An ethnic flag is a flag that symbolizes a
certain ethnic group.
Ethnic flags are often introduced to the ethnic
community through the respective cultural
or political ethnic movements.
They are popular among diasporas, ethnic minorities,
and some ethnic majorities, especially in
multiethnic countries.
== History ==
Like the concept of the national flag itself,
that of an "ethnic flag" is modern,
first arising in the late 19th century; strictly
speaking, the national flags of nation states
are themselves "ethnic flags", and often so
used by ethnic minorities in neighbouring
states, especially in the context of irredentism
(e.g. the flag of the Republic of Albania
used as an "ethnic Albanian flag" by Kosovar
Albanians).
Ethnic flags are often used in irredentism,
representing the "national flag" of a proposed
or unrecognized state.
The first such flags were designed at the
end of the 19th century, such as the Basque
flag (1894) or the "Flag of Zion" used to
symbolize Zionism from 1898, which became
the national flag of Israel 50 years later.
Most early ethnic flags imply a connection
with an unrecognized state claimed by the
respective ethnicities, such as the flag of
Kurdistan which originates as the flag of
the Republic of Ararat (1927).
A flag of the Hispanic People was designed
in 1932.
Alternatively, an "ethnic flag" may represent
a Pan-nationalism, such as the
Pan-Arab flag which originates as the flag
of the Arab Revolt during World War I, the
proposed flag of Pan-Slavism (1848), Pan-Iranism
or Pan-Turkism.
The concept of using ethnic flags to symbolize
ethnic groups within a multiethnic state,
not necessarily connected with irredentism,
became popular in the later 20th century,
such as the Australian Aboriginal flag (1971),
the Assyrian flag (1971), the flag of the
Romani people (1971), the Berber flag (1970s),
the Sami flag (1986) or the Māori flag (1990).
Designing ethnic or tribal flags has become
very popular since the 1990s, especially for
online use, and mostly do not have any kind
of "official" status and must be judged based
on de facto use.
== Individual flags ==
Media related to Cultural flags at Wikimedia
Commons
Media related to Flags of ethnic groups at
Wikimedia Commons
Media related to Flags of active autonomist
and secessionist movements at Wikimedia Commons
Media related to Native American flags in
Latin America at Wikimedia Commons
Media related to Native American flags in
the United States at Wikimedia Commons
== See also ==
List of former sovereign states
Flags of subnational entities
Flags of unrecognized states
Flags of micronations
== References ==
Znamierowski, Alfred (2001).
The World Encyclopedia of Flags.
London, UK: Hermes House.
Flags of the World - FOTW
== External links ==
Media related to Flags of ethnic groups at
Wikimedia Commons
