List of Icelandic flags explained

The following is a list of Icelandic flags.

National flag and State flag

FlagDateUseDescription
1944–present National flag and civil ensign A blue flag with a red Scandinavian Cross, fimbriated white. Used unofficially in 1913–1915, and as a territorial symbol as of 1915 until 1944 when the Republic of Iceland was established. Current color scheme established in 1944. The dimensions of the flag are 7:1:2:1:14 horizontally and 7:1:2:1:7 vertically; ratio: 18:25
1919–present State flag Ratio: 37:18

Governmental flags

FlagDateUseDescription
1944–present President's flagThe State Emblem charged in the center. Ratio: 37:18
1944–present Customs ensign.

Military flag

See also: Military of Iceland.

Historical flags

FlagDateUseDescription
1262–1397 Banner of arms with golden lion on red canvas.
1397-1523 The "Banner of the realms", flag of the Kalmar Union. a red cross in a yellow field.
1523-1918 A red field charged with a white Nordic cross that extends to the edges; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side.
July 11th 1809-August 19th 1809 It’s not fully known what Jørgen’s flag really looked like. There are no surviving copies and his original description simply read as: “The Icelandic flag shall be blue, with three white stockfishes on it”.[1] Due to this vague description, there can be multiple different interpretations of what the flag looked like. The example shown here shows three stockfishes in the first quarter on a dark-blue field. The word “stockfishes” in Jørgen’s description could also be interpreted simply as “cods”, so the symbols on his flag might not have been stockfishes
1857-1869 Standard of the Vestmannaeyjar Battalion (Herfylkingin) A red saltire cross on a white field. In an old drawing of the Herfylking, the flag is shown with seemingly black text at the top and bottom of the flag, although it’s impossible to make out what the text says
1915–1944[2] National flag and civil ensign of IcelandIt is almost identical to the newer Icelandic flag but this has a lighter blue color.
1915–1944 War flag and Naval ensign of IcelandIt is almost identical to the newer Icelandic flag but this has a lighter blue color, just like the normal flag, above.
1921–1944[3] Royal Standard of the King of IcelandCrowned Gyrfalcon on a blue field
1940-1944 Flag of the United Kingdom, also commonly known as the Union Jack. A superimposition of the flags of England and Scotland with the Saint Patrick's Saltire (representing Ireland).
1940–1944 Flag of the United States Thirteen horizontal stripes alternating red and white; in the canton, 48 white stars on blue field.
1941–1944[4] Standard of the Regent of IcelandState flag of Iceland charged with a capital gold R on a rectangular panel

Unofficial flags

FlagDateUseDescription
19th - early 20th centuryFlag used by the independence movementA Gyrfalcon on a blue field
Flag proposal.White with a sky-blue cross with a white and blue stripe on either side. The flag committee of 1913 presented two proposals, the current flag and this flag.
Republican flagUnofficial flag used by the republicans in the early 1900s. This flag was rejected by the flag committee of 1913 as it was considered too similar to the flag of Sweden and the Greek naval ensign.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jörundur Hundadagakonungur Placat. Vefsafn. 1 November 2014.
  2. http://flagspot.net/flags/is-hist.html#1915 flagspot.net
  3. http://flagspot.net/flags/is-royal.html#royal flagspot.net
  4. Web site: Iceland - Royal Standard. www.fotw.info. May 8, 2022.