Theflag of Greenland[a] is the flag of the territory ofGreenland, an autonomous part of theKingdom of Denmark. Designed byGreenlandic politicianThue Christiansen,[3] it features two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red (bottom) with a counter-changed red-and-white disc slightly to the hoist side of centre. The entire flag measures 18 by 12 parts; each stripe measures six parts; the disc is eight parts in diameter, horizontally offset by seven parts from the hoist to the centre of the circle, and vertically centred.
Its local name in theGreenlandic language isErfalasorput, which means "our flag". The termAappalaartoq (meaning "the red") is also used for both the Greenlandic flag and theflag of Denmark (Dannebrog). Today, Greenlanders display both theErfalasorput and theDannebrog[4]—often side by side. The flag of Greenland is the only national flag of aNordic country or territory without aNordic cross, but is similar to the culturalSámi flag, which also features a circular design andcounterchanging of field and charge.
Greenland first entertained the idea of a flag of its own in 1973 when five Greenlanders proposed a green, white and blue flag. The following year, a newspaper solicited 11 design proposals (all but one of which was aNordic cross) and polled the people to determine the most popular.[5]
Construction sheet of the flag of Greenland, with colours and proportions
The deciding committee could notcome to a consensus, so more proposals were solicited. Finally, the present red-and-white design by Thue Christiansen narrowly won over a green-and-white Nordic cross by a vote of 14 to 11.[6] Christiansen's red-and-white flag was officially adopted on 21 June 1985.[3]
To honour the 10th anniversary of the flag, the GreenlandPost Office issued commemorativepostage stamps and a leaflet by the flag's creator.[7] He described the white stripe as representing theglaciers and ice cap, which cover more than 80% of the island; the red stripe, theocean; the red semicircle, the sun, with its bottom part sunk in the ocean; and the white semicircle, theicebergs and pack ice. The design is also reminiscent of the settingSun half-submerged below the horizon and reflected on the sea.[1] In 1985, it was reported that Greenland's flag had exactly the same motif as the flag of the Danish rowing club HEI Rosport, which was founded before Greenland's flag was chosen. It is not clear whether this is a case of plagiarism or just a coincidence, but the rowing club gave Greenland permission to use their flag.[8]
The colours of the flag are the same as those of theflag of Denmark, symbolising Greenland's place in the Danish realm.[9]
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