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Romanian village unfurls largest flag in the world

BUCHAREST (AP) - A Romanian village on Monday unfurled what is the largest flag ever made, according to Guinness World Records.

It took about 200 people several hours to roll out the flag, which measured about 349 metres by 227 metres, about three times the size of a football field, according to Mr Jack Brockbank, an adjudicator for Guinness World Records who measured the flag before pronouncing it the biggest flag in the world.

"This is a new Guinness World Record," he said after measuring the flag. "Congratulations Romania!" He said Romania's red, yellow and blue flag covers an area of about 79,290 square metres, downing Lebanon which had held the previous record.

The five-tonne flag was displayed in Clinceni, 35 kilometres southeast of Bucharest. Workers struggled to keep it firmly planted on the ground because of windy conditions and had to use small sandbags.

Mr Adrian Dragomir, manager of the Flags Factory which created the flag, says it took weeks to sew and 70 kilometres of thread was needed.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta and other ministers will visit the flag later.

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