Nordic Cross flag

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The Nordic Cross flag is any of certain flags bearing the design of the Nordic or Scandinavian cross, a cross symbol in a rectangular field, with the center of the cross shifted towards the hoist.

All of the Nordic countries except Greenland have adopted such flags in the modern period, and while the Scandinavian cross is named for its use in the national flags of the Scandinavian nations, the term is used universally by vexillologists, in reference not only to the flags of the Nordic countries.

The cross design represents Christianity, and the characteristic shift of the center to the hoist side is early modern, first described the Danish civil ensign (Koffardiflaget) for merchant ships in a regulation of 11 June 1748, which specified the shift of the cross center towards the hoist as "the two first fields must be square in form and the two outer fields must be 6/4 lengths of those". The Danish design was adopted for the flags of Norway (civil ensign 1821) and Sweden (1906), both derived from a common ensign used during the Union between Sweden and Norway 1818-1844, as well as Iceland (1915) and Finland (1917); some of the subdivisions of these countries used this as inspiration for their own flags. The Norwegian flag was the first Nordic cross flag with three colours. All Nordic flags may be flown as gonfalons as well.

Video Nordic Cross flag

Flags of the Nordic countries

Note that some of these flags are historical. Also, note that flag proportions may vary between the different flags and sometimes even between different versions of the same flag.

Denmark

Finland

Iceland

Norway

Sweden

Kalmar Union

Historical Flag of the Kalmar Union, which united Denmark, Sweden and Norway 1397 to 1523. No pictorial evidence survives of the Kalmar Union's Flag. The flag appearing here is a reconstruction based on references in 1430 letters by King Eric of Pomerania.

Maps Nordic Cross flag

Unofficial Nordic flags

These flags either do not have official status or represent various private entities. They have not been officially adopted and their use remains limited.

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Nordic cross flags outside of the Nordic region

Baltic

Estonia

Latvia

Germany

Nordic flag designs very similar to Denmark's, Sweden's, and Norway's national flags were proposed as Germany's national flags in both 1919 and 1948, after World War I and World War II, respectively. Today, the Nordic cross is a feature in some city and district flags or coats of arms.

Netherlands

United Kingdom

A number of flags for localities in the United Kingdom (primarily Scotland) are based on Nordic cross designs, intended to reflect the Scandinavian heritage introduced to the British Isles during the Viking Age and through the High Middle Ages.

Brazil

United States/Puerto Rico

Other

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Ethnic flags

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See also

• Flags of Central America
• Flag of Gran Colombia
• Pan-African colours
• Pan-Arab colours
• Pan-Slavic colours
• Southern Cross Flag
• Union Flag
• Tricolour

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References

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Bibliography

• Znamierowski, Alfred (2002). The world encyclopedia of flags : The definitive guide to international flags, banners, standards and ensigns. London: Hermes House. pp. 103 and 134. ISBN 1-84309-042-2. 

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External links

• Extensive compilation of official and non-official Nordic Cross flags (at Flags of the World).

Source of the article : Wikipedia