Europe · Horizontal tricolour
How to draw the flag of Latvia
The flag of Latvia is three equal horizontal bands — carmine, white and carmine from top to bottom. It flies at a ratio of 1:2.
Step by step
- Start with the right shape. Latvia flies at 1:2 — for every 2 units of width the flag is 1 tall. Sketch that rectangle first; a flag drawn too square is the fastest way to lose layout points.
- Divide the height into three. Mark two guide lines before you fill anything in. Even bands matter more than neat edges — the scorer cares where the colour blocks sit.
- Band 1: carmine. Fill the first band from the top with carmine. Use the fill tool rather than shading — flat blocks score better than sketchy strokes.
- Band 2: white. Fill the second band from the top with white. Use the fill tool rather than shading — flat blocks score better than sketchy strokes.
- Band 3: carmine. Fill the third band from the top with carmine. Use the fill tool rather than shading — flat blocks score better than sketchy strokes.
Latvia flag colours
The colour codes below are the ones to reach for if you are recreating the flag digitally.
| Colour | Hex | RGB |
|---|---|---|
| Carmine | #9E3039 | rgb(158, 48, 57) |
| White | #FFFFFF | rgb(255, 255, 255) |
| Carmine | #9E3039 | rgb(158, 48, 57) |
What the flag means
Carmine for the blood of Latvian defenders and white for the sheet that bound a wounded chief — a legend recorded in the 13th century.
Common mistakes
- Treating it as Austria. Latvia’s red is a dark carmine and the white band is only one fifth of the height, not one third.
- Watch out for Austria and Peru — they are close enough to Latvia that people draw the wrong one from memory.
A trick for remembering it
Austria with dried-blood red and a thin white line.
Flags that look like this one
Side-by-side breakdowns of the pairs people mix up:
Questions about the Latvia flag
What colours are on the flag of Latvia?
Latvia uses 3 colours: carmine (#9E3039), white (#FFFFFF), carmine (#9E3039).
What order are the stripes on the Latvia flag?
Carmine, then White, then Carmine — from the top down.
What are the proportions of the Latvia flag?
It flies at 1:2 (height to width). Drawing it at the wrong shape is one of the quickest ways to lose layout marks in the game.
What does the Latvia flag mean?
Carmine for the blood of Latvian defenders and white for the sheet that bound a wounded chief — a legend recorded in the 13th century.
Which flags look like the Latvia flag?
Austria, Peru. Watch out for Austria and Peru — they are close enough to Latvia that people draw the wrong one from memory.
How hard is the Latvia flag to draw from memory?
PlayVexle rates it 2 out of 5. Flat colour blocks and no fine detail, so most players score in the eighties or nineties.
