Editing Flag (section)

==National flags==
{{Main|National flag}}
[[File:Flags at half-staff outside Central Plaza.jpg|thumb|Flags at [[half-mast]] outside [[Central Plaza, Hong Kong]], after the [[2008 Sichuan earthquake]]. The [[Flag of Saudi Arabia]] is exempted.]]
[[File:Meeting Place Monument.JPG|thumb|Tribal flags at Meeting Place Monument/Flag Plaza at the Oklahoma State Capitol]]

One of the most popular uses of a flag is to symbolise a [[nation]] or [[country]]. Some [[national flag]]s have been particularly inspirational to other nations, countries, or subnational entities in the design of their own flags. Some prominent examples include:

[[File:Dannebrog isamsø.jpg|thumb|upright|right|The Danish national flag (Dannebrog) waving in [[Samsø]] ]]

* The [[flag of Denmark]], the ''Dannebrog'', is attested in 1478, and is the oldest national flag still in use.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/oldest-continuously-used-national-flag/ | title=Oldest continuously used national flag | work=Guinness World Records | access-date=2023-11-10}}</ref> It inspired the [[Nordic Cross Flag|cross design]] of the other [[Nordic countries]]: [[Flag of Norway|Norway]], [[Flag of Sweden|Sweden]], [[Flag of Iceland|Iceland]], [[Flag of Finland|Finland]], and regional Scandinavian flags for the [[Flag of the Faroe Islands|Faroe Islands]], [[Flag of Åland|Åland]], [[Flag of Skåneland|Scania]] and [[Flag of Bornholm|Bornholm]], as well as flags for the non-Scandinavian [[Flag of Shetland|Shetland]] and [[Flag of Orkney|Orkney]].<ref>[http://denmark.dk/en/quick-facts/national-flag/ National Flag -The official website of Denmark] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203070136/http://denmark.dk/en/quick-facts/national-flag/ |date=2018-02-03 }}. Earlier use of the white cross on red is attested by an armorial (Netherlands) of 1370-1386. In later monastic tradition, the Dannebrog made its first, miraculous appearance at the Battle of Lindanise on 15 June 1219.</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Khag6tbsIn4C&pg=PA88|author=Jeroen Temperman|title=State Religion Relationships and Human Rights Law: Towards a Right to Religiously Neutral Governance|year=2010|page=88|publisher=[[Martinus Nijhoff Publishers]]|isbn=978-9004181489|quote=Many predominantly Christian states show a cross, symbolising Christianity, on their national flag. The so-called Scandinavian crosses or Nordic crosses on the flags of the Nordic countries–Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden–also represent Christianity.|access-date=31 December 2007|archive-date=23 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423140657/https://books.google.com/books?id=Khag6tbsIn4C&pg=PA88|url-status=live}}</ref>
* The [[flag of the Netherlands]] is the oldest [[tricolour (flag)|tricolour]]. Its three colours of red, white and blue go back to [[Charlemagne]]'s time, the ninth century. The coastal region of what today is the Netherlands was then known for its cloth in these colours. Maps from the early 16th century already put flags in these colours next to this region, like Texeira's map of 1520. A century before that, during the 15th century, the three colours were mentioned as the coastal signals for this area, with the three bands straight or diagonal, single or doubled. As [[state flag]] it first appeared around 1572 as the [[Prince's Flag]] in orange–white–blue. Soon the more famous red–white–blue began appearing, becoming the prevalent version from around 1630. Orange made a comeback during the civil war of the late 18th century, signifying the orangist or pro-[[stadtholder]] party. During World War II the pro-Nazi [[National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands|NSB]] used it. Any symbolism has been added later to the three colours, although the orange comes from the [[House of Orange-Nassau]]. This use of orange comes from Nassau, which today uses orange-blue, not from Orange, which today uses red-blue. However, the usual way to show the link with the House of Orange-Nassau is the orange pennant above the red-white-blue. It is said that the Dutch Tricolour has inspired<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Whitney |title=flag of France {{!}} History & Meaning |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-France |access-date=2019-02-24 |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |language=en}}</ref>{{Citation needed |date=October 2007}} many flags but most notably those of Russia, [[Flags of New York City|New York City]], and [[Flag of South Africa|South Africa]] (the [[Flag of South Africa (1928–1994)|1928–94 flag]] as well the current flag). As the probable inspiration for the [[Russian flag]], it is the source too for the [[pan-Slavic colours]] red, white and blue, adopted by many [[Slavic peoples|Slavic]] states and peoples as their symbols; examples are [[Flag of Slovakia|Slovakia]], [[Flag of Serbia|Serbia]], and [[Flag of Slovenia|Slovenia]].<ref name="Shelley">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5qlXatHRJtMC&q=Pan-Slavic+flag&pg=PR16 | title=Nation Shapes: The Story behind the World's Borders | publisher=ABC-CLIO | author=Shelley, Fred M. | year=2013 | pages=xvi | isbn=9781610691062}}</ref>
* The national [[flag of France]] was designed in 1794. As a forerunner of revolution, France's tricolour flag style has been adopted by other nations. Examples: [[Flag of Italy|Italy]], [[Flag of Belgium|Belgium]], [[Flag of Ireland|Ireland]], [[Flag of Romania|Romania]] and [[Flag of Mexico|Mexico]].{{citation needed|date=December 2016}}
* The [[Union Flag]] (Union Jack) of the United Kingdom is the most commonly used. British colonies typically flew a flag based on one of the ensigns based on this flag, and many former colonies have retained the design to acknowledge their cultural history. Examples: [[Flag of Australia|Australia]], [[Flag of Fiji|Fiji]], [[Flag of New Zealand|New Zealand]], [[Flag of Tuvalu|Tuvalu]], and also the Canadian provinces of [[Flag of Manitoba|Manitoba]], [[Flag of Ontario|Ontario]] and [[Flag of British Columbia|British Columbia]], and the American state of [[Flag of Hawaii|Hawaii]]; ''see [[commons:Flags based on British ensigns]]''.
* The [[flag of the United States]] is nicknamed ''The Stars and Stripes'' or ''Old Glory''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Whitney |title=Flag of the United States of America |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-the-United-States-of-America |access-date=2019-05-24 |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |language=en}}</ref> Some nations imitated this flag to symbolise their similarity to the United States or the [[American Revolution]]. Examples: [[Flag of Liberia|Liberia]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Whitney |title=Flag of Liberia |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-Liberia |access-date=2019-05-24 |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |language=en}}</ref> [[Flag of Chile|Chile]], [[Flag of the Republic of China|Taiwan (ROC)]], and the French region of [[Flag of Brittany|Brittany]].
[[File:Flag of Ethiopia (1975–1987).svg|thumb|The [[Flag of Ethiopia]]'s colours inspired the colours of many African national flags.]]
* [[Ethiopia]] was seen as a model by emerging African states of the 1950s and 1960s, as it was one of the oldest independent states in Africa. Accordingly, its [[Flag of Ethiopia|flag]] became the source of the [[Pan-African colours]], or 'Rasta colours'. Examples: [[Flag of Benin|Benin]], [[Flag of Togo|Togo]], [[Flag of Senegal|Senegal]], [[Flag of Ghana|Ghana]], [[Flag of Mali|Mali]], [[Flag of Guinea|Guinea]].
* The [[flag of Turkey]], which is very similar to the last flag of the old [[Ottoman Empire]], has been an inspiration for the flag designs of many other Muslim nations. During the time of the Ottomans the [[crescent]] began to be associated with [[Islam]] and this is reflected on the flags of [[Flag of Algeria|Algeria]], [[Flag of Azerbaijan|Azerbaijan]], [[Flag of the Comoros|Comoros]], [[Flag of Libya|Libya]], [[Flag of Mauritania|Mauritania]], [[Flag of Pakistan|Pakistan]], [[Flag of Tunisia|Tunisia]] and [[Flag of Maldives|Maldives]].<ref>Cyril Glassé , ''The New Encyclopedia of Islam'' (revised ed. 2001), s.v. "Moon" (p. 314).</ref>
* The [[Pan-Arab colours]], green, white, red and black, are derived from the flag of the [[Arab Revolt|Great Arab Revolt]] as seen on the flags of [[Flag of Jordan|Jordan]], [[Flag of Libya|Libya]], [[Flag of Kuwait|Kuwait]], [[Flag of Sudan|Sudan]], [[Flag of Syria|Syria]], the [[Flag of the United Arab Emirates|United Arab Emirates]], [[Flag of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic|Western Sahara]], [[Flag of Egypt|Egypt]], [[Flag of Iraq|Iraq]], [[Flag of Yemen|Yemen]] and [[Palestinian flag|Palestine]].
* The [[Flag of the Soviet Union|Soviet flag]], with its golden symbols of the [[hammer and sickle]] on a red field, was an inspiration to flags of other [[communism|communist]] states, such as [[Flag of East Germany|East Germany]], the [[Flag of the People's Republic of China|People's Republic of China]], [[Flag of Vietnam|Vietnam]], [[Flag of Angola|Angola]], [[Flag of Afghanistan|Afghanistan (1978–1980)]] and [[Flag of Mozambique|Mozambique]].
* The [[flag of Venezuela]], created by [[Francisco de Miranda]] to represent the independence movement in Venezuela that later gave birth to the [[Republic of Gran Colombia|Gran Colombia]], inspired the flags of [[Flag of Colombia|Colombia]], [[Flag of Ecuador|Ecuador]], and the [[Flag of the Federal Territory (Malaysia)|Federal Territories in Malaysia]], all sharing three bands of yellow, blue and red with the flag of Venezuela.
* The [[flag of Argentina]], created by [[Manuel Belgrano]] during the war of independence, was the inspiration for the [[United Provinces of Central America]]'s flag, which in turn was the origin for the flags of [[Flag of Guatemala|Guatemala]], [[Flag of Honduras|Honduras]], [[Flag of El Salvador|El Salvador]], and [[Flag of Nicaragua|Nicaragua]].

National flag designs are often used to signify nationality in other forms, such as [[flag patch]]es.

===Civil flags===
{{Main|Civil flag}}
{{multiple image
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 | image1 = Flag of Peru.svg
 | alt1 = Civil flag of Peru
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 | image2 = Flag of Peru (state).svg
 | alt2 = State flag of Peru
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 | footer = The civil and state flags of [[Peru]] share the same red and white bands, but only the state flag (right) is [[Defacement (flag)|defaced]] with the national ensign.
}}

A ''civil'' flag is a version of the national flag that is flown by civilians on non-government installations or craft. The use of civil flags was more common in the past, in order to denote buildings or ships that were not crewed by the military. In some countries the civil flag is the same as the [[war flag]] or [[state flag]], but without the coat of arms, such as in the case of [[Flag of Spain|Spain]], and in others it is an alteration of the war flag.

===War flags===
{{Main|War flag|Colours, standards and guidons}}
[[File:Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg|thumb|Standard for the [[UK]]'s [[Royal Air Force]], the [[Royal Air Force Ensign|Ensign of the RAF]] displays the RAF [[roundel]] that is also displayed on the fuselage and wings of British warplanes.]]

Several countries, including the [[Royal Air Force]], [[British Army]] and the [[Royal Navy]] ([[White Ensign]]) of the [[United Kingdom]] and the [[Soviet Union]] have had [[Union Jack|unique flags]] flown by their [[armed forces]] separately, rather than the [[national flag]].

Other countries' armed forces (such as those of the United States or Switzerland) use their standard [[Flag of the United States|national flag]]; in addition, the U.S. has alongside flags and seals designed from long tradition for each of its six uniformed military services/military sub-departments in the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] and the [[United States Department of Homeland Security|Department of Homeland Security]]. The Philippines' armed forces may use their [[Flag of the Philippines|standard national flag]], but during times of war the flag is turned upside down. [[Flag of Bulgaria|Bulgaria's flag]] is also turned upside down during times of war. These are also considered war flags, though the terminology only applies to the flag's military usage.

Large versions of the war flag flown on the [[warship]]s of countries' [[navy|navies]] are known as [[battle ensign]]s. In addition, besides flying the national standard or a military services' emblem flag at a military fort, base, station or post and at sea at the stern (rear) or main top mast of a warship, a [[Jack (flag)|Naval Jack flag]] and other [[maritime flag]]s, [[Pennant (commissioning)|pennants]] and emblems are flown at the bow (front). In times of war waving a white flag is a banner of truce, talks/negotiations or surrender.

Four distinctive African flags currently in the collection of the [[National Maritime Museum]] in [[United Kingdom|Britain]] were flown in action by [[Itsekiri]] ships under the control of [[Nana Olomu]] during the conflict in the late 19th century. One is the flag generally known as the [[Flag of the Benin Empire|Benin Empire flag]] and one is referred to as Nana Olomu's flag.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rog.nmm.ac.uk/upload/amaxus_pdf/amaxus_conWebDoc_229.pdf|title=Welcome to the Royal Museums Greenwich Blogs - Royal Museums Greenwich Blogs|access-date=2010-05-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928144651/http://www.rog.nmm.ac.uk/upload/amaxus_pdf/amaxus_conWebDoc_229.pdf|archive-date=2011-09-28|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===International flags===
[[File:Flag of the United Nations.svg|thumb|The [[Flag of the United Nations]], sky blue field with north polar view looking down on a world map in white with two olive branches wreaths curved around. First version presented April–June 1945 to the [[United Nations|United Nations Organization]] (UNO) at the [[United Nations Conference on International Organization|San Francisco Conference]], second version adopted by the U.N., December 1946]]

Among international flags are the [[Flag of the United Nations|United Nations]], [[Flag of Europe|Europe]], [[Olympic symbols#Flag|Olympic]], [[flag of NATO|NATO]] and [[Paralympic symbols#Flag|Paralympic flags]].