Wikipedia

List of Antarctic flags

This list includes flags that either have been in use or are currently used in Antarctica.

Antarctic flag proposals

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Flag Date Name Description
 
1929
RRS Discovery crew
Plain white flag
 
1978[1]
Whitney Smith's proposal.
An orange field bearing an emblem consisting of a pair of hands holding a segment of a disk representing Earth with the letter "A" representing Antarctica.
 
1995[2]
Joanne Cooper and Stefan Tucker's proposal.
An orange field bearing an outline of Antarctica, a compass pointing south at the bottom left, and the outline of a penguin to the right.
 
1996[3]
Graham Bartram's proposal.
A white outline of Antarctica on a UN-blue background.
 
1999[3][4]
Dave Hamilton's proposal.
The pale blue strip represents pack ice, the dark blue stripe represents the night sky and the yellow stripe is a representation of the aurora australis. The famous stellar constellation the Southern Cross is shown in the dark blue stripe at the right.
 
2007/2008[3]
Olivier Leroi's proposal.
The flag is vertically divided in four stripes — black, off-white, orange, and gray — reproducing the proportions of the colors on the "livery" (feathers) of an emperor penguin, selected as Antarctica's emblematic animal.
 
2018[5][6]
Evan Townsend's proposal (True South flag)
According to the flag's promoters, it signifies: "Horizontal stripes of navy and white represent the long days and nights at Antarctica's extreme latitude. In the center, a lone white peak erupts from a field of snow and ice, echoing those of the bergs, mountains, and pressure ridges that define the Antarctic horizon. The long shadow it casts forms the unmistakable shape of a compass arrow pointed south, an homage to the continent's legacy of exploration. Together, the two center shapes create a diamond, symbolizing the hope that Antarctica will continue to be a center of peace, discovery, and cooperation for generations to come."

Flags of international Antarctic organizations

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Flag Date Organization Description
 
Since 1961,[7][8] formalized in 2002[9]
Flag of the Antarctic Treaty System
Logo of the organization in 2:3 proportions. A white outline of Antarctica over a dark blue field with lines representing longitude and latitude counterchanged on top.
 
2013[10]
Flag of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research
Logo of the organization in 2:3 proportions. A white outline of Antarctica on a blue field defaced with the acronym of the organization, surrounded by the text "The International Council for Science" and "Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research" arranged in a circle within a white circular line.

Flags of Antarctic territorial claims

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Flag Date Claim/Territory Description
 
Since 1999[11]
Argentine Antarctica, in Tierra del Fuego Province.
The blue symbolizes the sky and sea surrounding the province, while the Southern Cross reflects the night sky and the albatross itself is a local bird that represents freedom through flight.
 
Since 1963[12]
British Antarctic Territory
A UK white ensign less the cross of St. George defaced with the Coat of arms of the British Antarctic Territory.
 
A UK blue ensign defaced with the Coat of arms of the British Antarctic Territory.
 
Since 1997[13]
Chilean Antarctic Territory, in Magallanes Region.
The blue color represents the night sky, while the golden peaks symbolize the steppe region, white indicates the snow that often falls in winter, and the Southern Cross symbolizes the position of the area.
 
Since 2007[14]
Adélie Land, in French Southern and Antarctic Territories.
The flag consists of a blue field with the French flag with white fimbriation on the canton. The charge consists of 5 stars (for the five regions of the French Southern and Antarctic Territories) and the letters "TAAF" (from the French name of the territory, Terres australes et antarctiques françaises) forming a monogram in the shape of anchor.

Territorial flag proposals

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Flag Date Claim/Territory Description
 
1995[15]
Ross Dependency
The New Zealand flag is the basis for his design, though with an 'Ice Blue' background representing the Ross Sea, and the white horizontal bar at the bottom of the flag representing the Ross Ice Shelf.

Antarctic expedition flags

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Flag Date Expedition Description
 
1902–1904
Scottish National Antarctic Expedition
Scottish saltire with the letters "S-N-A-E" as an acronym for "Scottish National Antarctic Expedition".
 
1910–1912
Imperial Japanese Antarctic Expedition
 
 
1933–1939
Byrd's Second Antarctic Expedition
 
 
1946–1948
Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition
 
1947–present
French Antarctic Expedition, also used in the Arctic.
 
1979–1982
"Transglobe" Expedition
UK flag defaced with a globe and an arrow circumnavigate it from North to South.

Sledge flags

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To make it easier to recognize the participants of the expedition, flags were placed on the sleighs. British expeditions used distinctly complex, embroidered designs for this purpose.

Discovery Expedition

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Nimrod Expedition

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Terra Nova Expedition

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Antarctic base flags

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Flag Base Country Description
  Amundsen–Scott South Pole United States White variant of the flag of the USAP: plain white field charged with the logo of the United States Antarctic Program.
  Palmer Station United States Blue variant of the flag of the USAP: plain blue field charged with the logo of the United States Antarctic Program.
  Captain Arturo Prat Chile Plain white field charged with the coat of arms of the base.
  Gabriel de Castilla Spain The flag of Spain with the emblem of the base in the center.

Other flags

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Flag Date Use Description
Link to file
1949
Pennant of the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions
 
1979[19]
50th Anniversary Commemorative Flag of Byrd's historic flight over the South Pole.
 
2000[20]
Burgee of the Ross Island Yacht Club Antarctica (RIYCA)
White represents the ice and purity. Blue represents the sky and valor. The silhouette depicts Shakleton's efforts on the waters around Ross Island. The Antarctic Skua, inspires freedom found in the south and a free meal wherever it may be found. The bloodshot red bowsprit reflects the directional desires on earth and on the wheel of life.
 
Since 2004[21][22]
Antarctic Vexillological Association
Blue represents the 24-hour day of the summer season, black represents the 24-hour night of the winter season, and white represents the ice and snow of the Antarctic continent. The Diamond in the middle if divided across the equator represents the "A" of Antarctica and "V" of Vexillology. The Diamond also represents the 4 compass points representing the compass points leading away from the geographic South Pole.
 
2020[23]
200th Anniversary Commemorative Flag of Russia in Antarctica
 
Antarctic flag used by Quark Expeditions

References

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  1. ^ "Antarctica — Whitney Smith proposal". Flags Of The World (FOTW). 2 August 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  2. ^ Proceedings of the XX International Congress of Vexillology, Stockholm, 27th July to 1st August 2003. Jan Oskar Engene, Nordic Flag Society. Bergen, Norway: Nordic Flag Society. 2004. ISBN 82-996983-1-6. OCLC 224266642.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. ^ a b c "Antarctica — flag proposals". Flags Of The World (FOTW). 2 August 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  4. ^ Mathers, Kyle. "Antarctica 2 Dollar". banknoteindex.com. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Antarctica — True South proposal". Flags Of The World (FOTW). 2 August 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  6. ^ "True South". truesouthflag.com. 26 July 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Antarctic treaty, first consultative meeting, 10 Jul 1961" (PDF) (in French).
  8. ^ "Postage stamp issues to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty, 1961". Polar Record. 16 (100): 104–105. January 1972. doi:10.1017/S0032247400062677. ISSN 1475-3057. The representatives recommend their governments:...that the most prominent feature of the stamp should be the Atlantic Treaty emblem representing a map of Antarctica, which appears on the official documents of consultative meetings;
  9. ^ "Antarctic Treaty database - Decision 2 (2002) - ATCM XXV - CEP V, Warsaw". www.ats.aq. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
  10. ^ Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (25 February 2013). "Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  11. ^ "SAIJ". www.saij.gob.ar. Retrieved 2022-10-22.
  12. ^ Martinez, Peter (1999). "Proc. XVII International Congress of Vexillology" (PDF). Proc. XVII International Congress of Vexillology: 233–237 – via www.fiav.com.
  13. ^ Nacional, Biblioteca del Congreso. "Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional | Ley Chile". www.bcn.cl/leychile (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-10-22.
  14. ^ T.A.A.F. (February 3, 2007). "Order n° 2007-18 of February 23, 2007" (PDF). Journal Officiel des Terres Australes et Antartiques Français (in French). 33: 16–17 – via taaf.fr.
  15. ^ "Ross Dependency". Archived from the original on 13 April 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  16. ^ "Burgee of Pirate Yacht Club, Bridlington". Royal Museums Greenwich. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  17. ^ Phillips, Elen. "Captain Scott's Welsh Flag". Amgueddfa Cymru.
  18. ^ "National flag of New Zealand". Royal Museums Greenwich.
  19. ^ "50th anniversary of Byrd's historic flight". www.southpolestation.com. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
  20. ^ Rejcek, Peter (September 6, 2013). "Join The Club - Enthusiasts Find Common Ground (Air, Water) At McMurdo Station". The Antarctic Sun.
  21. ^ "Antarctic Vexillological Association". Facebook. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  22. ^ "Antarctic Vexillological Association". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
  23. ^ "Commemorative flag for the 200th anniversary of the discovery of Antarctica travels to the ice continent". ROSSOTRUDNICHESTVO. July 21, 2020.
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