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The flag of the Basque Country, known as the Ikurriña, has a clear heraldic description: gules (red field) with a green saltire (diagonal cross of Saint Andrew) overlaid by a white upright cross. In simple terms, it features a red background crossed by a green diagonal cross and a white vertical-horizontal cross. The red represents the Basque people, the green symbolizes the oak of Guernica and traditional liberties, and the white stands for faith. It was created in 1894 by Sabino Arana and his brother Luis Arana, originally for the province of Biscay. Over time, it became the symbol of the entire Basque Country. Banned during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, it was later adopted as the official flag of the Basque Autonomous Community after Spain’s transition to democracy, representing identity, history, and political aspirations.
The coat of arms of the Basque Country (used by the Basque Autonomous Community) is quartered and represents three historical provinces. Heraldically, it is composed of: First quarter: Gules with a gold tree (the oak of Guernica) over green ground, symbolizing Biscay. Second quarter: Gold field with a red lion, representing Álava. Third quarter: Gold with three green trees and blue waves at the base, symbolizing Gipuzkoa. Fourth quarter: originally included chains of Navarre, but these were removed in the modern version. The current coat of arms was officially adopted in 1978 after the end of the dictatorship of Francisco Franco. It reflects the historical identity of the Basque territories while avoiding political disputes, particularly regarding Navarre, which is today a separate autonomous community.