Civil ensign

A civil ensign is an ensign 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."

Sovereign states[]

Australia^[1]
Bangladesh
Bahamas
Fiji
Ghana
India
Malaysia
Mauritius
New Zealand
Nigeria
Pakistan
Saudi Arabia
Solomon Islands (1978–1998)
Sri Lanka (1948–1969)
United Arab Emirates^[2]
United Kingdom

British overseas territories and crown dependencies[]

Civil ensigns that vary greatly from the national flag[]

Several countries have civil ensigns that are very different from the national flag.

Albania
Israel
Luxembourg
Malta
Philippines
(domestic waters only)
Singapore
Tonga

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).

Colombia
El Salvador
Italy
Morocco^[5]
Poland
Republic of China (Taiwan)^[6]
United States (domestic waters only; unofficial)
Finland (Yacht ensign)^[7]
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.

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.

Belgium
Croatia
France
Grenada
Hungary
Slovenia
Switzerland^[8]
Trinidad and Tobago

Former civil ensigns no longer in current use or obsolete[]

Albania (1945-1992)
East Germany (1959–1973)
Germany (1919–1933)
Haiti (1964–1986)
Italy (1861–1946)
Spain (1785–1927)
Spain (1931–1939)
Union of Burma (1952-1974)
Union of Burma (1974-2010)
Venezuela (1930–2006)
Yugoslavia (1950–1992)

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 used in Anguilla, the British Indian Ocean Territory, Montserrat, the Pitcairn Islands and Saint Helena.
^ The red ensign, also the national flag, is an appropriate civil ensign for vessels registered on the Bermuda portion of the British Register, by virtue of the Bermuda Merchant Shipping Act of 2002.
^ The Moroccan national flag is also reported as civil ensign.
^ Abolished in 1966. Present civil ensign is the national flag of the ROC.
^ The circled X is replaced with the club emblem.
^ The square flag is used on most rivers and lakes.

[1] The Australian national flag is also used for smaller ships.

[2] The UAE national flag is also reported as civil ensign.

[3] The plain red ensign is used in Anguilla, the British Indian Ocean Territory, Montserrat, the Pitcairn Islands and Saint Helena.

[4] The red ensign, also the national flag, is an appropriate civil ensign for vessels registered on the Bermuda portion of the British Register, by virtue of the Bermuda Merchant Shipping Act of 2002.

[5] The Moroccan national flag is also reported as civil ensign.

[6] Abolished in 1966. Present civil ensign is the national flag of the ROC.

[7] The circled X is replaced with the club emblem.

[8] The square flag is used on most rivers and lakes.

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