the Free State of Ikaria

The flag was used by the short-lived Free State of Ikaria, proclaimed on 17 July 1912. Its blue field symbolizes the surrounding Aegean Sea, while the white Greek cross represents Orthodox Christian heritage and the island’s link to Greece. A red five-pointed star and Greek inscriptions appeared on the original flag design, but a simpler textless version also became common. The Free State lasted until May 1913, when Ikaria formally united with Greece, and the flag has continued to serve as a regional emblem of Ikarian identity.