The
Flags
&
Arms
of the
Modern
Era
Flag Identification Symbols
Summary
 | Civil flag
|  | State flag
|  | War flag
|  | Civil ensign
|  | State ensign
|  | War ensign
|  | Civil and state flag
|  | State and war flag
|  | Civil and state ensign
|  | State and war ensign
|  | Civil flag and ensign
|  | State flag and ensign
|  | War flag and ensign
|  | National flag on land
|  | National ensign
|  | State and war flag and war ensign
|  | State flag and civil and war ensign
|  | Civil and state flag and ensign
|  | State and war flag and ensign
|  | National flag and state ensign
|  | National flag and civil and state ensign
| | | State and war flag and national ensign
|  | Civil and state flag and national ensign
|  | National flag and ensign
|
|
 | Proposal |
 | Reconstruction |
 | Reverse |
 | Variant |
 | Alternate |
 | De facto |
 | Two-sided |
 | Sinister hoist |
 | Historic * |
|
 | Reversed (Mirror) |
 | Equal |
 | Unknown |
|
 | Normal |
 | Rotated |
 | Unknown |
 | Inapplicable |
 | Vertical only |
|
Introduction
Basic facts about flags are in many vexillological publications presented with some sort of symbols, to avoid repetition, and to give information at a glance.
The most used system is the one used by Whitney Smith in his works and publications of the Flag Research Center, that rappidly spread among vexillologists and is used here too. It is most often called the international flag identification symbols.
The most basic information about each flag is it's ratio, i.e. the proportions of hoist to fly length. This is the first information given here, too, and if unavailable the qustionmark is given. A tilda (~) after the ratio numbers represent unofficial or approximate ratio. This can be due to the lack of official information, or if the ratio is officialy not determined.
In vexillologic literature the usual symbol used instead of tilda are two wavy lines (i.e. wavy equal sign), but since this is generally not supported in all fonts, it is here replaced.
E.g. the ration of 1:2 indicates a flag that is twice as long as high. The most usual ratios are 1:1, 1:2, 2:3 and 3:5, each strongly connected with tradition of Swiss, British, French and German flags.
Note that some literature, especially German, gives often ratios as proportions of length to width. Usually there is no problems to determine what convention is used, but in some cases, especially if there is no accompaning image one should be carefull.
After the ratio there are symbols of the international flag identification - one or more, as appropriate.
Finally, there are two symbols devised by me to represent the ways of the flag design on the reverse and when hoisted vertically.
International Flag Identification Symbols
Usage
The national flag, as well as the flags of other teritorial units, comprehends at least six different possible functions. Some countries have one flag, others more. The Flag Indentification Symbols are used in vexillologic publications to indicate the function of a particular flag with a grid of six cells with dots.
The upper row of cells indicate the use on land and the lower on sea. The first column indicates private use, the second public/governmental use and the third military use. This can be shown in a table:
| Private use | | Public use | | Military use
|
|---|
| Use on land | Civil flag |  | State flag | | War flag
|
|---|
|
|
|---|
| Use on sea | Civil ensign | | State ensign | | War ensign
|
|---|
Some countries have also a variety of national flags that are not covered with these functions, e.g. naval jack, air force ensign, civil air ensign etc. Such flags are much more rare, and their functions are indicated in text.
Here are some of the most used combinations with explanations, and some more are shown in the summary above.
| | Civil flag | Used by private persons on land |
| | State flag | Used by government insitutions, public buildings etc. on land |
| | War flag | Used by army (also called army flag) |
| | Civil ensign | Used on private vessels |
| | State ensign | Used on government owned vessels |
| | War ensign | Used by navy (also called Naval ensign) |
| | Civil and state flag | Used by privates and officials on land |
| | State and war flag | Used by government and army on land |
| | National flag on land | Used on land |
| | National ensign | Used on sea |
| | National flag and ensign | Used both on land and sea |
Other IFIS
In addition to these the IFIS includes number of symbols that indicate some important data on flag's usage, shape, status or some other significant fact about it.
These are:
| | Proposal | design never actually used
|
| | Reconstruction | design based on written sources (or description) only
|
| | Reverse | design design shown is reverse side of flag
|
| | Variant | one of two or more variants of the same basic design
|
| | Alternate | one of two flags used simultaneously - or under special condition - for the same function
|
| | De facto | in actual use, but without legal sanction
|
| | Two-sided | reverse side is unlike design shown
|
| | Sinister hoist | the obverse or more important side of the flag is seen when the hoist is shown to the observer's right
|
| | Historic | abandoned historic flag, not in use any more (but not neceserly illegal)*
|
* Not a standard IFIS symbol.
On reverse and two-sided flags see also futher text.
Reverse and Vertical Symbols
Reverse
The problem of the reverse of a flag is seen on flags that have some devices that are asymmetrical. These symbols are used:
| | Reversed (Mirror) | Mirrored image on the reverse
|
| | Equal | Exact copy image on the reverse
|
| | Unknown | No info
|
There are two main possibilities of what happens with the reverse design. The most often is that the reverse of the flag is mirrored image of the obverse. The flags that are printed trough have this effect and the colours printed on one side come to the other. This is the most often case. The symbol includes a reversed letter 'R' to indicate this.
The other possibility that arises is that the reverse is the exact copy of the obverse. This is the case with flags that have some asymmetrical symbol, that is (usually) sewed separately on each side. When you look at such flag, there is usually no way to tell which side you are looking at (of course, if you ignore the fastening means, that are not parts of the flag design). An example of such flag is the flag of Croatia, where on both sides the arms in the crest of the shield are in the same order, i.e. the Slavonian (with the marten) is always to the observers right. The symbol include letter 'E' to indicate equal design.
If such a symbol is off-centered (e.g. in flag of Slovakia), then you would still be able to say which side you are looking, but the symbols on both sides would be exact copies. The same symbol I used in this cases, even if the whole flag is not the exact copy (cf. the state flag of Spain).
In the cases of the most simple flags (e.g. horizontal tricolour like the Netherlands), there is no way to tell if this is an 'R' or 'E' type, and no symbol is used. Also, the flags for which I have no information about this I give a questionmark.
All of these regards the flags that are considered not to have diferent sides, i.e. the official descriptions and vexillological literature do not count them to be two-sided flags. In fact, the official descriptions usually do not define the reverse in such details, and the information given here is based mostly (but not always) on the usage practice.
For flags that are true two-sided flags the IFIS symbols are used.
Vertical
Flags are often hoisted vertically, and that is especially case in Central and Eastern Europe (including Italy, Austria and Germany). The flags with some symbols on them could be hoisted vertically in two ways - the symbol could be left in the position as if the flag was 'normal' (that is done with Croatian flag), or it could be rotated back, so that it remains in horizontal position, even if the flag is rotated (most known example is the flag of Liechtenstein). I use this symbols:
| | Normal | Vertically hoisted Normal (just as it would be the flag for horizontal hoisting)
|
| | Rotated | Vertically hoisted with the symbol reversed back (the specially made flag is needed)
|
| | Unknown | No info
|
| | Inapplicable | The flag has no element that could be rotated
|
| | Vertical only | The flag is only used vertically
|
The flags hoisted in 'normal' way are in all elements the same at the flags that are flown horizontally, but those that have rotated symbol are not, and should be made specially for this use. They are not intended to be flown, and such use of them is inappropriate.
The symbol 'inapplicable' is used for flags that are used to be hoisted vertically, but that have no elements 'to be rotated', being most usually the simple bi- or tricolours. If a flag is not usually hoisted vertically, no symbol is used.
It should be pointed out that normally the flag that is hoisted vertically is displayed from reverse, so that the side that is in horizontal hoisting up comes to the observers left (and the honour upper hoist quarter comes in upper left corner). So the flag is not just rotated 90 degrees, but also flipped around. There are, of course exceptions, but such will be noted.
Some flags are designed only to be used vertically - such flags are sometimes called banners. They are hoisted vertically from a crossbar on the mast or against a wall. The practice is not unusual for special ceremonious flags of Central Europe - both religious and secular.
The reverse and vertical symbols are in experimental phase, and I would like to hear your opinion about it, what should be added or changed, or what are the weak points of it, if any. Don't hesitate to say what you think. Thanks!
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