| Vexillology of Iceland |
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| Icelandic Coat-of-Arms Image Source: SouthBear |
| Proportion: 18:25 Adopted: 30 November 1918 First Flown: 1 December 1918 Use: Image Source: SouthBear |
| Iceland |
| Long Form of Country Name: Republic of Iceland (Lydveldid Island) Short Form of Country Name: Iceland (Island) Form of State: Republic consisting of 8 statitistical regions that are further divided into 23 administrative sżslur (counties) and 24 independent kaupstašir (towns), headed by a popularly elected president serving a four-year term. Form of Government: Parliamentary democracy vested in the unicameral Althing, headed by a a prime minister chosen following legislative elections from the leadership of the majority party or coalition. Independence: Sovereignty granted under the Danish crown on 1 December 1918, full independence from Denmark granted 17 June 1944. Capital: Reykjavik Major National Groups: Norse and Celtic |
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| The Regions of Iceland |
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| 2 |
| 7 |
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| 5 |
| 1. Austurland (East) 2. Höfušborgarsvęši (Capital Region) 3. Noršurland eystra (Northeast) 4. Noršurland vestra (Northwest) 5. Sušurland (South) 6. Sušurnes (Southern Peninsula) 7. Vestfiršir (Westfjords) 8. Vesturland (West) |
| There are no flags associated with the regions or counties of Iceland. The national flag is used for all purposes and is the only flag flown from local government buildings and businesses. See below for an example of a flag sometimes used in Reykyavik as a municipal flag. |
| Iceland was first colonized by Nordic and Celtic peoples from Scandinavia and the British Isles as early as the 9th century. These first Icelanders were Viking explorers who probably used Iceland as a wintering station on their voyages to Greenland and Labrador. Eventually they began to erect permanent settlements on the island that ultimately evolved into Icelandic language and culture. There is no doubt, however, that Iceland is as Nordic as any of the countries in Scandinavia proper. As a result, its vexillogical traditions are similar to those of its Scandinavian relatives in Europe. For much of its history, Iceland enjoyed relative poltical autonomy, as its isolation from the rest of Scandinavia left Icelanders free to govern themselves without much interference. During this time, what is considered to be the oldest surviving legislative assembly, the Althing, began to convene regularly beginning in 930 AD. In 1262, however, a treaty of union was signed that annexed iceland with Norway. Though the Althing continued to meet as a local governing body, Iceland became subjugated to Norwegian law. However, when Norway and Denmark -that had been united as one country under a single monarch - separated n 1814, Iceland passed into Danish hands. Over a hundred years later, in 1918, Iceland was granted the status of a sovereign state united to Denmark under the Danish crown. Anti-colonial sentiments were strong following this arrangment and during the upheaval of World War II (and Denmark's occupation by Nazi Germany), Iceland found the opportunity to assert its full indendence as a republic in the summer of 1944. For much of this history, Icelanders flew the flag of their parent country - either Norway (prior to 1814) or Denmark - as a national flag and ensign. Calls had been made for the design of an uniquely Icelandic flag, but the popularity of designs submitted proved low. During these discussion, however, it became apparent that all agreed that the national colors of Iceland was blue and white. Following Nordic custom, a flag utitlizing a white Nordic cross on a blue background began to gain some popularity at the beginning of the 20th century. However, detractors of this design argued that it too closely resembled the flag of Greece (at the time). This design remained an unofficial emblem with only marginal popularlity until 1913, when an incident provoked a near insurrection among the Icelanders against their Danish overlords. On 12 June of that year, a man named Einar Petursson was rowing a small boat in the harbor at Reykjavik on which he flew the blue and white Icelandic Cross. A Danish ship, the Island Falk, noticed the craft and its ensign and the captain decided to have him arrested and confiscated his illegal flag. Petursson's arrest provoked anger throughout Iceland and suddenly the blue and white flag appeared throughout the city in defiance. A general call for a unique Icelandic flag again was made and the Althing desired to have Peterrson's flag adopted. The Danish authorities, however, refused to allow it mainly because of its similarity to the Greek flag. The controversy continued to simmer for the next few years until a new design was proposed by Matthias Thordarson that included the red Nordic cross fimbriated with white that is familiar today. The king agreed to allow this flag to be used on land and only in local waters. Finally, on 30 November 1918, the king decreed that this design was the official national emblem of a sovereign Iceland under the Danish monarchy. (In essence, this meant that Iceland was now a self-ruling country united to Denmark under the Danish king. This relationship continued until 1944 when Iceland was declared a republic.) |
| A Note About the Proportions of Nordic Flags |
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| Scandinavian tradition dictates that the proportions of Nordic (or Scandinavian) flags are measured by the width of their component colors. As a result, Nordic flags are measure along the fly first followed by the hoist. Taking the Icelandic flag as an example, the flag is divided into equal units along the top from the hoist to the fly. If the flag is correctly proportioned, the Icelandic flag will display 7 units of the blue background, 1 unit of the white fimbriation, 2 units of the red cross, 1 unit of the white fimbriation, and completed with 14 units of the blue background. This gives a horizontal dimension of 7:1:2:1:14. Then, measuring along the hoist from the top, the flag will display 7 units of the blue background (to form a square blue canton), 1 unit of the white fimbriation, 2 units of the red cross, and completed with 7 units of the blue background for a dimension of 7:1:2:1:7. This results in an official dimension of 7:1:2:1:14 x 7:1:2:1:7. For purposes of this page, I have converted these measurements into the standard flag lenth:width ratio of 18:25 by adding the component measurements along the hoist and the fly. (example: 7+1+2+1+7=18 for the hoist and 7+1+2+1+14=25 for the fly or 18:25.) |
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| Historical Flags of Iceland |
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| Flag of 1897 This flag was designed and proposed by Einar Bendiktsson and is the one used during the 1913 crisis by Einar Petursson in Reykjavick harbor. It was the first flag recognized throughout iceland as a national emblem but was rejected by the Danish king because of its similarity to the Greek flag. Image Source: SouthBear |
| Proposed Flag of 1914 This flag was designed as an alternative to the more popular Bendiktsson flag, and is supposed to have been used briefly in Reykjavik. However, this flag never caught on as a recognized national symbol and eventually fell into the pages of history. Image Source: SouthBear |
| Royal Standard of 1921 This flag was officially adopted by King Christian X of Denmark as his personal standard as the king of Iceland. It was based on a slightly different flag displayed by Sigurdur Gudmundsson during the king's one and only visit to Iceland in 1920.This flag was never flown in Iceland and no original examples survive. Image Source: FOTW |
| State and Government Versions of the National Flag |
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| State Flag and Ensign of Iceland Scandinavian tradition uses a swallowtail version of the national flag for use by the state and government. |
| President's Flag The President's flag incorporates the national Coat-of-Arms in the crossing of the Icelandic Cross. |
| Customs Flag The customs flag is the closest that Iceland comes to using a military/war flag, though it is not a war flag in the purest sense. Iceland has a treaty with the United States for its military security and any armed forces in the defense of Iceland uses the flag and ensign of the United States.. NOTE: The darker blue is not the true shade of blue of the customs flag. The shade officially used is the same used on the state and national flags. |
| The proportions of these State and Government flags are 9:16 Sources for these three images: SouthBear |
| Municipal Flag of Reykjavik |
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| Return to the European Vexollogram Directory © 2007 SouthBear This page was created on 17 March 2007 Date of Last Revision: 18 March 2007 |
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