Denmark vs. Norway: Flag Comparison
Norway's 1821 flag was directly modeled on Denmark's medieval Dannebrog by superimposing an indigo-blue Nordic cross inside the white cross of the red-and-white Danish flag.
How to tell Denmark and Norway apart at a glance
- Cross colors: Denmark features a single white Nordic cross on a red field, whereas Norway places a dark blue Nordic cross inside a white border (fimbriation) on a red field.
- Aspect ratio: Denmark's civil Dannebrog is 28:37 (≈ 1:1.32, relatively compact), while Norway's flag is 8:11 (16:22 ≈ 1:1.375).
- Construction grid: Denmark divides its height 12:4:12 and length 12:4:21; Norway divides its height 6:1:2:1:6 and length 6:1:2:1:12.
Side-by-side structural comparison
| Attribute | Denmark | Norway |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | 28:37 (28:37) | 8:11 (8:11) |
| Layout & orientation | horizontal nordic cross | horizontal nordic cross |
| Band / color sequence | red · white | red · white · blue |
| Official color specs | Dannebrog Red (Dannebrogsrød) (Pantone 186 C); White (statute-named) | Crimson Red (Høyrød) (Pantone 200 C); White (statute-named); Indigo Blue (Mørkeblå) (Pantone 281 C) |
| Official adoption | 1748-06-11 | 1821-07-13 |
| Region | Northern Europe | Northern Europe |
| Visual similarity score | 90/100 (Layout 35/35 · Colors 16.7/25 · Symbols 20/20 · Ratio 8.8/10 · Geometry 10/10) | |
Why these two flags look alike
Few flag pairs illustrate design lineage as clearly as Denmark and Norway. Denmark and Norway were united under the Oldenburg monarchy from 1380 until 1814, flying the red-and-white Danish Dannebrog together across land and sea for more than four centuries. After Norway entered a personal union with Sweden in 1814, Bergen parliamentarian Fredrik Meltzer designed a distinctively Norwegian flag in May 1821.
Meltzer preserved the red field and white Nordic cross of Denmark to honor Norway's shared centuries of history, and inserted a central indigo-blue cross both to represent Norway's new union partner Sweden and to evoke the red, white, and blue colors of constitutional liberty in France, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and the United States. Both flags retain square hoist cantons (12×12 units in Denmark; 6×6 units in Norway), making their structural kinship immediately visible.
Explore each flag in detail
Read the complete statutory specification, color table, and historical timeline on the Flag of Denmark page or the Flag of Norway page, or return to all flag comparisons.