Flag of Norway

The flag of Norway is red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog, the flag of Denmark. The proportions of the elements of the flag are a width of 6-1-2-1-12 and a height of 6-1-2-1-6.

History

From the 16th century onward and until 1814 Norway used the same flag as Denmark, as it was in union with that country. In 1814 Norway was unified instead with Sweden, and in 1818 it was decided that Norway had to use the Swedish flag, but with a white cross on a red background in the top left corner (or canton) of the flag. But the Norwegians, who in 1814 also had made their own constitution wanted their own flag and the current flag of Norway was designed for just that purpose in 1821 by Fredrik Meltzer from the city of Stavanger.

At first the design was illegal for use in international shipping, as sailing under an unfamiliar flag risked problems with piracy, But boats and ships which did not sail far used the new Norwegian flag. In 1844 a law was passed that the Norwegian flag was to have the "union mark", or Sildesalaten from the union with Sweden in the top left corner, though this was not popular. Not until 1898 did it become legal to use the Norwegian flag as most of us know it today, and in 1905 this became the official national flag of Norway.

Symbolism

Fredrik Meltzer felt that the flag should have a Christian cross in it, similar to those of other Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland) Many free countries used the colors red, white and blue, and therefore these were used in the flag. Meltzer also took into consideration the colors in the flags of other neighbouring countries. Denmark has red in their flag, which was included in the Norwegian flag. Sweden has blue, and that was also a color that fit.