National flag
The current
flag of the
Falkland Islands
was adopted on 25 January 1999 and consists of a
defaced
Blue Ensign
, with the
Union Flag
in the
canton
and the
Falkland Islands coat-of-arms
in the
fly
.
History
[
edit
]
The Falkland Islands have been
claimed and occupied
by several nations throughout
its history
, who generally used their
national flags
on the islands. It was not until 1876 that the islands were given a flag of their own, which consisted of a Blue Ensign defaced with the seal of the islands - an image of HMS
Hebe
(which brought many of the early British settlers to the islands, including
Richard Moody
, in the 1840s) in
Falkland Sound
, overlooked by a
bullock
(representing feral
cattle
which once roamed the islands).
[1]
A new coat-of-arms for the islands was introduced on 16 October 1925, consisting of the
Desire
(which was captained by
John Davis
who is reputed to have discovered the islands in 1592) and a
sea lion
in a shield surrounded by the
motto
of the islands,
Desire the Right
. This coat-of-arms later replaced the image of the bullock and ship on the flag.
[2]
On 29 September 1948, the flag was updated to include the new coat-of-arms (a
ram
above the
Desire
on shield with the motto below) superimposed upon a white disc. The flag was banned by the
Argentine military junta
from 2 April ? 14 June 1982, during their
occupation of the islands
, when it was replaced by the
flag of Argentina
.
In 1999 the size of the arms was increased and the white disc removed to create the current flag. The Falkland Islands Red Ensign was created by The Merchant Shipping (Falkland Islands Colours) Order 1998, No. 3147 of 1998, which came into force in 1999 and which contains a picture of the ensign containing the Falkland arms on a white disc.
Red Ensign
with the Falklands coat of arms superimposed is used as the islands'
civil ensign
. Previously the plain red ensign was used by ships in the territorial waters around the Falklands.
The
Governor of the Falkland Islands
uses a
Union Flag
defaced
with the coat of arms. It was this flag that was raised at
Government House
in
Stanley
by the
Royal Marines
at the end of the
Falkland War
, signifying the liberation of the islands.
[3]
Use of the flag
[
edit
]
Since its approval, the Falklands flag has been used to represent the
Falkland Islanders
internationally.
[4]
[5]
The flag was flown from several
HM Government
buildings in
London
, including
10 Downing Street
and the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
in
Whitehall
, on 14 June 2012 to mark the 30th anniversary of the islands' liberation.
[6]
Former flags
[
edit
]
Flag
|
Date
|
Use
|
Description
|
|
1876?1925
|
Flag of the Falkland Islands
|
The territory flag, with the seal of the Falkland Islands
|
|
1925?1948
|
Flag of the Falkland Islands
|
The territory flag, with the Colonial Badge
|
|
1948 ? April 1982
June 1982 ? 1999
|
Flag of the Falkland Islands
|
The territory flag, with the coat of arms in a white disc
|
|
?1999
|
Civil Ensign
|
A British
Red Ensign
with the Union Flag in the canton and the Island's coat of arms in a white disk in the fly
|
Civil ensign
[
edit
]
For most of the Falkland Islands' existence as a British territory, the civil ensign was the same as that of the United Kingdom, an undefaced red ensign. In 1998, the first warrant for the use of a defaced red ensign was issued, to be effective on 25 January 1999. This warrant prescribed the coat of arms of the Falkland Islands within a white disc. However, a revision of territorial flags issued later that year removed the white disc and enlarged the coat of arms.
-
1864?1999
-
1999
-
1999?present
Governor's flag
[
edit
]
Flag
|
Date
|
Use
|
Description
|
|
1876?1925
|
Flag of the
governor
|
A
Union Flag
defaced with the Island's badge from 1876 to 1925
|
|
1925?1948
|
Flag of the
governor
|
A
Union Flag
defaced with the Island's coat of arms from 1925 to 1948
|
Military flag
[
edit
]
The flag of the
British Forces South Atlantic Islands
(which is responsible for the security of the Falkland Islands) consists of a tricolour of dark blue (representing the
Royal Navy
), red (representing the
British Army
), and light blue (representing the
Royal Air Force
), which is defaced in the centre with a motif of the Islands in gold.
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
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State-related
| Mobile military
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Mobile civilian
| |
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Other entities
| |
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By design
(
National
,
Gallery
)
| |
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By nations
| |
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Names in
italics
indicate
non-sovereign
(dependent) territories, disputed states and/or former countries.
|