Editing State flag

{{Short description|Term referring to two types of flag}}
{{one source|date=June 2018}}

[[File:State flag of Peru, Túcume.jpg|thumb|The state flag of [[Peru]]]]

In [[vexillology]], a '''state flag''' is either the [[flag]] of the [[government]] of a [[sovereign state]], or the flag of an individual [[federated state]] (subnational administrative division).<ref name=":0" />

==Government flag==
A state flag is a variant of a [[national flag]] (or occasionally a completely different design) specifically designated and restricted by law or custom (theoretically or actually) to use by a country's government or its agencies. For this reason, they are sometimes referred to as ''government flags''. In many countries the state flag and the [[civil flag]] (as flown by the general public) are identical, but in other countries, notably those in Latin America, central Europe, and Scandinavia, the state flag is a more complex version of the national flag, often featuring the national [[coat of arms]] or some other emblem as part of the design. Scandinavian countries also use [[Swallowtail (flag)|swallowtail]]ed state flags, to further differentiate them from civil flags.<ref name=":0">{{cite book|last=Znamierowski|title=World Encyclopedia of Flags|page=66|chapter=Government Flags}}</ref>

In addition, some countries have [[state ensign]]s, separate flags for use by non-military government ships such as [[Coast guard|guard]] vessels.  For example, government ships in the United Kingdom fly the [[Blue Ensign]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Znamierowski|title=World Encyclopedia of Flags|page=108|chapter=The Union Jack}}</ref>

State flags should not be confused with the national flag as used by military organizations; these are referred to as [[war flag]]s and [[Ensign (flag)|naval ensign]]s.<ref>{{cite book|last=Znamierowski|title=World Encyclopedia of Flags|page=88|chapter=Naval Ensigns and Flags}}</ref>

===National flags with separate state and civil versions===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| [[File:Flag of Andorra (civil).svg|x40px|border|alt=]]|| [[Flag of Andorra|Optional civil flag of Andorra]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Andorra.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Andorra|State and civil flag of Andorra]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Argentina (civil).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Argentina|Optional civil flag of Argentina]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Argentina.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Argentina|State and civil flag of Argentina]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Austria.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Austria|Optional civil flag of Austria]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Austria (state).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Austria|State flag of Austria]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Belgium|De facto civil flag of Belgium]] (ratio 2:3)
|-
| [[File:Flag of Belgium.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Belgium|Official state and civil flag of Belgium]] (ratio 13:15)
|-
| [[File:Flag of Bolivia.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Bolivia|Civil flag of Bolivia]]
|-
| [[File:Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Bolivia|State flag of Bolivia]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Costa Rica.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Costa Rica|Civil flag of Costa Rica]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Costa Rica (state).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Costa Rica|State flag of Costa Rica]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Denmark.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Denmark|Civil flag of Denmark]]
|-
!style="text-align:left"| [[File:Flag of Denmark (state).svg|x40px|alt=]] 
|| [[Flag of Denmark|State flag of Denmark]]
|-
| [[File:Civil Ensign of the Dominican Republic.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of the Dominican Republic|Civil flag of Dominican Republic]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of the Dominican Republic|State flag of Dominican Republic]]
|-
| [[File:Civil Flag of El Salvador.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of El Salvador|Civil flag of El Salvador]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of El Salvador.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of El Salvador|State flag of El Salvador]]
|-
| [[File:Civil Ensign of El Salvador.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of El Salvador|Alternative state flag of El Salvador]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Finland.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Finland|Civil flag of Finland]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Finland (state).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Finland|State flag of Finland]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Germany.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Germany|Civil and alternative state flag of Germany]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Germany (state).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Germany|State flag of Germany]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Germany (unoff).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Germany|Unofficial flag of Germany]]
|-
| [[File:Civil Ensign of Guatemala.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Guatemala|Civil flag of Guatemala]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Guatemala.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Guatemala|State flag of Guatemala]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Haiti (civil).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Haiti|Civil flag of Haiti]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Haiti.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Haiti|State flag of Haiti]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Hungary.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Hungary|State and civil flag of Hungary]] (ratio 1:2)
|-
| [[File:Civil Ensign of Hungary.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Hungary|Alternative civil flag of Hungary]] (ratio 2:3)
|-
| [[File:Flag of Hungary (1920–1946).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Hungary|Optional state flag of Hungary]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Iceland.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Iceland|Civil flag of Iceland]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Iceland (state).svg|x40px|alt=]] || [[Flag of Iceland|State flag of Iceland]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Italy.svg|x40px|alt=]] || [[Flag of Italy|Civil flag of Italy]]
|-
| [[File:State Ensign of Italy.svg|x40px|alt=]] || [[Flag of Italy|State flag of Italy]] (maritime only)
|-
| [[File:Flag of Liechtenstein.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Liechtenstein|Civil flag of Liechtenstein]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Liechtenstein (state).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Liechtenstein|State flag of Liechtenstein]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Lithuania.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Lithuania|State and civil flag of Lithuania]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Lithuania (state).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Lithuania|Historical state flag of Lithuania]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Monaco.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Monaco|Civil flag of Monaco]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Monaco (state).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Monaco|State flag of Monaco]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Nigeria.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Nigeria|Civil flag of Nigeria]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Nigeria (state).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Nigeria|State flag of Nigeria]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Norway.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Norway|Civil flag of Norway]]
|-
!style="text-align:left"| [[File:Flag of Norway, state.svg|x40px|alt=]] 
|| [[Flag of Norway|State flag of Norway]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Palestine.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Palestine|Civil flag of the State of Palestine]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Palestine (state).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Palestine|State flag of the State of Palestine]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Peru.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Peru|Civil flag of Peru]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Peru (state).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Peru|State flag of Peru]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Poland.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Poland|Civil flag of Poland]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Poland (with coat of arms).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Poland|State flag of Poland]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Romania.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Romania|Civil flag of Romania]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Romania (with coat of arms).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Romania|Unofficial state flag of Romania]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Russia.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Russia|State and civil flag of Russia]]
|-
| [[File:Unofficial Flag of Russia.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Russia|Unofficial flag of Russia]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of San Marino (civil).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of San Marino|Civil flag of San Marino]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of San Marino.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of San Marino|State flag of San Marino]]
|-
| [[File:Civil Flag of Serbia.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Serbia|Civil flag of Serbia]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Serbia.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Serbia|State flag of Serbia]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Spain (civil).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Spain|Optional civil flag of Spain]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Spain.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Spain|State and civil flag of Spain]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Transnistria.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Transnistria|Optional civil flag of Transnistria]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Transnistria (state).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Transnistria|State and civil flag of Transnistria]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Tuvalu.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Tuvalu|State and civil flag of Tuvalu]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Tuvalu (state).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Tuvalu|Alternative state flag of Tuvalu]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Uruguay.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Uruguay|Civil and state flag of Uruguay]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Artigas.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Uruguay|Alternative state flag of Uruguay]] ([[Artigas flag]])
|-
| [[File:Flag of the Treinta y Tres.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Uruguay|Alternative state flag of Uruguay]] ([[Flag of the Treinta y Tres]])
|-
| [[File:Flag of Venezuela.svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Venezuela|Civil flag of Venezuela]]
|-
| [[File:Flag of Venezuela (state).svg|x40px|border|alt=]] || [[Flag of Venezuela|State flag of Venezuela]]
|}

== Flag of a federated state (subnational entity) ==
[[File:FinancialDistrict.jpg|right|thumb|The [[Flag of Massachusetts|state flag of Massachusetts]] on display in the [[Financial District, Boston, Massachusetts|Financial District]] of [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], United States.]]

In [[Argentina]], [[Australia]], [[Brazil]], [[Canada]], the [[United States]], and some other federalized countries, the term '''state flag''' can have a different usage, as it frequently refers to an official flag of any of the individual [[Federated state|states]] or [[administrative division|territorial subdivisions]] that make up the nation.<ref>{{cite book|last=Znamierowski|title=World Encyclopedia of Flags|pages=180, 192, 208}}</ref>

To avoid confusion with the first meaning of the term, however, such a flag would be more precisely referred to as "the flag of the state of X", rather than "the state flag of X".{{citation needed|date=August 2023}} For this usage, see also:

* [[List of Argentine flags#First-level administrative divisions|Flags of the Argentine provinces]]
* [[List of Australian flags#States and territories|Flags of the Australian states]]
* [[Flags and coats of arms of the Austrian states|Flags of the Austrian states]]
* [[Flags of Brazilian states|Flags of the Brazilian states]]
* [[List of Canadian flags#Provincial|Flags of the Canadian provinces]]
* [[Flags of German states|Flags of the German states]]
* [[List of Malaysian flags#States and Territories|Flags of the Malaysian states]]
* [[State flags of Mexico|Flags of the Mexican states]]
* [[List of Nigerian flags#Subnational flags|Flags of the Nigerian states]]
* [[List of Pakistani flags#Provincial and territorial flags|Flags of Pakistani provinces and territories]]
* [[Flags of the U.S. states and territories]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book
 |title      = The world encyclopedia of flags: The definitive guide to international flags, banners, standards and ensigns
 |last       = Znamierowski
 |first      = Alfred
 |year       = 2002
 |publisher  = Hermes House
 |location   = London
 |isbn       = 1-84309-042-2
 |url-access = registration
 |url        = https://archive.org/details/worldencyclopedi0000znam
}}

==External links==
* {{Commons-inline|Sovereign-state flags}}

{{Lists of flags}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:State Flag}}
[[Category:Types of flags]]

[[fi:Suomen lippu#Valtiolippu]]