The flag is used by three distinct political entities: The Republic of North Ossetia–Alania (a federal subject of Russia), the self-declared Republic of South Ossetia – State of Alania, and the Georgia-established Administration of South Ossetia.

South Ossetia has been under the control of the Russian Federation since the 2008 Russo-Georgian war and is mostly unrecognized by the international community.

Under the Soviet Union, the North Ossetian ASSR changed flags several times.

The present flag was adopted on 2 October 1991 shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union, and then reinstated on 24 November 1994.

[citation needed] The colors symbolize moral purity (white), martial courage (red) and wealth and prosperity (yellow).