Flag Dates: by year (original) (raw)
1569
First use as a battle flag - 1569
1581
First use of the flag - 1581
1620
Use as a naval flag 1620s
1625
Flag adopted 1625
1660
1630-1660 - orange stripe becomes red
1663
1663 - warrant on use of flags at sea
1693
1693 - First use as a naval ensign
1705
Adopted as Merchant ensign 20 January 1705 (disuse during Soviet era)
1748
Specifications on dimensions specified - 1748
1777
Flag adopted 14 June 1777
1794
Flag adopted 15 February 1794
1795
Two stars and two stripes added to flag in 1795
1801
Flag adopted 1 January 1801 adding "St. Patrick's Cross" to the flag of the United Kingdom of England and Scotland
1804
Colors standardized 1804
1811
First hoisting of Venezuelan flag 14 July 1811
Flag adopted as official flag 15 July 1811
1812
Colors standardized 1812
First Paraguayan tribar adopted 15 August 1812
1818
Five stars added and number of stripes returned to 13 - 4 July 1818
1819
One star added to flag 4 July 1819
1820
Two stars added to flag 4 July 1820
1821
Flag adopted - July 21, 1821 (unofficial)
Flag adopted 7 October 1821
1822
Flag adopted 1822
One star added to flag 4 July 1822
1823
Flag modified by Republican government 14 April 1823
1825
Flag adopted 1825
1830
Flag adopted 11 July 1830
1831
flag constituted by Polish parliament 1831 following November uprising (modeled on the flag of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw)
Adopted 23 January 1831
Order of colors specified by Minister of Navy - 4 February 1831
1832
Flag adopted 1832
1834
Flag first authorized by Ottoman sultan 1834
1835
Flag adopted 1835
1836
One star added to flag 4 July 1836
1837
One star added to flag 4 July 1836
1841
Minor modifications to flag - 1841
1842
Flag with arms in center codified 25 November 1842
1843
Flag current pattern adopted 1843
1844
flag in use since 1844 (ref: Ottoman Empire)
Flag adopted 6 November 1844
1845
One star added to flag 4 July 1845
1846
One star added to flag 4 July 1846
1847
One star added to flag 4 July 1847
Flag created 26 July 1847
First hoisted 24 August 1847
1848
Flag adopted 1848
Flag adopted during the 1848-49 uprising
First law about flag in Constitution - 1848
One star added to flag 4 July 1848
1849
flag reconfirmed - 1849
Flag in disuse during Austrian period 1849-1867
1851
One star added to flag 4 July 1851
Flag adopted 31 October 1851
1858
One star added to flag 4 July 1858
1859
arms on flag changed - 1859
Horizontal version of the flag adopted 1859
One star added to flag 4 July 1859
1860
circa 1860 - blue-red bicolor in use
Flag adopted 26 September 1860
1861
One star added to flag 4 July 1861
Flag adopted 26 November 1861; first raised 12 March 1806
1862
Flag adopted 6 April 1862
1863
1863 - 1831 flag with arms used during Polish revolt
One star added to flag 4 July 1863
Flag pattern adopted 9 July 1863 with seven stars
1864
Arms on flag modified 18 June 1864
1865
Flag replaced 28 April 1865
One star added to flag 4 July 1865
1866
Adopted 1866
Vertical version of the flag adopted 1866
Flag adopted 9 January 1866
1867
Flag restored 1867
Minor modification 1867
One star added to flag 4 July 1867
1869
23 October 1869 - Flag proclaimed as colonial ensign
1871
Flag adopted 12 August 1871
1875
Flag adopted 4 November 1875
1877
One star added to flag 4 July 1877
1879
Flag adopted 16 April 1897
1880
Arms on flag modified 20 December 1880 by proclamation
1881
Flag decreed in December 1880 becomes effective 1 January 1881
Flag adopted 4 April 1881
1883
Adopted as Civil ensign 7 May 1883 (disuse during Soviet era)
1888
Flag reconfirmed 14 July 1888
1889
New emblem placed on flag 1 January 1889
Adopted 19 November 1889
Flag adopted 12 December 1889, although some forms were in use unoffically since the 15th century
1890
Five stars added to flag 4 July 1890
1891
One star added to flag 4 July 1891
1893
Proportions set - 1 May 1893
1895
Flag adopted 22 December 1895 (use forbidden until 1952)
1896
One star added to flag 4 July 1896
1898
Flag adopted 19 May 1898 (use prohibited until 1919)
Flag legislated on 10 December 1898
Flag legislation published 15 December 2 1898
1899
legislation becomes effective 15 December 1899
1901
First hoisted, 3 September 1901
1902
Flag adopted 20 May 1902, from a revolutionary flag dating from 1850
Flag legislated as National flag - 12 June 1902
1903
20 February 1903 - Flag approval announced by King Edward VII
Flag first hoisted 20 December 1903
1904
Provisionally approved 1904
1905
Minor modification adding coat of arms to the flag - 28 March 1905
1906
Officially readopted 22 June 1906
1908
One star added to flag 4 July 1908
Flag adopted 4 September 1908
Addition of seventh point to Commonwealth star announced 19 December 1908
1909
Flag adopted 10 April 1909
1910
Flag adopted 4 October 1910
1911
Flag adopted 30 June 1911
1912
Flag Adopted 1912 modeled on the flag of Iskander Bey
1821 flag reinstated - 17 May 1912
Two stars added to flag 4 July 1912
1914
Flag adopted as naval ensign - 1914
1915
Flag approved by royal decree 19 June 1915 for Marine purposes
French protectorate of Morocco flag officialized - 17 November 1915
1917
Flag adopted 4 July 1917
New representation of arms on flag 15 September 1917
Flag adopted 28 September 1917
1918
Adopted 1918; disuse during Soviet era
Adopted 1918; disuse during Soviet era
Flag adopted 1918 (in disuse during Soviet era)
Flag adopted 24 February 1918, in disuse during Soviet era
Flag adopted 29 May 1918
Adopted 18 November 1918 (flag dates from 1279, in disuse during Soviet era)
Flag approved for national use 30 November 1918
1919
Flag replaced by Hungarian Soviet Republic flag
Flag restored circa 31 July 1919
1831 flag used as the flag of the Second Republic - 1 August 1919
Flag sanction lifted by US - 30 October 1919
1920
Flag changed with a redesigned double headed eagle - 1920
Colors slightly modified - 12 February 1920
1921
Flag adopted 17 May 1921
1925
Flag officially approved 1925
1928
First Nepali flag adopted 1928
Flag adopted 16 April 1928
Naval ensign adopted as national flag - 8 October 1928
1929
Current pattern (Black-Red-Green vertical bars) adopted between September 1928 and January 1929
1929 - Black-Red-Green motif restored after period of disuse
Flag adopted 8 June 1929 (based on Catholic Church flag of 1825)
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
1930
Star pattern redesigned 1930
Flag adopted 15 July 1930
1933
Serrated flag adopted 1933
1934
Color of flag background changed - 1934
New emblem placed on flag 5 February 1934
1936
Flag reconfirmed - 28 January 1936
Specifications issued 25 March 1936
Flag adopted 5 June 1936
1937
Colors regulated by royal decree and official adoption of flag - 19 February 1937
Flag adopted 24 June 1937 (crown added to older version)
Use confirmed 29 December 1937
1939
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
1940
Flag adopted 1940 (socialist version)
1941
Flag ratified 28 March 1941
1943
Flag adopted 7 December 1943
1944
Postwar flag adopted - 1944
Change in the specification for the blue color 17 June 1944
1945
Flag hoisted 17 August 1945
1946
Socialist star added to flag - 1946
Flag adopted 19 June 1946 (originally the flag of theCisalpine Republic
1947
Flag adopted 22 July 1947
Flag adopted 14 August 1947
arms of People's Republic added to flag - 6 December 1947
1948
Flag recognized by Denmark - 1948
Arms of People's Republic of Romania added to flag 1948
Official date of flag use - 1 January 1948
Flag accepted by Guam congress 9 February 1948
Korea, Democratic Peoples Republic of
Flag adopted 8 September 1948
Flag adopted 28 October 1948
Flag adopted 29 October 1948 (in disuse 1970-1993)
1949
R�skosi arms on flag - 1949-1956
Constitution modified regarding flag - 1949
Flag adopted 24 February 1949
Flag adopted 9 May 1949
flag dimensions specified 18 September 1949
Flag adopted 1 October 1949
Flag adopted 1 October 1949
1950
Defacto use of the flag, 1950 (from older flag)
Flag adopted 25 January 1950
Flag adopted 2 February 1950 from the design of People's Unity Party
Civil flag confirmed 31 March 1950
1952
Flag adopted for use by Commonwealth 1952
New arms of People's Republic of Romania added to flag 1952
1954
Venezuelan flag law passed 1954 regulating flag
Codification of flag 19 February 1954 ????
Flag first hoisted - 3 April 1954
flag confirmed in legislation - 14 April 1954
Flag adopted 12 October 1954
1955
Flag adopted 30 November 1955
1956
Flag adopted - 1956
Flag adopted by decree - 1956
1957
Basic flag restored 1957
Flag adopted 6 March 1957, in disuse 1964-66
Crown modified 3 June 1957
1958
Colors defined - 1958
Flag of United Arab Republic (Syria and Egypt) adopted 22 February 1958
Flag adopted 14 May 1958
Flag adopted 18 August 1958, in disuse 1969-1991
Flag adopted 21 October 1958
Flag adopted 10 November 1958
Flag adopted 1 December 1958
1959
Flag selected (pre-independence) 1959
Flag adopted 1 April 1959
flag legislated 1 June 1959
Change of shade of blue - 5 June 1959
One star added to flag 4 July 1959
Flag adopted 29 September 1959
Flag adopted 6 November 1959
Flag adopted 16 November 1959, in disuse 1975-1990
Flag adopted 23 November 1959
Flag adopted 3 December 1959
Flag adopted 4 December 1959
1960
Red border added around flag 1960
Flag adopted 11 April 1960
Flag changed 27 April 1960
Star added to flag June 1960
One star added to flag 4 July 1960
Flag adopted 09 August 1960
Flag adopted 16 August 1960
Flag adopted 20 June 1960
Flag officially adopted 1 October 1960
Scroll added to flag - 15 November 1960
1961
Flag approved 1 March 1961
Flag adopted 27 April 1961
Flag adopted 7 September 1961
United Arab Republic dissolved 28 September 1961, flag in disuse
Flag first hoisted, 24 November 1961
1962
Flag adopted 1962
Flag adopted 3 July 1962 - originally a pre-revolutionary flag
Flag adopted 6 August 1962
Flag adopted 9 October 1962
Emblems on flag streamlined 16 December 1962
1963
Reverted to original pattern with three green stars 1963 (following coup d'�tat
Flag adopted 31 July 1963
Flag adopted 16 September 1963
Flag adopted 12 December 1963
1964
new constitution changes flag - 25 June 1964, in disuse until 1987
Flag adopted 30 June 1964
Flag adopted 6 July 1964
Flag adopted 21 September 1964
Change to number of stars - 12 October 1964
Flag adopted 22 October 1964
Flag adopted 24 October 1964
1965
Flag proclaimed by Queen Elizabeth II, 15 February 1965
Flag adopted and hoisted 18 February 1965
Flag adopted 25 July 1965
New arms of People's Republic of Romania added to flag 21 August 1965
1966
Flag readopted 28 February 1966
Flag adopted 26 May 1966
Flag adopted 30 September 1996
1967
Adopted 27 February 1997
Adopted 28 June 1967
1968
Flag adopted 9 January 1968
Flag adopted 21 January 1968
Star added to flag 28 May 1968
Flag colors and size standardized 12 September 1968
Flag revised 17 September 1968
Flag adopted 6 October 1968
Flag adopted 7 November 1968
1969
Flag adopted 1969
1970
Flag adopted 20 May 1970
Flag adopted 17 December 1970
1971
Flag adopted 1 July 1971 (pre-independence)
Flag adopted 9 July 1971
Specifications on size and shade of blue issued 23 August 1971
Adopted 21 December 1971
1972
Federation of Arab Republics formed, stars replaced by golden Quraish eagle
Adopted 13 January 1972
Adopted as a district flag 31 March 1972
Flag adopted 23 June 1972 (first hoisted circa 1845-1848)
Adoption official on 16 August 1972
Flag reaffirmed in legislation - 14 September 1972
1973
circa 1973 - flag modified to eliminate Arabic numerals; replaced and in disuse as of 9 May 1974
Flag adopted 15 March 1973
Flag adopted 10 July 1973
Flag adopted 24 September 1973
1974
Flag adopted 3 January 1974
Flag adopted 7 February 1974
Flag described in constitution - 10 March 1974
1975
Self-proclaimed independence flag 1975
Flag adopted 20 May 1975
Flag adopted 15 October 1975
Flag adopted 5 November 1975
Adopted 11 November 1975
Flag adopted 25 November 1975
Flag adopted 2 December 1975
1976
Flag adopted 27 February 1976
Flag adopted 16 March 1976
Flag first hoisted - 18 March 1976
Adopted as territorial flag 4 July 1976
1977
Official specifications published - 14 March 1977
Flag adopted 27 June 1977
Flag adopted 18 November 1977
Flag adopted 19 November 1977
1978
Colors standardized - 26 May 1978
Flag adopted 7 September 1978, incorporating thee flag of Kandy, dating back to 1815, and national flag of 1948
Flag adopted at independence 1 October 1978
Flag adopted 3 November 1978
Federated States of Micronesia
Flag adopted 30 November 1978 as the flag of the Pacific Island Trust Territory
Colors standardized 22 December 1978
1979
Flag adopted 22 February 1979 (in use since 1 March 1967)
Flag selected 6 June 1979 (unofficial)
Flag adopted 12 June 1979
Flag approved by High Commissioner 22 June 1979
Flag adopted 12 July 1979
Flag adopted 4 August 1979
Flag adopted 21 August 1979
1980
1980 - Official approval by Australian Governor-General and Queen Elizabeth II
1980 - Minor modification to flag (People's Republic of Poland)
previous flag readopted 1980
Flag adopted 1 January 1980
Flag official 17 January 1980
Flag adopted 18 February 1980
Flag adopted 18 April 1980
Flag adopted 29 July 1980
1981
Flag adopted 1 January 1981
Modifications to disk - 3 November 1981
Flag adopted 19 December 1981
1982
Crown modified 30 June 1982
Proportions changed 27 September 1982
1983
Flag adopted 1 May 1983
Flag adopted 19 September 1983
1984
Flag reconfirmed 8 February 1984
Change to ying-yang symbols on flag, 21 February 1984
Flag approved by Queen Elizabeth II on 2 April 1984 (based on 1980 design)
Legislated 27 April 1984, flag dates to 1230
First hoisted May 1984
Flag adopted 4 August 1984
Flag adopted 4 October 1984
Flag adopted 4 October 1984
Flag adopted 23 November 1984
1985
Design modified 1985
Flag adopted 21 June 1985
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Flag adopted 21 October 1985
1986
Adopted 1 January 1986
Flag restored 17 February 1986
Flag unofficially adopted 14 April 1986
1987
Flag adopted 20 January 1987
Cap of Liberty restored to flag in constitution dated 10 March 1987
Constitution officially ratified 29 March 1987
1988
ratio changed 1988
1989
Readopted, 20 March 1989
Arms removed from flag 27 December 1989
1990
New law on the Polish flag - 9 February 1990
Flag adopted (pre-transfer) - 16 February 1990
Effective date of legislation - 22 February 1990
Flag readopted 27 February 1990
Flag adopted 21 March 1990
Flag adopted 27 April 1990
Flag adopted 20 May 1990
Adopted 30 May 1990; First hoisted 30 May 1990
Flag readopted 1 August 1990
Flag reinstated 7 August 1990
Reconfirmed by Supreme Council 23 August 1990
Adopted by Supreme Council 24 August 1990
Fimbriations eliminated around stars 3 November 1990
British Indian Ocean Territory
Flag adopted 8 November 1990
Flag adopted 21 December 1990
1897 flag readopted 17 December 1990
1991
Modified 1991
Apparent change to flag circa 1991
Takbir added to flag 13 January 1963
Readopted, 5 February 1991
Flag adopted 27 June 1991
Officially adopted as state flag 21 August 1991
Flag readopted 10 October 1991
Flag adopted 18 November 1991
Flag established in Romanian constitution 21 November 1991
Effective date of Romanian Constitution 8 December 1991
Reuse following dissolution of Soviet Union - 26 December 1991
1992
proportions standardized - 1992
Flag adopted 1992
Flag adopted 28 January 1992
Socialist star removed 12 February 1992
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Coat of arms introduced 14 February 1992
Flag Adopted 3 March 1992
1920 flag readopted - 7 April 1992
Four stars added to flag 11 May 1992
Flag adopted 4 June 1992
Flag adopted 1 September 1992
First hoisted 3 September 1992
Flag described in constitution - 4 September 1992
Flag adopted 22 September 1992
Flag adopted 25 November 1992
Black-Red-Green motif restored December 1992 - in disuse during Taliban era
1993
Flag adopted 1993, using the former flag of Czechoslovakia, originated on 30 March 1920
Specifications issued 18 February 1993
Flag adopted 31 March 1993
Flag readopted 21 September 1993
1994
Flag design selected 15 March 1994
Specification issued 18 March 1994
Flag proclamation issued in government gazette
Flag first hoisted 27 April 1994
1995
Flag legislated regarding use - 1995
Colors standardized - 1995
Flag specified in constitution, 22 May 1995
Flag adopted 7 June 1995
Flag changed to add additional star - 1 October 1995
Macedonia, Former Yugoslav Republic of
Flag approved 5 October 1995
Change in width of stripes and proportions 18 October 1995
Flag changed in December 1995 and original pattern goes into disuse
Flag adopted 5 December 1995
1996
Flag specifications changed 1996
Flag legislated 8 January 1996
Flag adopted 6 February 1996
Flag use regulated 12 April 1996 (autonomous region flag)
Flag adopted in Constitution
Effective date of legislation 17 June 1996
Approval of flag by Hong Kong SAR preparatory committee 10 August 1996
Adopted 30 November 1996
1997
Olive branch added to flag 29 January 1997
reverted to 1977 flag 11 April 1997
flag legislated 17 April 1997
Flag adopted 17 May 1997
Flag officially hoisted 1 July 1997
Colors standardized 26 September 1997
1998
Adopted 4 February 1998
use reconfirmed 3 September 1998
Blue color standardized - 29 December 1998
1999
Size of badge modified - 1999
Badge modified on flag 1999
Badge modified in 1999
Badge modified on flag 25 January 1999
Flag recodified in constitution, 9 August 1999
Flag adopted 13 August 1999 (in use since 17th century)
Officially hoisted at transfer 19 November 1999
2000
Ratio set for flag and pole sizes 2000
Flag legislated in constitution 8 February 2000
Decree specifies flag sizes for governmental use - 14 July 2000
2001
design modified 24 January 2001
Flag adopted 25 October 2001
Flag prescribed in new constitution - 23 December 2001
New flag hoisted - 31 December 2001
2002
Official adoption of flag 26 January 2006
Flag serrations modified 14 February 2002
Flag confirmed and colors redefined in constitution 22 March 2002
First hoisting 20 May 2002
27 August 2003 - New flag adopted, not yet ratified
Colors standardized 18 September 2002
Flag adopted 20 October 2002
2003
Flag adopted 2003 (unofficial)
2004
Black-Red-Green motif restored 4 January 2004
Flag adopted 14 January 2004
Flag modified 28 June 2004
Flag adopted 12 July 2004
Flag first hoisted 15 July 2004
Flag adopted 17 August 2004
Proportions changed 1 September 2004
2005
recodification of flag law in revised decrees on national symbols - 8 December 2005
New law regarding respect for the national flag - 12 December 2005
Constitutional referendum (18-19 Dec. 2005) passed - planned return to flag of 1963-66 (implementation date unknown)
2006
New symbols and arms legislated 16 February 2006
New flag of D.R. Congo first hoisted - 4 March 2006
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
New flag adopted 27 September 2006 (National Flag Act)
New flag hoisted - 3 October 2006