Australia vs. New Zealand: Flag Comparison
Australia and New Zealand both fly British Blue Ensigns featuring the Southern Cross, but Australia includes a large Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist and uses five white stars, while New Zealand uses four red stars with white borders.
How to tell Australia and New Zealand apart at a glance
- Check beneath the Union Jack: Australia has a large seven-pointed Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist; New Zealand has no star beneath the Union Jack.
- Check star color: Australia's stars are solid white; New Zealand's stars are red with white outlines.
- Count the Southern Cross stars: Australia has 5 stars (including the small 5-pointed Epsilon Crucis); New Zealand has only 4 stars.
Side-by-side structural comparison
| Attribute | Australia | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | 1:2 (1:2) | 1:2 (1:2) |
| Layout & orientation | horizontal canton | horizontal canton |
| Band / color sequence | blue · white · red | blue · red · white |
| Official color specs | Federal Blue (Pantone 280 C); White (statute-named); Federal Red (Pantone 185 C) | Royal Navy Blue (Pantone 280 C); Union Flag Red (Pantone 186 C); White (statute-named) |
| Official adoption | 1954-02-14 | 1902-06-12 |
| Region | Australia and New Zealand | Australia and New Zealand |
| Visual similarity score | 96/100 (Layout 35/35 · Colors 25/25 · Symbols 16/20 · Ratio 10/10 · Geometry 10/10) | |
Why these two flags look alike
Both flags are 1:2 British Blue Ensigns with the Union Jack in the upper hoist canton and the Southern Cross constellation in the fly. Australia's flag adds a large seven-pointed Commonwealth Star directly below the Union Jack, and its Southern Cross comprises five white stars (four seven-pointed and one smaller five-pointed Epsilon Crucis). New Zealand has no star beneath the canton, and its Southern Cross consists of four red five-pointed stars fimbriated with white borders.
Australia's stars are completely solid white. New Zealand's stars are red (Pantone 186 C) with white borders (fimbriations). Check beneath the Union Jack and look at the star colors: if there is a big seven-pointed star beneath the Union Jack and all stars are solid white, it is Australia. If there is no star beneath the Union Jack and the stars are red with white outlines, it is New Zealand.
New Zealand's flag was designed in 1869 and adopted in 1902. Australia's flag was chosen in a 1901 design competition following federation and codified by the Flags Act 1953. Both designs reflect their shared British imperial maritime roots and Southern Hemisphere geography.
Explore each flag in detail
Read the complete statutory specification, color table, and historical timeline on the Flag of Australia page or the Flag of New Zealand page, or return to all flag comparisons.
Sources
- Flags Act 1953
- New Zealand Ensign Act 1901 — New Zealand Acts As Enacted