Last modified: 2002-05-31 by ivan sache
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![[Flag of Greece]](../images/g/gr.gif)
by Zeljko Heimer
Flag adopted 22 December 1978, coat of
arms adopted 7 June 1975.
Description: Nine horizontal stripes, alternatively blue and
white, and a white cross on a blue square field in canton.
Proportion: 2:3
Use: on land, civil, State and war flag, at sea,
civil, State and war ensign.
Colour approximate specifications (as given in Album des Pavillons [pay00]):
On this page:
See also:
The striped flag has been in use since 1822, and was approved in 1833. The nine stripes are said to stand for the nine syllables of the Greek patriots' motto"Eleutheria e Thanatos" meaning "Freedom or Death".
Paul Adams, 19 June 1995
![[Alternative Flag of Greece]](../images/g/gr-alt.gif)
by Ivan Sache
The simple white-cross-on-blue flag dates from 1822, and was used as an alternative national flag, but only in land, not at sea (although the jack is very similar). Only the striped flag was used at sea.
From June 1975 until December 1978 the plain cross flag was used as the only national flag. The situation is now reversed, and the striped flag is now the only official national flag, although the cross flag can still be seen in unofficial use.
Paul Adams, 19 June 1995
On 18 August 1970 the proportion was changed from 2:3 to 7:12.
![[1970-1978 Greek flag]](../images/g/gr_.gif)
by Mark Sensen
On 22 December 1978, the proportion was reverted to 2:3.
Jaume Ollé, 15 December 1999
There is no officially prescribed shade of blue for the Greek flag
according to the 1978 law. The 1969 law
that abolished the plain cross flag did not specify a particular
shade either, but it did provide that all flags should conform with
"prototype" flags lodged with two government departments.
The shade of blue on the prototypes was, probably, very dark hence
the very dark shade of flags made in 1970- 1975. A lighter shade of
blue is used nowadays (by convention, presumably) but sill not as
light as United Nations Organization blue.
Yannis Natsinas, 14 November 2000
![[Coat of arms of Greece]](../images/g/gr).gif)
by Zeljko Heimer
![[Greek Jack]](../images/g/gr~jack.gif)
by Zeljko Heimer
Blue square flag with white cross throughout. Judging from Album des Pavillons [pay00], width of the cross is 1/5 of the hoist.
Zeljko Heimer, 10 October 2001
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