Flag of Norway

How to read it

The flag law (flaggloven) of 10 December 1898 describes the merchant flag as bright red with a dark blue cross edged in white, dividing it into four rectangles, its width to length 16 to 22. The two fields by the pole are squares, each 6/16 of the width and 6/22 of the length, and the two outer fields take 12/22 of the length. The blue cross is 2/16 of the width and each white edge 1/16. The same law has state buildings fly the flag with a swallowtail and tongue. The design is by Frederik Meltzer, a member of the Storting, and King Carl Johan approved it by royal resolution on 13 July 1821.

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Why red, white and blue

Meltzer argued that the new flag should carry the colours of freedom, red, white and blue, as the French, Dutch, American and British flags did, in a cross after Scandinavian tradition, Store norske leksikon says. A red flag with a white cross satisfied those who wanted to remember the union with Denmark, and the blue was a polite gesture to Sweden, the new union partner. He also told thrifty members of the Storting that old flags could be reused: cut a Danish flag into four along its white stripes, move the pieces apart and sew in strips of blue. A traditional reading has red for strength and courage, white for purity and blue for loyalty, but the colours have been given other meanings too.

Telling it from the other Nordic crosses

Norway shares the Nordic cross, its upright set towards the pole, with Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Iceland. Denmark’s Dannebrog came first, and Norway’s was the first Nordic cross in three colours, Store norske leksikon says. The one most easily mixed up with it is Iceland’s, the same three colours the other way round: under Iceland’s Flag Act of 1944 it is sky blue with a white cross and a red cross inside the white, in a ratio of 18 to 25.

No official shades

The law calls the red “høirødt” (bright red) and the blue “mørkeblaat” (dark blue) and sets no colour codes. Until 2018 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggested PMS 032 U red and PMS 281 U blue for printing; it withdrew the advice after flag makers said the red was not bright enough. Makers such as Langkilde & Søn use PMS 200 C and PMS 281 C for cloth flags.

The state flag

State buildings, post and customs boats fly the swallow-tailed flag, the state flag since 1898. With its tongue it is 16 by 27.