This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website

Adoption Dates of Flags

Last modified: 2002-03-15 by rob raeside
Keywords: date | flag | coat of arms |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors




Below is a list of the adoption dates of the countries of the world, first compiled by Noromi Kariyasu, and transmitted to the Flags of the World mailing list in August 1998. These dates only represent the last date that the flag was last changed - they do not necessarily represent the date the flag was first adopted, nor even the date it was officially legalised. For example, the US flag was defined 1782, but changed according to the number of states many times since then. While we have striven to ensure the accuracy of these data, we cannot guarantee them, and welcome any corrections and updates.
COUNTRY/REGION    	RATIO 	DATE FLAG WAS LAST		ADOPTION DATE OF 
                   	             MODIFIED			  COAT OF ARMS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abkhazia          		23 July 1992    		23 July 1992
Afghanistan		1:2	 2 December 1992 (change expected soon)  2 December 1992
Aland Islands     		 7 April 1954  			   1569
Albania        		5:7	 7 April 1992    		21 October 1998
Alderney      			   December 1906      		   1745
Algeria            	2:3	 3 July 1962    		 1 November 1976
American Samoa     		27 April 1960    		17 October 1960
Andorra         	2:3	   1866      			   1969
Angola           	2:3	11 November 1975     		25 August 1992
Anguilla        		30 May 1990     		30 May 1990
Antigua Barbuda  	2:3	27 February 1967    		16 February 1967
Argentina         	1:2	25 February 1818     		12 March 1813
Armenia       		1:2	24 August 1990      		24 August 1990
Artsakh      			 2 June 1992       		31 December 1991
Aruba              		18 March 1976    		15 November 1955
Australia          	1:2 	22 May 1909   			19 September 1912
Austria       		2:3	27 April 1984     		27 April 1984
Azerbaijan   		1:2	 5 February 1991      		27 February 1993
Azores      			 2 April 1979       		31 March 1980
Bahamas  		1:2	10 July 1973   		    	 7 December 1971
Bahrain     		3:5	19 August 1972     		   1971
Bangladesh  		3:5	13 January 1972     		28 February 1971
Barbados 		2:3	30 November 1966  		21 December 1965  
Belarus  		1:2	 7 June 1995  			 7 June 1995
Belgium  		13:15	13 September 1831    		17 May 1837
Belize  		2:3	21 September 1981 		21 September 1981 
Benin      		2:3	 1 August 1990     		 1 August 1991
Bermuda 	 	1:2	 4 October /1910		 4 October 1910
Bhutan           	2:3	   1969      			   1980
Bolivia  		2:3	14 July 1888     		14 July 1888
Bonaire   			15 December 1981 		 6 September 1986
Bosnia and Hercegovina 	1:2	 4 February 1998         	20 May 1998
Botswana   		2:3	30 September 1966  		25 January 1966
Bougainville 			 1 September 1975    		   unknown
Brazil    		7:10	11 May 1992   			11 May 1992
British Antarctic Terr.	1:2	21 April 1998     		 1 August 1963
Br. Indian Ocean Terr.  1:2	 8 November 1990     	  	 2 August 1990
British Virgin Islands	1:2	15 November 1960  		15 November 1960
Brunei     		1:2	29 September 1959   	      	29 September 1959
Bulgaria 		2:3	27 November 1990  		31 July 1997
Burkina Faso  	 	2:3	 4 August 1984 		    	 1 August 1997
Burundi     	 	3:5	28 June 1967    		   1966
Cambodia 		2:3	30 June 1993 			21 September 1993
Cameroon 		2:3	20 May 1975  			   1984
Canada      		1:2	15 February 1965    		12 July 1994
Canary Is  			10 August 1982 			10 August 1982
Cape Verde  		4:7	25 September 1992   		25 October 1992
Cayman Is   		1:2	25 January 1999  		14 May 1958
Central African Rep.	2:3	 1 December 1958  		17 May 1963
Chad       		2:3	 6 November 1959     		11 August 1970
Chatham     			   May 1989         		   unknown
Chechnya       			 2 November 1991    		 2 November 1991
Chile         		2:3	18 October 1817    		24 June 1834
China  			2:3	 1 October 1949  		20 September 1950
Christmas Is 		1:2	   April 1986        		   unknown
Colombia    		2:3	26 November 1861     		 6 August 1955
Comoros   		2:3	 3 October 1996   		 1 October 1978
Congo      		2:3	10 June 1991   			10 June 1991
Congo (Dem. Rep.)  	2:3	17 May 1997  			   June 1997
Cook Is        		1:2	 4 August 1979      		   1979
Costa Rica   		2:3	21 October 1964    		21 October 1964
Côte d'Ivoire  		2:3	 4 December 1959  		26 June 1964
Croatia        		1:2	21 December 1990     		21 December 1990
Cuba          		1:2	20 May 1902       		24 April 1906
Curaçao     			 2 July 1984   			24 July 1964
Cyprus  		3:5	16 August 1960  		16 August 1960
Czech Republic      	   	30 March 1920     		 7 March 1990
Denmark   		28:37	   1625      			16 November 1972
Djibouti       		2:3	27 June 1977      		27 June 1977
Dominica     		1:2	 3 November 1990    		21 July 1961
Dominican Republic	2:3	 6 November 1844   		12 June 1896
Ecuador   		1:2	 7 November 1900   		 5 December 1900
Egypt      		2:3	 4 October 1984    		 4 October 1984
El Salvador  			27 September 1972   		27 December 1972
Equatorial Guinea  	2:3	21 August 1979   		21 August 1979
Eritrea       		1:2	 5 December 1995   		24 May 1993
Estonia      		7:11	 7 August 1990    		16 October 1990
Ethiopia      		1:2	 6 February 1996    		 6 February 1996
Falkland Is   		1:2	27 September 1948   		11 March 1952
Faroe Is      			 5 June 1959       		   1819
Fiji          		1:2	10 October 1970         	 4 July 1908
Finland       		11:18	29 May 1918      		26 May 1978
France        		2:3	20 May 1794           		   no coat of arms
French Guiana  		2:3	   unknown        		22 September 1901
French Polynesia     	2:3	23 November 1984             	23 November 1984    
French Southern &
  Antarctic Territories	2:3	 4 September 1958		 4 September 1978
Gabon        		2:3	 9 August 1960        		15 July 1963
Gambia       		2:3	18 February 1965        	18 November 1964
Georgia        		3:5	14 November 1990      		11 December 1990
Germany        		3:5	 9 May 1949      		20 January 1950
Ghana        		2:3	28 February 1966        	 4 March 1957
Gibraltar        		 8 November 1982      		10 July 1502
Greece        		2:3	22 December 1978      		 7 June 1975
Greenland  			21 June 1985  			 1 May 1989
Grenada        		3:5	 7 February 1974     		 6 December 1973
Guadeloupe     			   unknown			   unknown
Guam           			 9 February 1948      		 4 July 1917
Guatemala     		5:8	26 December 1997      		26 December 1997
Guernsey  			30 April 1985     		   1279
Guinea       		2:3	10 November 1958        	23 December 1993
Guinea Bissau 		1:2	24 September 1973    		   1973
Guyana         		1:2	26 May 1966      		21 January 1966
Haiti         		3:5	25 February 1986   		25 February 1986
Herm         			   1984     			   1953
Honduras   		1:2	18 January 1949  		16 February 1866
Hong Kong  			 1 July 1997  			 1 July 1997
Hungary    		2:3	 1 October 1957   		 3 July 1990
Iceland   		18:25	17 June 1944    		17 June 1944
India        		2:3	22 July /1947    		26 January 1950
Indonesia   		2:3	17 August 1945    		 1 February 1950
Iran          		4:7	29 July 1980    		10 May 1980
Iraq      		2:3	13 January 1991    		14 January 1991
Ireland    		1:2	29 December 1937     		 9 November 1945
Isle of Man  			27 August 1971  		12 July 1996
Israel     		8:11	12 November 1948  		11 November 1949
Italy       		2:3	19 June 1946     		 5 May 1948
Jamaica   		1:2	 6 August 1962  		 6 August 1962
Japan     		2:3	13 August 1999      		21 October 1926 (royal emblem)
Jersey     			 7 April 1981    		   1279
Jordan    		1:2	16 April 1928     		25 May 1946
Kazakhstan 		1:2	 4 June 1992  			 4 June 1992
Kenya     		2:3	12 December 1963    		15 October 1963
Kiribati    		1:2	12 July 1979    		 1 May 1937
Korea (North) 		1:2	 8 September 1948  		 8 September 1948
Korea (South)   	2:3	25 January 1950     		15 August 1949
Kuwait    		1:2	 1 January 1961     		   1963
Kyrgyzstan 			 3 March 1992    		14 January 1994
Laos       		2:3	 2 December 1975    		14 August 1991
Latvia      		1:2	27 February 1990     		27 February 1990
Lebanon    		2:3	 7 December 1943    		 7 December 1943
Lesotho     		2:3	19 January 1987    		 4 December 1966
Liberia     		10:19	26 July 1847    		16 July 1847
Libya       		1:2	19 November 1977      		19 November 1977
Liechtenstein 		3:5	18 September 1982		 4 June 1957
Lithuania    		1:2	20 March 1989      		20 September 1991
Luxembourg  		3:5	16 August 1972    		16 August 1972
Macao  				31 March 1993    		31 March 1993
Macedonia   		1:2	 5 October 1995     		31 December 1946
Madagascar 		2:3	21 October 1958    		24 March 1993
Madeira     			12 September 1978     		28 September 1978
Malawi      		2:3	 6 July 1964      		30 June 1964
Malaysia     		1:2	16 September 1963     		16 September 1988
Maldives     		2:3	25 July 1965     		   1965
Mali         		2:3	 1 March 1961       		22 September 1960
Malta          		2:3	21 September 1964    		28 October 1988
Marquesas   			14 December 1980      		   unknown
Marshall Is  		10:19	 1 May 1979    			   1979
Martinique    			 4 August 1766   		 4 August 1766
Mauritania  		2:3	22 March 1959     		 3 August 1960
Mauritius    		2:3	 9 January 1968    		25 August 1906
Mexico     		4:7	16 September 1968    		16 September 1968
Micronesia   		10:19	30 November 1978   		10 May 1979
Moldova       		1:2	12 May 1990    			 3 November 1990
Monaco        		4:5	 4 April 1881    		15 March 1858
Mongolia     		2:3	12 February 1992    		15 January 1992
Montserrat  		1:2	25 January 1999   		10 April 1909
Morocco     		2:3	17 November 1915    		14 August 1957
Mozambique  		2:3	 1 May 1983  			30 November 1990
Myanmar  		5:9	 3 January 1974      		18 September 1988
Namibia       		2:3	21 March 1990    		21 March 1990
Nauru            	1:2	31 January 1968   		31 January 1968
Nepal           	4:3	12 December 1962   		16 December 1962
Netherland Antilles		 1 January 1986   		 1 January 1986
Netherlands   		2:3	19 February 1937    		10 July 1907
New Zealand	    	1:2	12 June 1902    		11 July 1957
Nicaragua      		3:5	27 August 1971   		21 August 1823
Niger           	6:7	23 November 1959    		 1 December 1962
Nigeria         	1:2	 1 October 1960    		 1 October 1978
Niue              		15 October 1975     		   unknown
Norfolk Is  			17 January 1980  		21 October 1980
North Cyprus 			13 March 1984   		15 November 1984
Northern Marianas		   1995   			   1995
Norway         		8:11	17 July 1821     		19 December 1992
Oman           		1:2	18 November 1995     		23 July 1985
Pakistan      		2:3	14 August 1947     		23 March 1956
Palau       		5:8	 1 January 1981    		 1 January 1981
Palestine      			15 November 1988      	        15 November 1988
Panama        		2:3	20 December 1903        	 4 June 1904
Papua New Guinea 	3:4	 1 July 1971    		12 March 1971
Paraguay       		3:5	27 November 1842      		   1842
Peru      		2:3	25 February 1825     		25 February 1825
Philippines     	1:2	16 September 1997    		 4 July 1946
Pitcairn     		1:2	 2 April 1984    		 4 November 1969
Poland      		2:3	 9 February 1990    		 9 February 1990
Portugal    		2:3	30 June 1911      		30 June 1911
Puerto Rico 			24 July 1952  			 8 August 1952
Qatar     		11:28	 9 July 1971			    1978
Reunion      			20 December 1996 		   unknown
Romania  		2:3	27 December 1989  		24 September 1992
Russia     		2:3	26 December 1991(?)  		30 November 1993
Rwanda       		2:3	25 October 2001     		25 October 2001
Sabah             		 6 December 1985    		   1985
St Helena     		1:2	 4 October 1984     		 4 October 1984
St Kitts Nevis  	2:3	19 September 1983   		16 February 1967 (motto changed 19 September 1983)
St Lucia      		2:3	22 February 1979      		 1 March 1967
St Maarten    			13 June 1985     		17 November 1982
St Pierre & Miquelon   		   unknown			   unknown
St Vincent & Grenadines	2:3	12 October 1985     		12 November 1912
San Marino     		3:4	 6 April 1862    		 6 April 1862
Sao Tome & Principe	1:2	 5 November 1975     		   1977
Sark             		   1938        			   1790
Saudi Arabia 			19 November 1980		22 September 1932
Senegal       		2:3	20 August 1960     		   December 1965
Seychelles    		1:2	18 June 1996    		18 June 1996
SGSI             		25 January 1999     		14 February 1992
Shetland        		   1969        			17 June 1975
Sierra Leone  		2:3	27 April 1961     		 1 December 1960
Singapore     		2:3	 3 December 1959  		26 November 1959
Slovakia        	2:3	 1 September 1992    		 1 March 1990
Slovenia     		1:2	27 June 1991    		20 July 1994
Solomon Is    		1:2	18 November 1977     		 7 July 1978
Somalia       		2:3	12 October 1954      		10 October 1956
Somaliland    			14 October 1996      		   1991
South Africa  		2:3	27 April 1994     		27 April 2000
Spain        		2:3	19 December 1981     		19 December 1981
Sri Lanka    		5:9	 7 September 1978   		22 May 1972
Sudan          		1:2	20 May 1970      		   1970
Surinam        		2:3	25 November 1975     		25 November 1975
Swaziland      		2:3	30 October 1967     		30 April 1968
Sweden      		5:8	22 June 1906     		15 May 1908
Switzerland  		1:1	12 December 1889     		   1815
Syria         		2:3	29 March 1980      		   1980
Taiwan       		2:3	 8 October 1928    		16 March 1895
Tajikistan  		1:2	24 November 1992    		28 December 1993
Tanzania    		2:3	30 June 1964     		30 June 1964
Thailand     		2:3	28 September 1917    		   1910
Togo         		2:3	27 April 1960     		   April 1980
Tokelau     			   1989       			   unknown
Tonga      		1:2	 4 November 1875     		   1862
Torres Strait Is 		29 May 1992   			   unknown
Trinidad & Tobago	3:5	31 August 1962    		 9 August 1962
Tunisia      		2:3	 3 January 1999    		 2 September 1989
Turkey       		2:3	 5 June 1936     		   1927
Turkmenistan 		1:2	24 January 2001  		19 February 1992
Turks & Caicos Is    	1:2	 7 November 1968    		28 September 1965
Tuvalu     		1:2	11 April 1997      		 3 December 1976
Uganda     			 9 October 1962     		21 September 1962
Ukraine    		2:3	 3 September 1996    		3 September 1996
United Kingdom         	1:2	 1 January 1801     		20 June 1837
United Arab Emirates    1:2	 2 December 1971      		   1973
United States of America 10:19	4 July 1960    	 		 7 July 1884
US Virgin Is 			17 May 1921    			   1990
Uruguay   		2:3	11 July 1830    		26 October 1908
Uzbekstan 			18 November 1991   		 2 July 1992
Vanuatu     		3:5	18 February 1980   		30 July 1980
Vatican     		1:1	 8 June 1929    		 7 June 1929
Venezuela  		2:3	19 February 1954    		15 April 1953
Vietnam    		2:3	30 November 1955    		21 July 1956
Wake Is   			 4 July 1976    		   unknown
Wallis & Futuna   		   1985       			   unknown
Western Sahara  		27 February 1976    		   June 1991
Western Samoa 		1:2	24 February 1949   		 1 January 1962
Yemen       		2:3	22 May 1990    			22 May 1990
Yugoslavia   		1:2	27 April 1992   		29 December 1993
Zambia       		2:3	   1996       			19 February 1965  
Zimbabwe    		1:2	18 April 1980    		21 September 1981





CHANNELS :: Compare Country infoCountry guide & StudyFlagsMapsSightseeingTravel WarningsHotel Directory DESTINATIONS :: AsiaAfricaCaribbean Middle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaCentral AmericaOceania PacificEuropePolar Regions UTILITIES :: WeatherWorld TimeISD CodesTravel Links Link Exchange
PHOTO SPECIAL ::
DestinationsMonuments WONDERS :: AncientModernNatural

1UpTravel.com | Privacy Policy