National Flags
7 indexed entriesPart of Flags, Emblems & Ceremonial Items.
Items
Canada
The National Flag of Canada has an official 1:2 hoist-to-fly ratio: a red-white-red triband with an 11-point red maple leaf centered on the white square. Parliament approved the design on 15 December 1964, Queen Elizabeth II proclaimed it on 28 January 1965, and it was first raised on 15 February 1965.
France
The French tricolore has an official 2:3 aspect ratio, with three equal vertical bands of blue, white, and red. Its colors trace to the Paris militia cockade of July 1789; the blue-white-red order was fixed by a decree of 15 February 1794, and the tricolour was named the national emblem in the 1958 Constitution.
Germany
Germany's flag has an official 3:5 aspect ratio -- not 2:3, which was the ratio used by the earlier Weimar-era black-red-gold tricolour. Three equal horizontal bands of black, red, and gold were established as the federal flag by Article 22 of the Basic Law on 23 May 1949, with the 3:5 proportion set by West German government specification in 1950.
Japan
The Nisshoki ("sun-mark flag"), popularly called the Hinomaru, has an official 2:3 aspect ratio: a crimson disc centered on a white field. It was formally codified by the Act on National Flag and Anthem, enacted 13 August 1999, standardizing a design that had earlier legal roots in 1870 naval and merchant-flag proclamations.
Switzerland
The national flag of Switzerland is one of only two square national flags worldwide, possessing an exact 1:1 aspect ratio. The white cross arms are 1/6 longer than they are wide. Standard color is Pantone 485 C.
United Kingdom
The Union Jack has an official aspect ratio of 1:2 (a separate 3:5 version is used for some government land flying). It combines the red cross of St George (England), the white saltire of St Andrew (Scotland) from 1606, and the red saltire of St Patrick (Ireland) added in 1801.
United States
The official US flag features a 10:19 hoist-to-fly aspect ratio specified in Executive Order 10834. Standard colors are Old Glory Red (Pantone 193 C / Cable No. 70180) and Old Glory Blue (Pantone 281 C / Cable No. 70075).