The words to "Mer Hayrenik", taken from a poem by Miqayél Ghazari, were set to music long before Armenia adopted it as her anthem upon regaining her independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The present anthem is a modified version of the original song, which consisted of five clauses. Some of the words have also been changed appropriately to reflect the freedom and independence of the country.
Anthem Lyrics
Mer hayrenik‘, Azat Ankakh,
Vor aprel eh tareh tar,
Yoor vorik‘e ard kanchum eh
Azat, Ankakh Hayastan.
Aha‘, yeghpayr, kez mi drosh, Vor im dzerkov gortsetsi,
The red represents the blood shed in the struggle for national existence. The blue is for the skies, hope, and the unchanging character of the land. The orange represents the courage of the people.
Flag Date of Adoption
24 August 1990
Flag Symbolism
The flag has three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange. There are many interpretations of the meanings of the colors, but a widely accepted one is that the red symbolizes the blood spilled by Armenians in defense of their country, orange symbolizes the fertile soil of the nation, and blue is the sky. The flag was originally the official flag of the nation during its short independence after World War I and was brought back after Armenia broke away from the Soviet Union.