The Flag of Lithuania is a tricolour flag currently used by Lithuania. The flag has three horizontal stripes. The yellow stripe on the top represents the sun, the green stripe in the middle represents forests, the red stripe on the bottom represents the blood of people who defended Lithuania's freedom. The flag's ratio is 3:5 (1:2 in 1989). The Council of Lithuania first adopted it in 1918. When the Soviets occupied Lithuania in 1940, they changed the flag to a Soviet one. When Lithuania gained independence in 1990, the flag was reintroduced. This newly introduced flag had a ratio of 1:2. In 2004, it was changed to 3:5. 