Civil ensign
A civil ensign is an ensign (maritime flag) used by civilian vessels to denote their nationality. It can be the same or different from the state ensign and the naval ensign (or war ensign). It is also known as the merchant ensign or merchant flag. Some countries have special civil ensigns for yachts, and even for specific yacht clubs, known as yacht ensigns.
Most countries have only one national flag and ensign for all purposes. In other countries, a distinction is made between the land flag and the civil, state and naval ensigns. The British ensigns, for example, differ from the flag used on land (the Union Flag) and have different versions of plain and defaced Red and Blue ensigns for civilian and state use, as well as the naval ensign (White Ensign) that can also be used by yachts of the Royal Yacht Squadron.
Countries having specific civil ensigns
The civil ensigns that are different from the general national flag can be grouped into a number of categories.
Civil ensigns with the national flag in the canton
Several countries use red flags with, in most cases, either the respective national flag or the Union Flag in the canton, patterned after the Red Ensign. British overseas territories fly the plain Red Ensign or a Red Ensign with the respective colonial arms in the fly. Saudi Arabia puts its national flag in the canton of an otherwise-green flag (the Saudi Arabian flag is hoisted with the flagpole to its right so the canton is in the upper right corner of the flag). Ghana stopped using its Red Ensign in 2003 with the adoption of a new merchant shipping act, which made the Ghanaian flag the proper national colors for Ghanaian ships. Similarly, Sri Lanka stopped using its Red Ensign in 1969 and uses the Sri Lankan flag as the civil ensign. Under the relevant shipping law for the Solomon Islands, the Shipping Act 1998, (No. 5 of 1998), the national flag of the Solomon Islands and not a Red Ensign is the appropriate flag: "The National Flag of Solomon Islands shall be the national colours for a vessel registered under this Act." Nevertheless, the Solomon Islands Red Ensign is still used in some cases.
Sovereign states
National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign
British overseas territories and crown dependencies[4]
National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag civil ensign National flag Civil ensign
Blue Ensign exceptions
In some cases, the Blue Ensign may be flow in lieu of the Red Ensign if a number of merchant vessels crew are former Royal Navy personnel or current Royal Navy Reservists, or commanded by an officer of the Royal Navy Reserve. India and Sri Lanka enact similar laws.
National flag Government ensign National flag Reserve ensign National flag Government ensign
Civil ensigns that vary greatly from the national flag
Several countries have civil ensigns that are very different from the national flag.
National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign The Philippines (inland only)
National flag Civil ensign
Civil ensigns consisting of the national flag with an additional emblem
Well-known examples are the Italian civil ensign showing the shield with the arms of the sea republics, and the Polish civil ensign with the arms of Poland. Most of these emblems were added to distinguish the ensign from similar flags of other countries (e.g. Colombia/Ecuador) or from other signal flags (e.g. Malta/ H signal flag).
National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag merchant marine ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Yacht ensign (US Waters only) United States (Yacht ensign; unofficial)
Civil ensign Yachting club ensign Spain (Yacht ensign)
Civil ensigns that are simplified national flags with coat of arms removed
In several countries (such as Spain and much of Hispanic America, and some European countries), there are two main versions of the flag, a simpler one (usually a striped flag) and a more elaborate one with the national arms. The simpler one is used as a civil ensign (and in most cases also as a civil flag), whereas the version with the arms is mainly used by the government and the military. In El Salvador, the civil ensign also differs from the national flag in the proportions.
National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag National flag National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign
Civil ensigns with a modified coat of arms
Some civil ensigns have had their coat of arms modified with an additional feature or features to distinguish them.
National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign
Civil ensigns differing from the national flag in the proportions
Several former British colonies use 1:2 as a proportion for their ensigns and 3:5 for flags ashore, whereas Slovenia, Croatia and Hungary have it the other way around, with ensigns at 2:3 and flags ashore at 1:2. France is a special case: the overall proportion is the same, but the bands on the ensign differ in width slightly.
National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign National flag Civil ensign
Former civil ensigns no longer in current use or obsolete
National flag Civil ensign Albania
(1945–1992)National flag Civil ensign Anguilla
(1967-1969)Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy Civil ensign Austria-Hungary
(1869–1918)National flag Civil ensign Australia
(1901-1903)National flag Civil ensign Australia
(1903-1908)National flag Civil ensign The Bahamas
(1953-1964)National flag Civil ensign The Bahamas
(1964-1973)National flag Civil ensign Barbados
(1870-1966)National flag Civil ensign British Honduras
(1870-1919)National flag Civil ensign British Honduras
(1919-1981)National flag Civil ensign Burma
(1952–1974)National flag Civil ensign Burma
(1974–2010)National flag civil ensign Canada
(1868-1921)National flag civil ensign Canada
(1921-1957)National flag civil ensign Canada
(1957-1965)National flag Civil ensign Ceylon
(1955-1969)National flag Civil ensign Croatia-Slavonia
(1868-1918)National flag Civil ensign Croatia
(1939-1941)National flag Civil ensign England
(1674-1707)National flag Civil ensign Ethiopia
(1975-1987)National flag Civil ensign Ethiopia
(1991-1996)National flag Civil ensign Fiji
(1908-1970)National flag Civil ensign Finland
(1918-1978)National flag Civil ensign France
(1600's-1789)National flag Civil ensign France
(1689-1789) (1814-1830)national flag Civil ensign French Algeria
(1848-1910)National flag Civil ensign French Indochina
(1923-1949)national flag Civil ensign French Morocco
(1912-1956)Germany
(1896–1918)National flag Civil ensign Germany
(1919–1933)National flag Civil ensign Germany
(1933-1935)Germany
(1935–1945)National flag Civil ensign East Germany
(1959–1973)National flag Civil ensign West Germany
(1949-1990)[9]National flag Civil ensign Ghana
(1963-2003)National flag Civil ensign Greece
(1774-1821)National flag Civil ensign Greece
(1822–1828)National flag Civil ensign Great Britain
(1707-1801)National flag Civil ensign Haiti
(1964–1986)National flag Civil ensign Hanover
(1816-1837)National flag Civil ensign Hungary
(1921–1946)National flag Civil ensign Hungary
(1950–1957)National flag Hong Kong
(1959-1997)(Unofficial)National flag Civil ensign India
(1880-1947)National flag Civil ensign Iran
(1910-1980)National flag Civl ensign Ireland
(1701-1801)National flag Civil ensign Ireland
(1801-1922)National flag Civil ensign Italy
(1861–1946)National flag Civil Ensign Mecklenburg-Schwerin
(1863-1918)National flag Civil ensign Montenegro
(1905-1918)National flag Civil ensign Newfoundland
(1904-1949)National flag Civil ensign North Borneo
(1902-1946)National flag Civil ensign Palestine
(1927-1948)National flag Civil ensign Prussia
(1823–1863)National flag Civil ensign Prussia
(1863-1892)National flag Civil ensign Prussia
(1892-1918)National flag Prussia
(1918-1935)National flag Civil ensign Sarawak
(1870-1946)National flag Civil ensign Saxony-Anhalt
(1991-2017)National flag Civil ensign Serbia
(1835-1918)National flag Civil ensign Serbia
(2006-2010)National flag Civil ensign Solomon Islands
(1906-1947)National flag Civil ensign South Africa
(1910-1912)National flag Civil ensign South Africa
(1912-1951)National flag Civil ensign Spain
(1785–1927)National flag Civil ensign Spain
(1931–1939)National flag Civil ensign Spanish Morocco
(1937-1956)National flag Civil ensign Tangier International Zone
(1953-1957)National flag Civil ensign Tanganyika
(1923-1961)National flag Civil ensign Trinidad and Tobago
(1889-1958)National flag Civil ensign Trinidad and Tobago
(1958-1962)National flag Civil ensign Venezuela
(1930–2006)National flag Civil ensign Victoria
(1870-1877)National flag Civil ensign Yugoslavia
(1919-1943)National flag Civil ensign Yugoslavia
(1950–1992)National flag Civil ensign Yugoslavia and later Serbia and Montenegro
(1992-2006)
See also
- Civil and merchant ensigns
- Civil flag
- Civil air ensign
Remarks
- ^ The Australian national flag is also used for smaller ships.
- ^ The UAE national flag is also reported as civil ensign.
- ^ The plain red ensign is also used in the British overseas territories of Anguilla, the British Indian Ocean Territory, Montserrat, the Pitcairn Islands and Saint Helena.
- ^ Bermuda's flag and civil ensign are the same and is used on ships registered in Bermuda in lieu of the British Red Ensign.
- ^ The Moroccan national flag is also reported as civil ensign.
- ^ The circled X is replaced with the club emblem.
- ^ Previously used by West Germany prior to German Reunification in 1990.
- ^ The square flag is used on most rivers and lakes.
- ^ Since German Reunification, flag continues to be used as Germany's national flag & civil ensign.
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