Vexillological symbol

Template:Short description Template:More citations needed Vexillological symbols are used by vexillologists to indicate certain characteristics of flags, such as where they are used, who uses them, and what they look like. The symbols were created by vexillologist Whitney Smith and then adopted by the International Federation of Vexillological Associations (FIAV) in the early 1970s.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Vexillologist Željko Heimer added the symbols for Template:FIAV normal and Template:FIAVhistorical in the early 1990s.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Status and design symbols

Vexillological symbols describe information on a flag's recognition status and design.

List of symbols

Symbol	Meaning
Template:FIAV	Normal or de jure version of flag, or obverse side
Template:FIAV	Design was proposed in the past, but never officially adopted
Template:FIAV	Design is a reconstruction, based on past observation
Template:FIAV	Reverse side of flag
Template:FIAV	An acceptable variant of the standard flag
Template:FIAV	One of several alternative versions of the flag that can be displayed
Template:FIAV	De facto flag, widely accepted and used
Template:FIAV	Flag has different designs on its obverse side and its reverse side
Template:FIAV	Obverse side meant to be hoisted with pole to the observer's right
Template:FIAV	Design officially authorized to represent nation by government of that nation (not necessary to use when the de jure symbol is used)
Template:FIAV	Design used in the past, but now abandoned
Template:FIAV	Reverse side is mirror image of obverse side
Template:FIAV	Reverse side is congruent to the obverse side
Template:FIAV	Information on reverse side is not available
Template:FIAV	Flag can be hung vertically by hoisting on a normal pole, then turning the pole 90°
Template:FIAV	Flag can be hung vertically by rotating the design first
Template:FIAV	Vertical hoist method of flag is unknown
Template:FIAV	Design has no element which can be rotated
Template:FIAV	Flags can only be hoisted vertically
Template:FIAV	Flag is not authorized to represent the group or country

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Usage symbols

The usage symbols are based on a grid of two rows representing use on land and use on water, and three columns representing private use, public use, and military use. Each circle in the grid indicates the flag has one or more of the following six basic usages:

	Private	Public	Military
Land	Civil flag Flown by private citizens on land	State flag Flown by the government on land	War flag Flown by the military on land
Water	Civil ensign Flown by private vessels	State ensign Flown by government vessels	Naval ensign Flown by military vessels

A single design may be associated with no usages or multiple usages. Heimer suggested an additional row for air ensigns, but it has not been adopted by FIAV. The air ensign row refers to flags displayed on aircraft, including when on the ground, and air installations. The air ensign row is placed above the remaining two rows.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

List of symbols

Symbol	Meaning	Symbol	Meaning
Template:FIAV	Civil flag	Template:FIAV	National flag
Template:FIAV	State flag	Template:FIAV	National ensign
Template:FIAV	War flag	Template:FIAV	State and war flag, war ensign
Template:FIAV	Civil ensign	Template:FIAV	State flag, civil and war ensign
Template:FIAV	State ensign	Template:FIAV	Civil and state flags and ensigns
Template:FIAV	War ensign	Template:FIAV	State and war flags and ensigns
Template:FIAV	Civil and state flag	Template:FIAV	National flag, civil ensign
Template:FIAV	State and war flag	Template:FIAV	National flag, state ensign
Template:FIAV	Civil and state ensign	Template:FIAV	National flag, civil and state ensign
Template:FIAV	State and war ensign	Template:FIAV	National flag, state and war ensign
Template:FIAV	Civil flag and ensign	Template:FIAV	State and war flag, national ensign
Template:FIAV	State flag and ensign	Template:FIAV	Civil and state flag, national ensign
Template:FIAV	War flag and ensign	Template:FIAV	National flag and ensign
Template:FIAV	Civil and war ensign	Template:FIAV	Civil flag, war ensign
Template:FIAV	Civil flag, state ensign	Template:FIAV	Civil flag, state and war ensign
Template:FIAV	Civil flag, civil and war ensign	Template:FIAV	Civil flag, civil and state ensign
Template:FIAV	Civil flag, national ensign	Template:FIAV	Civil and war flag
Template:FIAV	Civil and war flag, war ensign	Template:FIAV	Civil and war flag, state ensign
Template:FIAV	Civil and war flag, state and war ensign	Template:FIAV	Civil and war flag, civil ensign
Template:FIAV	Civil and war flags and ensigns	Template:FIAV	Civil and war flag, civil and state ensign
Template:FIAV	Civil and war flag, national ensign	Template:FIAV	Civil and state flag, war ensign
Template:FIAV	Civil and state flag, state ensign	Template:FIAV	Civil and state flag, state and war ensign
Template:FIAV	Civil and state flag, civil ensign	Template:FIAV	Civil and state flag, civil and war ensign
Template:FIAV	State flag, war ensign	Template:FIAV	State flag, state and war ensign
Template:FIAV	State flag, civil ensign	Template:FIAV	State flag, state and civil ensign
Template:FIAV	State flag, national ensign	Template:FIAV	State flag and ensign, war flag
Template:FIAV	State and war flag, civil ensign	Template:FIAV	State and war flag, civil and war ensign
Template:FIAV	State and war flag, civil and state ensign	Template:FIAV	War flag, state ensign
Template:FIAV	War flag, state and war ensign	Template:FIAV	War flag, civil ensign
Template:FIAV	War flag, civil and war ensign	Template:FIAV	War flag, civil and state ensign
Template:FIAV	War flag, national ensign	Template:FIAV	National flag, war ensign
Template:FIAV	National flag, civil and war ensign	Template:FIAV	Other

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See also

• Glossary of vexillology

References

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