Sea-blueNordic cross on white field, rectangularcoat of arms of Finland (colours gold and silver on red), swallow-tailed. Dimensions: 4:3:4 (vertically) 5:3:6:5 (horizontally)
Thenational flag ofFinland, also known inFinnish as thesiniristilippu[1] ('Blue Cross Flag'), dates from the beginning of the 20th century. The flag was adopted after independence from theRussian Empire, but its design has roots in the 19th century.
Symbolically, blue is said to represent the country's thousands of lakes and the sky, and white the snow that covers the land in winter.[2] The colour combination has also been used historically in various Finnish provincial, military and town flags. The Nordic cross pattern connects to the shared tradition with otherNordic countries.[3][4] While the cross itself is aChristian symbol[5][6] and holds this meaning for some Finns,[7] for many, the flag's primary association is with the nation's identity.[8]
The flag has two main variations: thecivil flag and thestate flag. The state flag has theFinnish coat of arms in the centre, but is otherwise identical to the civil flag. Other variations are the swallow-tailed state flag used by the military, and thepresidential standard, which is identical to the swallow-tailed state flag but also has in its upper-left corner theCross of Liberty.
The first known "Flag of Finland" was presented in 1848, along with thede facto national anthem "Maamme". Its motif was thecoat of arms of Finland surrounded by laurel leaves on a white flag.
The current blue-crossed design was first used in Finland byNyländska Jaktklubben, ayacht club founded inHelsinki in 1861. In addition to the blue cross on the white background, the yacht club flag had the crowned arms of the province ofUusimaa within two crossed branches in the upper hoist quarter. Except for the position of the cross, the flag was similar to the flag of theSt. Petersburg Yacht Club, which had been founded the previous year. The design can be traced to theRussian Navy'sensign, which has a blue crosssaltire on a white background. During theCrimean War, Finnish merchant ships that were captured by the British-French fleet flew a flag calledFlag of St. George, which was based on theRussian Customs flag. This variant had the cross was thinner than in the modern flag, and the proportions were equal. Another flag with a blue cross was made official in 1861 for private vessels.
In 1910, in connection withRussification of Finland, the Russian authorities decreed for a Russian flag to be added to the canton. However, it was met with resistance and was derided as the "slave's flag" (orjalippu), and most Finns refused to fly it. Instead, a triangularpennant without this modification was flown, thereby circumventing the decree concerning flags.
Shortly afterFinland declared its full independence in 1917, a competition was held for the design of the Finnish flag. Several different designs were submitted. Regarding the colours, the entries fell mainly into two categories: one using the red and yellow from the Finnish coat of arms and the other using the present blue and white colours.
One entry had theDannebrog cross design but with a yellow cross on a red background. Another entry had diagonal blue and white stripes, but it was criticized[by whom?] as being more suitable for abarber shop than a newly independent country.Akseli Gallen-Kallela proposed a similar cross flag but with colours inverted (white cross on blue), but this was considered too similar to theSwedish flag and particularly the contemporaryGreek flag. Finally, the artistsEero Snellman and Bruno Tuukkanen specified the final form of the flag. According to tradition, the flag was based on a design by the poetZachris Topelius in about 1860.[9]
The Finnish state flag was further modified in 1922, when thecoronet was removed, and again in 1978, when the shield-shaped coat of arms was changed into a rectangular shape.
Under Finnish law, the ratio of the flag is 11:18 (height:width), very close to thegolden ratio. The swallow-tailed state flag is one unit longer, and the tails are five units long. The cusp width of the blue cross is three units of measure, giving a ratio set of 4:3:4 (vertical) and 5:3:10 (horizontal). When flown from a flagpole, the flag is recommended to have a width equalling one-sixth of the height of the pole.
The Finnish flag is used in three main variants. The usual national flag is used by all citizens, organisations and Finnishmunicipalities andregions. Anyone is allowed to fly the national flag whenever it is deemed to be suitable.[10] The rectangular state flag is used by[11] bodies of the Finnish national and provincial governments, by thecathedral chapters of the two national churches (Evangelical Lutheran andOrthodox) and non-naval vessels of the state.
All public bodies as well as most private citizens and corporations fly the flag on officialflag flying days. In addition to the official flag flying days, there are about ten unofficial but generally observed flag flying days. Besides flag flying days, normally, no flags or corporate flags are flown. Flag Day is celebrated on Midsummer's Day.
The Finnish flag is raised at 8 am and lowered at sunset, however not later than 9 pm. OnIndependence Day, the flag is flown until 8 pm, regardless of the dark. On the occasion of great national tragedies, theMinistry of The Interior may recommend flying the flag athalf-mast throughout the country.
As a special custom in Finland, the flag is flown atMidsummer from 6 pm of Midsummer eve until 9 pm of Midsummer's day. This is done to symbolize the fact that the darkness does not come to any part of Finland during Midsummer's Night. Midsummer is also celebrated as the day of the Finnish flag.[12]
The Finnish presidential standard at the Presidential Palace, Helsinki.Finnish State Flag at theFinnish embassy,Canberra.
There is no official RGB version of the colours, and in fact the yellow as defined in the CIE L*a*b* standard lies outsidecolour gamut of the sRGB colour space. The CIE L*a*b* colours can be approximated insRGB (range 0–255) by: blue R=24, G=68, B=126, red R=181, G=28, B=49 and yellow R=237, G=167, B=0. The blue colour is called "sea blue", which is a dark to medium blue. It is not very dark navy blue, and not any bright or greenish shade such as turquoise orcyan.
Red and yellow are used in the coat of arms that appears on the state flag.
Under Finnish law, it is forbidden todeface the flag or to use it in a disrespectful way. It is also illegal to remove a flag from its pole without permission. Anyone who breaks these regulations may be fined for disgracing the flag.[13]
Finnish law also forbids the use of the presidential standard or state flag without permission, as well as the addition of any extra symbols to the flag. One may not sell a flag that has different colours or geometry from those defined by the law, which considered to be a violation of the regulations and may lead to a fine.[13]
There are also common rules on how to treat the flag respectfully. The flag must not be dirty or damaged. The flag must never touch the ground. When the flag is washed, it must be dried indoors. A worn-out flag must be disposed of by burning (though not with the intent to disgrace it) or alternatively by cutting it to pieces small enough not to be recognizable as parts of the flag. The flag must not be buried in the ground or the sea (including any disposal of the flag).
In Finland, the official term for flying a flag at half-mast is known assuruliputus (mourning by flag(ging)). It is performed by raising the flag briefly to the top of the mast and lowering it approximately one-third of the length of the flagpole, placing the lower hoist corner at half-mast. On wall-mounted and rooftop flagpoles, the middle of the flag should fly at the middle of the flagpole. When removing the flag from half-mast, it is briefly hoisted to the finial before lowering completely.[14]
Traditionally, private residences and apartment houses fly the national flag at half-mast on the day of the death of a resident, when the flag is displayed at half-mast until sunset or 9:00 p.m., whichever comes first. Flags are also flown at half-mast on the day of the burial, with the exception that the flag is to be hoisted to the finial after the inhumation takes place.
Flags are also to be flown at half-mast by government agencies and embassies across the world on the days of national mourning, and "the entire nation is asked to join in". Such days are the deaths of a former or currentFinnish president, as well as significant catastrophic events such as the aftermath of the2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the2011 Norway attacks and significant national events such as the 2004Konginkangas bus disaster and school shootings ofJokela andKauhajoki.
Historically, flags were flown at half-mast on theCommemoration Day of Fallen Soldiers which takes place on the third Sunday of May. Originally, the flag was raised to the finial in the morning, displayed at half-mast from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and again raised to the finial for the rest of the day. In 1995, the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, the tradition of flying the flag at half-mast was discontinued, and the flag has since been displayed at the finial in a usual manner.
The Finnish yacht club flag design; The circled X is replaced with the club emblem; Flag ratio: 11:18
A Finnish speciality is that anyyachting club that is registered in Finland may apply to have a flag with the club emblem officially approved for use on yachts: the civil ensign with a white cross3⁄5 of a unit wide superimposed on the blue cross and with the club emblem in the upper hoist corner. Most yachting clubs distribute those ensigns to their members, and they are much used, but their use is not recommended outside Finnish waters to avoid confusion.[citation needed] Officially, however, the yachting club ensign is valid even for international use.[15]
Temporary merchant navy ensign "Flag of St. George", used (1853–1856) in theCrimean War
Olavinlinna inSavonlinna, Finland, from around the year 1875. In the castle's flag pole is hosten an unofficial flag Russian Empire as well as the coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Finland.
Temporary trade flag confirmed by the Senate of Vaasa
Two versions of a rejected design
Proposed flags of Finland 1862–1918, compiled by Olof Eriksson.
More proposed flags of Finland 1862–1918, compiled by Olof Eriksson.
The Finnish flag at the medal ceremony for the women's ice hockey team at the2010 Winter Olympics in VancouverFinnish flag along Quincy Street inHancock, Michigan
^Andrew Evans (2008).Iceland. Bradt.ISBN9781841622156.Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved31 December 2007.Legend states that a red cloth with the white cross simply fell from the sky in the middle of the 13th-century Battle of Valdemar, after which the Danes were victorious. As a badge of divine right, Denmark flew its cross in the other Scandinavian countries it ruled and as each nation gained independence, they incorporated the Christian symbol.
^Carol A. Foley (1996).The Australian Flag: Colonial Relic or Contemporary Icon. William Gaunt & Sons.ISBN9781862871885.Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved31 December 2007.The Christian cross, for instance, is one of the oldest and most widely used symbols in the world, and many European countries, such as the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Greece and Switzerland, adopted and currently retain the Christian cross on their national flags.
^Jeroen Temperman (2010).State Religion Relationships and Human Rights Law.Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.ISBN978-9004181489.Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved31 December 2007.Many predominantly Christian states show a cross, symbolising Christianity, on their national flag. Scandinavian crosses or Nordic crosses on the flags of the Nordic countries–Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden–also represent Christianity.
^ab"Laki Suomen lipusta" [Statute concerning the flag of Finland].Finlex database of judicial information (in Finnish). Ministry of Justice (Finland). Retrieved3 June 2024.
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
.jpg)
