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This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website
Flag Dates: by country
Adoption Dates
Last modified: 2020-07-26 by rob raeside
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Afghanistan
- Current pattern (Black-Red-Green vertical bars) adopted between September
1928 and January 1929
- 1929 - Black-Red-Green motif restored after period of disuse
- circa 1973 - flag modified to eliminate Arabic numerals; replaced and in disuse
as of 9 May 1974
- Black-Red-Green motif restored December 1992 - in disuse during Taliban era
- Black-Red-Green motif restored 4 January 2004
Åland Islands
- Flag first hoisted - 3 April 1954
- proportions standardized - 1992
Albania
- Flag Adopted 1912 modeled on the flag of Iskander Bey
- Flag changed with a redesigned double headed eagle - 1920
- Kingdom of Albania approved a modified flag to include Skanderbeg's Helmet
- 3 August 1929
- New flag proposal submitted to King Zog - 5 August 1929
- Kingdom of Albania flags formally adopted - 8 August 1929
- Color of flag background changed - 1934
- Flag changed by occupying Italian government - 13 April 1939
- Italian occupying flag formalized in constitution - 3 June 1939
- Royal decree (Italian) approving flag - 28 September 1939
- Postwar flag adopted - 1944
- Socialist star added to flag - 1946
- 1920 flag readopted - 7 April 1992
Algeria
- Flag adopted 3 July 1962 - originally a pre-revolutionary flag
American Samoa
- Flag changed 27 April 1960
Andorra
Angola
- Adopted 11 November 1975
- 27 August 2003 - New flag adopted, not yet ratified
Anguilla
- Adopted 30 May 1990; First hoisted 30 May 1990
Antigua and Barbuda
Armenia
- Adopted 1918; disuse during Soviet era
- Reconfirmed by Supreme Council 23 August 1990
- Adopted by Supreme Council 24 August 1990
Aruba
- Flag adopted 16 March 1976
- Flag first hoisted - 18 March 1976
- Official specifications published - 14 March 1977
Australia
- First hoisted, 3 September 1901
- 20 February 1903 - Flag approval announced by King Edward VII
- Addition of seventh point to Commonwealth star announced 19 December 1908
- flag confirmed in legislation - 14 April 1954
Austria
- Legislated 27 April 1984, flag dates to 1230
Azerbaijan
- Adopted 1918; disuse during Soviet era
- Readopted, 5 February 1991
Bahamas
- Flag adopted 10 July 1973
Bahrain
- Serrated flag adopted 1933
- Flag serrations modified 14 February 2002
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
- Adopted 23 January 1831
- Order of colors specified by Minister of Navy - 4 February 1831
- Flag reconfirmed - 28 January 1936
Belize
- Flag adopted 2 February 1950 from the design of People's Unity Party
Benin
- Flag adopted 16 November 1959, in disuse 1975-1990
- Flag readopted 1 August 1990
Bermuda
- Flag adopted 4 October 1910
Bhutan
Bolivia
- Flag adopted 31 October 1851
- Flag reconfirmed 14 July 1888
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
- Flag adopted 30 September 1996
Brazil
- Adopted 19 November 1889
- Star added to flag June 1960
- Star added to flag 28 May 1968
- Four stars added to flag 11 May 1992
British Indian Ocean Territory
- Flag adopted 8 November 1990
British Virgin Islands
- Flag adopted - 1956
- Scroll added to flag - 15 November 1960
- Size of badge modified - 1999
Brunei
- Flag adopted 29 September 1959
Bulgaria
- Flag adopted 16 April 1897
- arms of People's Republic added to flag - 6 December 1947
- 1897 flag readopted 17 December 1990
Burkino Faso
- Flag adopted 4 August 1984
Burundi
- Adopted 28 June 1967
- Proportions changed 27 September 1982
Cambodia
- Flag adopted 29 October 1948 (in disuse 1970-1993)
- Flag readopted 21 September 1993
Cameroon
Canada
- Flag adopted 22 October 1964
- Flag proclaimed by Queen Elizabeth II, 15 February 1965
Cape Verde
- Flag adopted 22 September 1992
Cayman Islands
- Flag adopted 14 May 1958
- Badge modified on flag 1999
Central African Republic
- Flag adopted 1 December 1958
Chad
- Flag adopted 6 November 1959
Chile
- Flag adopted 18 October 1817
China
- Flag adopted 1 October 1949
Christmas Island
- Flag unofficially adopted 14 April 1986
- Official adoption of flag 26 January 2006
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- Flag adopted 2003 (unofficial)
Colombia
- Flag adopted 26 November 1861 [first raised 12 March 1806]
Comoros
- Flag prescribed in new constitution - 23 December 2001
- New flag hoisted - 31 December 2001
Congo
- Flag adopted 18 August 1958, in disuse 1969-1991
- Flag readopted 10 October 1991
Congo, Democratic Republic of
- Flag adopted 17 May 1997
- Constitutional referendum (18-19 Dec. 2005) passed - planned return to flag
of 1963-66 (implementation date unknown)
- New symbols and arms legislated 16 February 2006
- New flag of D.R. Congo first hoisted - 4 March 2006
Cook Islands
- Flag adopted 4 August 1979
Costa Rica
- Flag adopted 1848
- Change to number of stars - 12 October 1964
Côte d'Ivoire
- Flag adopted 4 December 1959
Croatia
- Flag adopted 21 December 1990
Cuba
- Flag adopted 20 May 1902, from a revolutionary flag dating from 1850
Cyprus
- Flag adopted 16 August 1960
Czech Republic
- Flag adopted 1993, using the former flag of Czechoslovakia, originated on
30 March 1920
Denmark
- Flag adopted 1625
- Specifications on dimensions specified - 1748
- Proportions set - 1 May 1893
Djibouti
- Flag adopted 27 June 1977
Dominica
- Flag adopted 3 November 1978
- Modifications to disk - 3 November 1981
- Fimbriations eliminated around stars 3 November 1990
Dominican Republic
- Flag adopted 6 November 1844
East Timor
- Self-proclaimed independence flag 1975
- Flag confirmed and colors redefined in constitution 22 March 2002
- First hoisting 20 May 2002
Ecuador
- Flag adopted 26 September 1860
Egypt
- Flag adopted 4 October 1984
El Salvador
- Flag adopted 1822
- Minor modifications to flag - 1841
- Flag replaced 28 April 1865
- 1821 flag reinstated - 17 May 1912
- Flag reaffirmed in legislation - 14 September 1972
Equatorial Guinea
- Flag adopted 21 August 1979
Eritrea
- Flag adopted 5 December 1995
Estonia
- Flag adopted 24 February 1918, in disuse during Soviet era
- Flag reinstated 7 August 1990
Ethiopia
- Flag adopted 6 February 1996
Faroe Islands
- Flag recognized by Denmark - 1948
- Change of shade of blue - 5 June 1959
- Blue color standardized - 29 December 1998
Federated States of Micronesia
Finland
- Flag adopted 29 May 1918
- Colors slightly modified - 12 February 1920
- Colors standardized - 26 May 1978
France
- Flag adopted 15 February 1794
- Colors standardized 1804
- Colors standardized 1812
French Polynesia
- Flag adopted 23 November 1984
- Flag use regulated 12 April 1996 (autonomous region flag)
Gabon
- Flag adopted 09 August 1960
Gambia
- Flag adopted and hoisted 18 February 1965
Georgia
- Flag adopted 14 January 2004
Germany
Ghana
- Flag adopted 6 March 1957, in disuse 1964-66
- Flag readopted 28 February 1966
Greece
- Flag adopted 1832
- Colors standardized 22 December 1978
Greenland
- Flag adopted 21 June 1985
Grenada
- Flag adopted 7 February 1974
Guam
- Flag adopted 4 July 1917
- Flag accepted by Guam congress 9 February 1948
- Red border added around flag 1960
Guatemala
- Flag adopted 12 August 1871
- Flag colors and size standardized 12 September 1968
- Colors standardized 26 September 1997
Guinea
- Flag adopted 10 November 1958
Guinea Bissau
- Flag adopted 24 September 1973
Guyana
Haiti
- Flag current pattern adopted 1843
- flag reconfirmed - 1849
- arms on flag changed - 1859
- circa 1860 - blue-red bicolor in use
- flag dimensions specified 18 September 1949
- new constitution changes flag - 25 June 1964, in disuse until 1987
- Flag restored 17 February 1986
- Cap of Liberty restored to flag in constitution dated 10 March 1987
- Constitution officially ratified 29 March 1987
Honduras
- Flag adopted 9 January 1866
Hong Kong
- Flag adopted (pre-transfer) - 16 February 1990
- Approval of flag by Hong Kong SAR preparatory committee 10 August 1996
- Flag officially hoisted 1 July 1997
Hungary
- Flag adopted during the 1848-49 uprising
- First law about flag in Constitution - 1848
- Flag in disuse during Austrian period 1849-1867
- Flag restored 1867
- Flag replaced by Hungarian Soviet Republic flag
- Flag restored circa 31 July 1919
- Ráskosi arms on flag - 1949-1956
- Constitution modified regarding flag - 1949
- Basic flag restored 1957
- Flag legislated regarding use - 1995
- Ratio set for flag and pole sizes 2000
- Decree specifies flag sizes for governmental use - 14 July 2000
Iceland
- Flag approved by royal decree 19 June 1915 for Marine purposes
- Flag approved for national use 30 November 1918
- Change in the specification for the blue color 17 June 1944
India
- Flag adopted 22 July 1947
- New law regarding respect for the national flag - 12 December 2005
Indonesia
- Flag hoisted 17 August 1945
Iran
- Flag adopted 29 July 1980
Iraq
- Flag adopted 31 July 1963
- Takbir added to flag 13 January 1963
- Flag modified 28 June 2004
Ireland
- Use confirmed 29 December 1937
Israel
- Flag adopted 28 October 1948
Italy
- Flag adopted 19 June 1946 (originally the flag of the
Cisalpine Republic
- Official date of flag use - 1 January 1948
- Colors standardized 18 September 2002
Jamaica
- Flag adopted 6 August 1962
Japan
- Flag adopted 13 August 1999 (in use since 17th century)
Jordan
- Flag adopted 16 April 1928
Kazakhstan
Kenya
- Flag adopted 12 December 1963
Kiribati
- Flag adopted 12 July 1979
Korea, Democratic Peoples Republic of
- Flag adopted 8 September 1948
Korea, Republic of
- Defacto use of the flag, 1950 (from older flag)
- Flag adopted 25 January 1950
- Change to ying-yang symbols on flag, 21 February 1984
Kuwait
- Flag adopted 7 September 1961
- Flag first hoisted, 24 November 1961
Kyrgyzstan
- Flag Adopted 3 March 1992
Laos
- Flag adopted 2 December 1975
Latvia
- Adopted 18 November 1918 (flag dates from 1279, in disuse during Soviet era)
- Flag readopted 27 February 1990
Lebanon
- Flag adopted 7 December 1943
Lesotho
- Flag adopted 20 January 1987
- New flag adopted 27 September 2006 (National Flag Act)
- New flag hoisted - 3 October 2006
Liberia
- Flag created 26 July 1847
- First hoisted 24 August 1847
Libya
- Flag adopted 19 November 1977
Liechtenstein
- Flag adopted 24 June 1937 (crown added to older version)
- Crown modified 3 June 1957
- Crown modified 30 June 1982
Lithuania
- Flag adopted 1918 (in disuse during Soviet era)
- Readopted, 20 March 1989
- Proportions changed 1 September 2004
Luxembourg
- Flag adopted 23 June 1972 (first hoisted circa 1845-1848)
- Adoption official on 16 August 1972
Macao
- Flag adopted 31 March 1993
- Officially hoisted at transfer 19 November 1999
Macedonia, Former Yugoslav Republic of
- Flag approved 5 October 1995
Madagascar
- Flag adopted 21 October 1958
Malawi
Malaysia
- Flag adopted 16 September 1963
Maldives
- Flag adopted 25 July 1965
Mali
- Flag approved 1 March 1961
Malta
- Flag adopted 21 September 1964
Marshall Islands
- Flag adopted 12 June 1979
- Flag approved by High Commissioner 22 June 1979
Mauritania
- Flag adopted 1 April 1959
Mauritius
- Flag adopted 9 January 1968
Mexico
- Flag adopted 7 October 1821
- Flag modified by Republican government 14 April 1823
- Arms on flag modified 18 June 1864
- Arms on flag modified 20 December 1880 by proclamation
- Flag decreed in December 1880 becomes effective 1 January 1881
- New emblem placed on flag 1 January 1889
- New representation of arms on flag 15 September 1917
- New emblem placed on flag 5 February 1934
- Flag revised 17 September 1968
- Flag reconfirmed 8 February 1984
- recodification of flag law in revised decrees on national symbols - 8 December
2005
Moldova
- Flag adopted 27 April 1990
Monaco
- Flag adopted 4 April 1881
Mongolia
- Flag adopted 1940 (socialist version)
- Socialist star removed 12 February 1992
Montenegro
- Flag adopted 12 July 2004
- Flag first hoisted 15 July 2004
Montserrat
- Flag adopted 10 April 1909
- Badge modified on flag 25 January 1999
Morocco
- French protectorate of Morocco flag officialized - 17 November 1915
- Flag adopted by decree - 1956
- Flag described in constitution - 10 March 1974
- Flag described in constitution - 4 September 1992
Mozambique
Myanmar
- Flag adopted 3 January 1974
Namibia
- Flag adopted 21 March 1990
Nauru
- Flag adopted 21 January 1968
Nepal
- First Nepali flag adopted 1928
- Emblems on flag streamlined 16 December 1962
Netherland Antilles
Netherlands
- First use of the flag - 1581
- 1630-1660 - orange stripe becomes red
- Colors regulated by royal decree and official adoption of flag - 19 February
1937
- Colors defined - 1958
New Zealand
- 23 October 1869 - Flag proclaimed as colonial ensign
- Flag legislated as National flag - 12 June
1902
Nicaragua
- Flag adopted 4 September 1908
- Specifications on size and shade of blue issued 23 August 1971
Niger
- Flag adopted 23 November 1959
- Flag specified in constitution, 22 May 1995
- Flag recodified in constitution, 9 August 1999
Nigeria
- Flag selected (pre-independence) 1959
- Flag officially adopted 1 October 1960
Niue
- Flag adopted 15 October 1975
Norfolk Island
- Flag selected 6 June 1979 (unofficial)
- 1980 - Official approval by Australian Governor-General and Queen Elizabeth
II
- Flag adopted 1 January 1980
- Flag official 17 January 1980
Northern Mariana Islands
- Adopted as a district flag 31 March 1972
- Adopted as territorial flag 4 July 1976
- Design modified 1985
- Modified 1991
Norway
- Flag adopted - July 21, 1821 (unofficial)
- Flag legislated on 10 December 1898
- Flag legislation published 15 December 2 1898
- legislation becomes effective 15 December 1899
Oman
- Flag adopted 17 December 1970
- Change in width of stripes and proportions 18 October 1995
Pakistan
- Flag adopted 14 August 1947
Palau
- Flag adopted 1 January 1981
Panama
- Flag first hoisted 20 December 1903
- Provisionally approved 1904
- Flag officially approved 1925
- Flag ratified 28 March 1941
Papua New Guinea
- Flag adopted 1 July 1971 (pre-independence)
Paraguay
- First Paraguayan tribar adopted 15 August 1812
- Flag with arms in center codified 25 November 1842
- ratio changed 1988
- Apparent change to flag circa 1991
Peru
- Flag adopted 1825
- Civil flag confirmed 31 March 1950
Philippines
- Flag adopted 19 May 1898 (use prohibited until 1919)
- Flag sanction lifted by US - 30 October 1919
- Specifications issued 25 March 1936
Pitcairn
- Flag approved by Queen Elizabeth II on 2 April 1984 (based on 1980 design)
- First hoisted May 1984
Poland
- flag constituted by Polish parliament 1831 following November uprising (modeled
on the flag of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw)
- 1863 - 1831 flag with arms used during Polish revolt
- 1831 flag used as the flag of the Second Republic - 1 August 1919
- 1980 - Minor modification to flag (People's Republic of Poland)
- New law on the Polish flag - 9 February 1990
- Effective date of legislation - 22 February 1990
Portugal
- Flag adopted 30 June 1911
Puerto Rico
- Flag adopted 22 December 1895 (use forbidden until 1952)
- Flag adopted for use by Commonwealth 1952
- Colors standardized - 1995
Qatar
Romania
- Flag first authorized by Ottoman sultan 1834
- Horizontal version of the flag adopted 1859
- Vertical version of the flag adopted 1866
- Arms of People's Republic of Romania added to flag 1948
- New arms of People's Republic of Romania added to flag 1952
- New arms of People's Republic of Romania added to flag 21 August 1965
- Arms removed from flag 27 December 1989
- Flag established in Romanian constitution 21 November 1991
- Effective date of Romanian Constitution 8 December 1991
Russia
- 1693 - First use as a naval ensign
- Adopted as Merchant ensign 20 January 1705 (disuse during Soviet era)
- Adopted as Civil ensign 7 May 1883 (disuse during Soviet era)
- Officially adopted as state flag 21 August 1991
- Reuse following dissolution of Soviet Union - 26 December 1991
Rwanda
- Flag adopted 25 October 2001
Saint Helena
- Flag adopted 4 October 1984
Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Flag adopted 19 September 1983
Saint Lucia
- Flag adopted 22 February 1979 (in use since 1 March 1967)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Flag adopted 21 October 1985
Samoa
- Flag adopted 24 February 1949
San Marino
- Flag adopted 6 April 1862
São Tomé and Principe
- Flag adopted 5 November 1975
Saudi Arabia
- Flag adopted 15 March 1973
Senegal
- Flag adopted 20 June 1960
Serbia
- Flag adopted 17 August 2004
Seychelles
- Flag legislated 8 January 1996
- Effective date of legislation 17 June 1996
Sierra Leone
- Flag adopted 27 April 1961
Singapore
- Flag adopted 3 December 1959
Slovakia
- Flag adopted 1 September 1992
- First hoisted 3 September 1992
- Specifications issued 18 February 1993
Slovenia
- Flag adopted 27 June 1991
Solomon Islands
- Flag adopted 18 November 1977
Somalia
- Flag adopted 12 October 1954
South Africa
- Flag design selected 15 March 1994
- Specification issued 18 March 1994
- Flag proclamation issued in government gazette
South Africa
- Flag first hoisted 27 April 1994
- Flag adopted in Constitution
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- Coat of arms introduced 14 February 1992
Spain
- Flag adopted 19 December 1981
Sri Lanka
- Flag adopted 7 September 1978, incorporating thee flag of Kandy, dating back
to 1815, and national flag of 1948
- Flag legislated in constitution 8 February 2000
Sudan
Suriname
- Flag adopted 25 November 1975
Swaziland
- Flag adopted 6 October 1968
Sweden
- First use as a battle flag - 1569
- Use as a naval flag 1620s
- 1663 - warrant on use of flags at sea
- Officially readopted 22 June 1906
Switzerland
- Flag adopted 12 December 1889, although some forms were in use unoffically
since the 15th century
Syria
- Flag of United Arab Republic (Syria and Egypt) adopted
22 February 1958
- United Arab Republic dissolved 28 September 1961, flag in disuse
- Reverted to original pattern with three green stars 1963 (following coup d'état
- Federation of Arab Republics formed, stars replaced
by golden Quraish eagle
- previous flag readopted 1980
Taiwan
- Flag adopted as naval ensign - 1914
- Naval ensign adopted as national flag - 8 October 1928
Tajikistan
- Flag adopted 25 November 1992
Tanzania
- Flag adopted 30 June 1964
Thailand
- Flag adopted 28 September 1917
Togo
- Flag adopted 11 April 1960
Tonga
- Flag adopted 4 November 1875
Trinidad and Tobago
Tristan da Cunha
- Flag adopted 20 October 2002
Tunisia
- Flag adopted 1835
- flag legislated 1 June 1959
Turkey
Turkmenistan
- Flag adopted 1992
- Olive branch added to flag 29 January 1997
- design modified 24 January 2001
Turks and Caicos
- Flag adopted 7 November 1968
- Badge modified in 1999
Tuvalu
- Flag adopted at independence 1 October 1978
- Flag changed to add additional star - 1 October 1995
- Flag changed in December 1995 and original pattern goes into disuse
- reverted to 1977 flag 11 April 1997
- flag legislated 17 April 1997
Uganda
- Flag adopted 9 October 1962
Ukraine
- Flag adopted 28 January 1992
- use reconfirmed 3 September 1998
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
- Flag adopted 1 January 1801 adding "St. Patrick's Cross" to the flag of the
United Kingdom of England and Scotland
United States
- Flag adopted 14 June 1777
- Two stars and two stripes added to flag in 1795
- Five stars added and number of stripes returned to 13 - 4 April 1818
- One star added to flag 4 July 1819
- Two stars added to flag 4 July 1820
- One star added to flag 4 July 1822
- One star added to flag 4 July 1836
- One star added to flag 4 July 1836
- One star added to flag 4 July 1845
- One star added to flag 4 July 1846
- One star added to flag 4 July 1847
- One star added to flag 4 July 1848
- One star added to flag 4 July 1851
- One star added to flag 4 July 1858
- One star added to flag 4 July 1859
- One star added to flag 4 July 1861
- One star added to flag 4 July 1863
- One star added to flag 4 July 1865
- One star added to flag 4 July 1867
- One star added to flag 4 July 1877
- Five stars added to flag 4 July 1890
- One star added to flag 4 July 1891
- One star added to flag 4 July 1896
- One star added to flag 4 July 1908
- Two stars added to flag 4 July 1912
- One star added to flag 4 July 1959
- One star added to flag 4 July 1960
Uruguay
- Flag adopted 11 July 1830
Uzbekistan
- Flag adopted 18 November 1991
Vanuatu
- Flag adopted 18 February 1980
Vatican City (Holy See)
- Flag adopted 8 June 1929 (based on Catholic Church flag of 1825)
Venezuela
- First hoisting of Venezuelan flag 14 July 1811
- Flag adopted as official flag 15 July 1811
- Flag pattern adopted 9 July 1863 with seven stars
- Minor modification 1867
- Minor modification adding coat of arms to the flag - 28 March 1905
- Star pattern redesigned 1930
- Flag adopted 15 July 1930
- Venezuelan flag law passed 1954 regulating flag
- Codification of flag 19 February 1954 ????
- Law changing flag and arms passed 9 March 2006
- Publication of law and arms legislation 10 March 2006
- New 8-star national flag first hoisted 12 March 2006
Vietnam
- Flag adopted 30 November 1955
Virgin Islands
Western Sahara
- Flag adopted 27 February 1976
Yemen
Zambia
- Flag adopted 24 October 1964
- Flag specifications changed 1996
Zimbabwe
- Flag adopted 18 April 1980