Flag of Norway
Native & traditional name: Norges flagg
| Flag | Norway (NO) |
|---|---|
| Type | National flag (national, civil) |
| Proportion | 8:11 (8:11) |
| Primary colors | red, white, blue |
| Main symbol | cross |
| Arrangement | horizontal nordic cross |
| Official adoption | 1821-07-13 — Designed by Fredrik Meltzer and adopted by the Storting in 1821; unadorned civil and national flag confirmed by the Flag Act of 1898-12-10 |
| Region | Northern Europe |
Plain-language visual description
Norway's national flag is an 8:11 crimson-red rectangular field charged with an indigo-blue Nordic cross bordered (fimbriated) in white.
Construction and geometry
Proportion & symmetry: The Flag of Norway uses a statutory 8:11 height-to-width ratio on a rectangular field with horizontal mirror symmetry. 16:22 (8:11) overall ratio. Vertical proportions are 6:1:2:1:6; horizontal proportions are 6:1:2:1:12.
- Overall proportion is 16:22 (8:11). Along the hoist, the bands measure 6:1:2:1:6 (total 16); along the length, they measure 6:1:2:1:12 (total 22), making the two hoist cantons 6×6 squares.
Official colors and specification system
Rather than manufacturing false RGB precision where a statute specifies dyed cloth, Pantone, Munsell, or CIE coordinates, the table below records the governing color system alongside a calibrated display hex approximation.
| Color | Official shade name | Specification system | Statutory / standard code | Display hex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| red | Crimson Red (Høyrød) | pantone | Pantone 200 C | #BA0C2F |
| white | White | statute-named | Named in statute | #FFFFFF |
| blue | Indigo Blue (Mørkeblå) | pantone | Pantone 281 C | #00205B |
Meaning and symbolism
Documented symbolism
As explained by its designer Fredrik Meltzer in May 1821, the flag intentionally combined the Nordic cross form and red-and-white colors of Denmark (with which Norway had been united until 1814) with the blue of Sweden (Norway's union partner from 1814 to 1905), while also echoing the red, white, and blue associated with constitutional liberty in France, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and the United States.
Common interpretations
Because the white border separates the blue cross from the red field, Norway's flag is also a classic example of the heraldic rule of tincture, preventing color-on-color (blue directly on red) from blurring at sea.
History and design evolution
When Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden in 1814, Norway initially flew a modified Danish flag with the Norwegian crowned lion in the upper hoist canton, and later a Swedish flag with a red-and-white canton. In 1821 the Norwegian parliament (Storting) held a competition for a distinct merchant flag, and Bergen parliamentarian Fredrik Meltzer submitted the winning red, white, and blue Nordic cross.
Adopted by the Storting in May 1821 and approved by King Karl III Johan on 13 July 1821 for maritime use in northern waters, the flag received a union mark ('Sildesalaten', combining Norwegian and Swedish colors) in the upper hoist corner between 1844 and 1898.
In 1898 the Storting passed the Norwegian Flag Act removing the union mark from the merchant and national flag—overriding the royal veto a third time—and after the peaceful dissolution of the union with Sweden in 1905, the clean 6:1:2:1:12 cross became the sole national flag.
Key historical milestones
- 1821Fredrik Meltzer's design adopted: Approved by the Storting in May 1821 and by royal resolution on 13 July 1821.
- 1898Norwegian Flag Act removes union canton: Establishes the pure red, white, and blue cross in 16:22 proportions as the civil and merchant flag.
- 1905Full independence from Sweden: Becomes the sovereign national flag across all civil and state uses.
Frequently confused with
The Flag of Norway is commonly confused with the following national flags due to shared colors, stripe geometry, or central emblems:
Visually and structurally similar flags
Ranked deterministically across layout family (35%), color overlap and stripe order (25%), symbols (20%), aspect ratio (10%), and stripe/symmetry geometry (10%):
Sources and image-rights provenance
- Lovdata — Lov om Norges Flag (10. desember 1898 nr. 1)
- Stortinget — Nasjonalsymbolene og flaggets historie
SVG artwork provenance: Constructed from statutory specifications (public-domain-statute, verified 2026-10-13, SHA-256 dd2850cf0711…).