The flag of Andorra was first hoisted in its current form – three vertical stripes of blue, yellow and red in a ratio of 8:9:8, with the coat of arms in the yellow stripe – in 1866. It is said to have been designed by Emperor Napoleon III. The flag combines the colours blue and red, two colours of the French tricolour, and the colours yellow and red, the Spanish colours. The design of this flag was intended to highlight the French influence on the country. In any case, this tricolour replaced the flag of Andorra from 1806, which featured the traditional national colours of yellow and red in a vertical arrangement, the colours of the Counts of Béarn and Foix and also of the Bishops of Urgell. Apart from a few changes to the coat of arms, the flag has remained unchanged since 1866. In 1942, the design of the coat of arms was altered; for example, the crown above the coat of arms was removed, bringing it very close to its current form. In 1959, the background in the fourth quarter (Counts of Béarn) was corrected from green to gold. In 1971, the background in the first quarter (Bishops of Urgell) was changed from blue to red. The "Llibre de normes gràfiques" from 1999 specifies the following colours: Blue = Pantone 072 C, Yellow = Pantone Yellow C, Red = Pantone 199 C. There are also reports of a civil or merchant flag which does not have to bear a coat of arms. However, citizens are permitted to use the flag with the coat of arms.
The coat of arms of Andorra is quartered, and shows in the individual fields a miter (Urgell), three red poles (Foix), four red poles (Roussillon), and two cows (Béarn). In 1942, the design of the coat of arms was altered; for example, the crown above the coat of arms was removed, bringing it very close to its current form. In 1959, the background in the fourth quarter (Counts of Béarn) was corrected from green to gold. In 1971, the background in the first quarter (Bishops of Urgell) was changed from blue to red.
