Flag of Norway
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The flag of Norway is red with an indigo blue Scandinavian cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog, the flag of Denmark. The proportions of the national flag are 22:16 (width to height), its colour elements having a width of 6:1:2:1:12 and a height of 6:1:2:1:6. The proportions of the state flag are 27:16, or 6:1:2:1:6:11 horizontally and 6:1:2:1:6 vertically.
The red colour shall be PMS 032 U and the blue PMS 281 U in the Pantone system. This approximates to the RGB values #EF2B2D (red) and #002868 (blue).
 National and merchant flag |
 State and war flag |
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[edit] History
It is difficult to establish what the earliest flag of Norway looked like. During ancient times countries did not fly flags. Kings and other rulers flew flags, especially in battle. Saint Olav used a serpent within a white mark at the Battle of Nesjar. Prior to this the raven or dragon was used. Magnus the Good used the same mark as Saint Olav. Harald Hardråde used the raven banner. This flag was flown by various viking chieftains and other Scandinavian rulers during the ninth, tenth and eleventh centuries CE. Inge used a red lion on gold. Sverre used an eagle in gold and red. The earliest known flag which could be described as a national flag of Norway is the one used today as the Royal Standard. Eirik Magnusson used a flag described as a golden lion with axe and crown on red from 1280 and this was since regularly the flag of Norway and of the King of Norway.
The flag is based on the Coat of Arms and was originally only a flag for the ruler of Norway (as it is today). It was later also used on ships and on fortresses until it was gradually phased out during the 17th and 18th centuries. Its earliest certain depiction is on the seal of duchess Ingebjørg in 1318. Around 1500 it became the custom for ships to fly the flag of their home country to identify their nationality. At least as late as 1698 the lion banner was flown over Akershus Fortress. The "Norwegian lion" was placed in the colours of all the Norwegian regiments in 1641. In 1748 a decree stated that the Dannebrog should be the only legal merchant flag.
From about the 16th century until 1814 Norway used the same flag as Denmark, as it was in union with that country. In 1814 independent Norway adopted the Danish flag with the Norwegian lion in the canton or the upper square at the hoist. This flag was in use until 1821. Later in 1814 Norway was united with Sweden and in 1815 a common flag for both states was introduced, the Swedish flag with a white cross on a red background in the canton. This design was used for government flags and for merchant ships beyond Cape Finisterre. A distinctive Norwegian flag was designed in 1821 by Fredrik Meltzer, a member of the parliament (Storting). It was adopted by both chambers of the Storting on May 11 and May 16, respectively. However, the king refused to sign the flag law, but approved the design for civilian use by royal order in council on July 13, 1821. The design is the same as in the present flag. But as the constitution of 1814 explicitly stated that the war flag was to be a union flag, the common flag (Swedish with a canton signifying Norway) was used by the armies and navies of both states until 1844.
Until 1838 the Norwegian flag was only used in Northern waters, as Norway had no treaty with the Barbary pirates of North Africa and had to fly the Swedish or union flag for protection. In 1844 a union badge combining Norwegian and Swedish colors was placed at the hoist of both countries' flags. The badge was popularly called Sildesalaten ("the herring salad") from its resemblance to a herring salad. Initially, the union flag was popular in Norway, since it clearly denoted the equal status of the two united states. As the union with Sweden became less popular, the Norwegian parliament abolished the union badge from the national (merchant) and state flags in 1898. Although the law was not approved by the King, it became effective since it had been passed by three consecutive Stortings. The "pure" flag was first flown in 1899, but the union badge had to be kept in the war flag. At the dissolution of the union in 1905, it was removed from the navy flag as well. Sweden kept it in all flags until 1905.
[edit] Laws regarding the flag
The Norwegian flag law of 1898 [1] specifies the appearance of the merchant and state flags and their use by merchant ships, customs and post vessels. The flag regulations of 1927 [2] further describe the use of the state flag on state property and on national holidays.
The flag regulations also describe the time of day when the flag should be drawn. From March to October the flag should be drawn from 8.00. From November to February it should be drawn from 9.00. The flag is drawn until sunset, although no later than 21.00, even if sunset is later than that. In the northern counties Nordland, Troms and Finnmark the flag is drawn between 10.00 and 15.00 from November to February. These rules do not apply for private use of the flag, but they are still usually observed for that use of the flag as well.
There also exist some unwritten rules about things like how the flag should be folded, that it should never touch the ground, and not be worn on the body below the waist.
The Sami flag is now regarded as official, and can be used in addition to or instead of the Norwegian flag on Norwegian flag days as well as the Sami flag days, and other occasions where the use of flag is natural. The rules for when that flag should be used on public buildings are the same as for the Norwegian flag, with the exception that if the Sami flag is used together with the Norwegian flag on official flag days or official occasions (both Norwegian and Sami), the Sami flag should be drawn on the flag pole to the right of the Norwegian flag.
[edit] Symbolism
Fredrik Meltzer submitted his proposal just in time to be exhibited in parliament on 4 May 1821 together with a large number of other proposals. It was approved by both chambers during the following two weeks. Meltzer himself provided no written explanation of his choice of design and colours. However, his intentions may be inferred from an earlier letter of April 30 with his comments regarding the proposal from the flag committee. That design was divided quarterly red and white. Meltzer objected to the colours because they were too similar to those of the Danish flag. He added that it would be equally unseemly to choose the colours of any of "those states with which we have been or are connected". Instead, he recommended a tricolor of red, white and blue, "three colours that now denote freedom, such as we have seen in the French flag of freedom, and still see in that of the Dutch and Americans, and in the Union of the English". [1]
His eventual choice a few days later of a Nordic cross was clearly based on the tradition established by the other Nordic countries, Denmark and Sweden. The red and blue colours also explicitly referred to the same two countries, former and present union partners. It was clearly understood by all who took part in the flag discussions locally, in the press or in parliament what those colours denoted. A predominantly red flag had many adherents among those who were attached to the union with Denmark or to its flag, which for centuries had also been that of Norway. Others, who saw Denmark as an oppressor, favoured the blue colour associated with the new Swedish dynasty.[2] Consequently, most of the other flag proposals on the agenda had either red or blue as the predominant colour, depending on the political preferences of the proposers.[3]
[edit] Norwegian flag days
- January 1 - New Year's Day
- January 21 - Princess Ingrid Alexandra's birthday
- February 6 - The Sami National Day. (An official flag day both for the Sami people and for the whole of Norway.)
- February 21 - King Harald V's birthday
- Easter Day
- May 1 - Labour Day
- May 8 - Liberation Day 1945
- May 17 - Constitution Day 1814 (National Day)
- Whitsunday
- June 7 - Union Dissolution Day 1905
- July 4 - Queen Sonja's birthday
- July 20 - Crown Prince Haakon Magnus's birthday
- July 29 - Olsok. (Olav's Mass. In memory of King Olav Haraldsson (the Holy), who died in the battle of Stiklestad July 29, 1030.)
- August 19 - Crown Princess Mette-Marit's birthday
- Second Monday of September every 4 years - General election
- December 25 - Christmas Day
[edit] Chronology
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It is important to note that the use of flags on land (other than in battle) is fairly new.
[edit] See also
- Nordic Cross Flag
- List of flags of Norway
- Coat of arms of Norway
- Union badge of Norway and Sweden
- Royal Standard of Norway
- Holidays in Norway
- Norwegian Constitution Day
- National anthem of Norway
- Flag of Denmark
- Flag of Orkney
- Flag of Sweden
- Flag of Sami
[edit] Notes
- ^ Stortingsarkivet: Meltzer's letter of April 30, http://www.stortinget.no/om_stortinget/flagg/039-18210430Meltzer_01-04.pdf
- ^ Stortingsarkivet: printed circular letter from Kielland, September 5, 1820, http://www.stortinget.no/om_stortinget/flagg/023-18210220OEP82T_01-05.pdf
- ^ Munksgaard, Jan Henrik: "Et nytt flagg for Norge 1814-1821", In: Nordisk flaggkontakt, Vol. 40, 2005, pp.19-30.
[edit] External links
- Norway at Flags of the World
- Norwegian defense web page about the flag's history
- University of Bergen chronology
- National Archive flag history With a picture of the seal of duchess Ingebjørg.
- A commercial web site with a flag chronology
- Stortinget flag history page
- FOTW info on the Kalmar Union flag
- Nive pictures and some history from mil.no(Norwegian)
