of the Soviet regime this flag was relinquished in Azerbaijan. Yet the flag was restored by the order of the Supreme Medjlis of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic and was declared the national flag of the Autonomous Republic on November 17,1990. At the same time the Supreme Medjlis of Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic petitioned to the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR for recognition of the three-color flag the national flag of Azerbaijan.
The Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan Republic considered the petition of the Supreme Medjlis of Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic and approved the three-color flag the national flag of the Azerbaijan Republic on February 5, 1991.
The national flag of the Azerbaijan Republic consists of three equal strips. The upper strip is of blue color, the middle-of red, the lower is green. The blue strip designates the Turkish origin of the Azerbaijan Republic, the red color-its intention to create a modern state and develop the democracy, the green strip-its relation to the Islam civilization. In the middle of the red strip on both sides of the flag there is a white-color crescent and an eight-point star. The relation between the width and the length of the flag is 1 to 2.
The State Emblem
The government of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan declared a competition on the national emblem of Azerbaijan on January 30, 1920 and made a decision to present the emblem model on May of the same year. However, due to the collapse of the Azerbaijan democratic Republic On April 28, 1920, the emblem was not approved.
The Supreme Medjlis of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic discussed the issue connected with the national emblem and raised petition in the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR on declaration of a new competition on the national emblem of Azerbaijan on November 17, 1990.
The competition was declared by the decision of the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan Republic on February 5, 1991. Tens of projects of the emblem were presented during the competition of 1991-1992 and it was also proposed to approve one of the projects developed in 1919-1920.
By the Constitutional Law of the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan Republic, approved on January 19, 1993, one of the projects, developed in 1919-1920 with certain alterations was confirmed the national emblem of the Azerbaijan Republic.
The National Emblem of the Azerbaijan Republic symbolizes the independence of Azerbaijan. The national emblem is the image of an oriental shield and a semicircle formed by the branches of an oak-tree and ears resting on it. The shield contains the image of a fire in the center of an eight-point star against a background of the colors of the National flag of Azerbaijan.
NATIONAL HOLIDAYS
January 1 - New Year’s Day
January 20 - Day of the Martyrs
March 8 - Women’s Day
March 21 - Novruz Bayrami
May 9 - Victory in WW II Day
May 28 - Republic Day
June 15 - National Salvation Day
June 26 - Army and Navy Day
October 18 - National Independence Day
November 12 - Constitution Day
November 17 - Day of National Revival
December 31 - Day of Solidarity of Azerbaijanis throughout the World
