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In vexillology, a state flag is either the flag of the government of a sovereign state, or the flag of an individual federated state (subnational administrative division).[1]

The state flag of Peru

Government flag

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A state flag is a variant of a national flag (or occasionally a completely different design) specifically designated and restricted by law or custom (theoretically or actually) to use by a country's government or its agencies. For this reason, they are sometimes referred to as government flags. In many countries the state flag and the civil flag (as flown by the general public) are identical, but in other countries, notably those in Latin America, central Europe, and Scandinavia, the state flag is a more complex version of the national flag, often featuring the national coat of arms or some other emblem as part of the design. Scandinavian countries also use swallowtailed state flags, to further differentiate them from civil flags.[1]

In addition, some countries have state ensigns, separate flags for use by non-military government ships such as guard vessels. For example, government ships in the United Kingdom fly the Blue Ensign.[2]

State flags should not be confused with the national flag as used by military organizations; these are referred to as war flags and naval ensigns.[3]

National flags with separate state and civil versions

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  Optional civil flag of Andorra
  State and civil flag of Andorra
  Optional civil flag of Argentina
  State and civil flag of Argentina
  Optional civil flag of Austria
  State flag of Austria
  De facto civil flag of Belgium (ratio 2:3)
  Official state and civil flag of Belgium (ratio 13:15)
  Civil flag of Bolivia
  State flag of Bolivia
  Civil flag of Costa Rica
  State flag of Costa Rica
  Civil flag of Denmark
  State flag of Denmark
  Civil flag of Dominican Republic
  State flag of Dominican Republic
  Civil flag of El Salvador
  State flag of El Salvador
  Alternative state flag of El Salvador
  Civil flag of Finland
  State flag of Finland
  Civil and alternative state flag of Germany
  State flag of Germany
  Unofficial flag of Germany
  Civil flag of Guatemala
  State flag of Guatemala
  Civil flag of Haiti
  State flag of Haiti
  State and civil flag of Hungary (ratio 1:2)
  Alternative civil flag of Hungary (ratio 2:3)
  Optional state flag of Hungary
  Civil flag of Iceland
  State flag of Iceland
  Civil flag of Liechtenstein
  State flag of Liechtenstein
  State and civil flag of Lithuania
  Historical state flag of Lithuania
  Civil flag of Monaco
  State flag of Monaco
  Civil flag of Nigeria
  State flag of Nigeria
  Civil flag of Norway
  State flag of Norway
  Civil flag of the State of Palestine
  State flag of the State of Palestine
  Civil flag of Peru
  State flag of Peru
  Civil flag of Poland
  State flag of Poland
  Civil flag of Romania
  Unofficial state flag of Romania
  State and civil flag of Russia
  Optional civil flag of Russia
  Civil flag of San Marino
  State flag of San Marino
  Civil flag of Serbia
  State flag of Serbia
  Optional civil flag of Spain
  State and civil flag of Spain
  Optional civil flag of Transnistria
  State and civil flag of Transnistria
  State and civil flag of Tuvalu
  Alternative state flag of Tuvalu
  Civil and state flag of Uruguay
  Alternative state flag of Uruguay (Flag of Artigas)
  Alternative state flag of Uruguay (Flag of the Treinta y Tres)
  Civil flag of Venezuela
  State flag of Venezuela

Flag of a federated state (subnational entity)

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The state flag of Massachusetts on display in the Financial District of Boston, Massachusetts, United States.

In Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, the United States, and some other federalized countries, the term state flag can have a different usage, as it frequently refers to an official flag of any of the individual states or territorial subdivisions that make up the nation.[4]

To avoid confusion with the first meaning of the term, however, such a flag would be more precisely referred to as "the flag of the state of X", rather than "the state flag of X".[citation needed] For this usage, see also:

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Znamierowski. "Government Flags". World Encyclopedia of Flags. p. 66.
  2. ^ Znamierowski. "The Union Jack". World Encyclopedia of Flags. p. 108.
  3. ^ Znamierowski. "Naval Ensigns and Flags". World Encyclopedia of Flags. p. 88.
  4. ^ Znamierowski. World Encyclopedia of Flags. pp. 180, 192, 208.

References

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