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{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Short description|Flag of the United Nations}}
{{Infobox flag
| Name = United Nations
| Image = Flag of the United Nations.svg
| Alt = Sky blue flag banner with white United Nations emblem
| Image_size = 225px
| Symbol = {{FIAV|normal}}
| Proportion = 2:3 or 3:5{{efn|Or using the same proportions of the national flag of whatever country it is being flown in, with the emblem being centred and one half of the hoist.}}
| Adoption = {{Start date and age|1947|10|20|df=yes}}
| Design = Sky blue banner with an all-white UN emblem ([[azimuthal equidistant projection]] surrounded by two [[Olive branch|olive branches]]) in the centre.
| Designer = [[Donal McLaughlin]] (emblem only)
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Use Oxford spelling|date=November 2010}}

The '''flag of the United Nations''' is a sky blue banner containing the [[United Nations]]' emblem in the centre. The emblem on the flag is coloured white; it is a depiction of the world map in the [[azimuthal equidistant projection]] (centred on the [[North Pole]]), which is surrounded by a pair of [[olive branch]]es. The emblem was officially adopted on 7 December 1946, and the flag containing the emblem was officially adopted on 20 October 1947.<ref name=res/>

==Design==
[[File:UN emblem blue.svg|thumb|200px|left|The emblem of the [[United Nations]].]]

The flag of the [[United Nations]] consists of the white emblem on the [[sky blue]] background. The emblem depicts a [[azimuthal equidistant projection]] of the world map, centred on the [[North Pole]], with the globe being bisected in the centre by the [[Prime meridian]] and the [[International Date Line]], thus ensuring that no country is at prominence within the flag. The projection of the map extends to 60 degrees south latitude, and includes five concentric circles. The map is inscribed in a wreath consisting of crossed conventionalized [[Olive branch|branches of the olive tree]].<ref name=res><!-- direct link from this page http://daccess-ods.un.org/access.nsf/Get?Open&DS=A/107&Lang=E can't be linked directly due to referrer checking--> [https://research.un.org/en/maps/flags General Assembly A/107, Official Seal and Emblem of the United Nations, 15 October 1946]</ref><ref name=airforce57>{{Cite book|url={{Google books|id=WhtFAQAAMAAJ|page=14|plainurl=yes}}|title=Use and Display of Air Force Flags, Guidons, Streamers, and Automobile and Aircraft Plates|author=Department of the Air Force|date=1 August 1957}}</ref>

The size of the emblem on the flag is one half the width of the flag itself. The flag proportions of the [[aspect ratio]] of the flag height to its width, are equal 2:3, 3:5 or to the same proportions as the national flag of any country in which the UN flag is flown.<ref name=airforce57/> White and blue are the official colours of the [[United Nations]]. The light blue background colour code is Pantone Matching System 2925. It approximates [[sky blue]].<ref>[https://undocs.org/ST/SGB/2020/4, United Nations Flag Code, 20 November 2020]</ref>

The [[olive branch]]es are a [[Peace symbols#Olive branch|symbol for peace]], and the world map represents all the people and the countries of the world.<ref name=airforce57/>

==History==
[[File:UN charter logo.png|thumb|Insignia displayed on the cover of the [[United Nations Charter]], from 26 June 1945, predating the official adoption of a flag of the United Nations. Notably, the lower, upright part of the globe is centered on [[100th meridian west|100° West]], which places North America at prominence. Later versions of the United Nations insignia changes this to align closer to, and eventually at, the [[prime meridian]] (0° longitude).]]
[[File:Flag of the United Nations (1945-1947).svg|thumb|{{FIAV|historical}} The first version of the UN flag, April 1945]]
[[File:Four Freedoms Flag or United Nations Honour Flag ca 1943-1948.svg|thumb|{{FIAV|historical}} The "[[United Nations Honour Flag]]", used as a symbol of the wartime allies, {{circa}} 1943–1948]]

The organizers of the 1945 [[United Nations Conference on International Organization]] in [[San Francisco, California]] wanted an insignia that could be made into a pin to identify delegates. [[United States Secretary of State]] [[Edward Stettinius, Jr.]] was chairperson of the U.S. delegation, and realized that a temporary design might become the permanent symbol of the United Nations. He formed a committee headed by [[Oliver Lundquist]] that developed a design consisting of a world map surrounded by leaves from a design created by [[Donal McLaughlin]].<ref>Bertram, Hulen. [https://www.nytimes.com/1946/03/10/archives/origin-of-the-uno-seal.html "Origin of the UNO Seal"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 10 March 1946. Accessed 4 January 2009.</ref><ref>Lyons, Catherine. [http://www.unausa.org/site/apps/s/content.asp?c=fvKRI8MPJpF&b=369041&ct=4212781 "UN Logo Designer Celebrates His Centennial"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010173141/http://www.unausa.org/site/apps/s/content.asp?c=fvKRI8MPJpF&b=369041&ct=4212781 |date=2008-10-10 }}, [[United Nations Association]], c. 1975. Accessed January 4, 2009.</ref>

McLaughlin had previously worked as chief of graphics for the [[Office of Strategic Services]] that preceded the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]]. The [[azimuthal equidistant projection]] used in his design was heavily influenced by the maps created during [[World War II]] by [[Richard Edes Harrison]], a popular cartographer working for [[Fortune (magazine)|''Fortune'']] and [[Life (magazine)|''Life.'']]''<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|title=How to hide an empire: geography, territory, and power in the greater united states.|last=Immerwahr|first=Daniel|publisher=The Bodley Head ltd.|year=2019|isbn=978-1847923998|chapter=13. Kilroy was here|oclc=1038055837}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Capdepuy|first=Vincent|date=2015|title= The Entry of the United States into the "Global Age": A geohistorical moment? |journal=Monde(<span class="ltr">s</span>) |volume=8|issue=2|pages=177|doi=10.3917/mond1.152.0177 |doi-access=free |issn=2261-6268 |via=Cairn International Edition |url=https://www.cairn-int.info/article.php?ID_ARTICLE=E_MOND1_152_0177 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221214535/https://www.cairn-int.info/article.php?ID_ARTICLE=E_MOND1_152_0177 |archive-date= Dec 21, 2023 }}</ref>''.

The [[blue]] that appears in the background of the insignia was chosen to be "the opposite of red, the war colour",<ref>[https://www.un.org/depts/dhl/maplib/flag.htm UN General Assembly A/107, Official Seal and Emblem of the United Nations, 15 October 1946]. Accessed 15 March 2010.</ref> although the exact shade has never been officially specified by the United Nations. The original colour the group chose in 1945 was a gray blue that differs from the current United Nations flag, unofficially called "Stettinius Blue", and it was selected because at that time it was not in use in any national flag<ref>{{cite book |last=Borts |first=Lawrence H. |date=1998 |title=Medals and Ribbons - The Medals and Ribbons of The United Nations |location=Fountain Inn, SC |publisher=Medals of America Press |page=36 |isbn= 1-884452-31-0}}</ref>   The globe used in the original design was an [[azimuthal projection]] focused on the [[North Pole]] with the United States, the host nation of the conference, at the centre. The projection that was used cut off portions of the [[Southern Hemisphere]] at the latitude of [[Argentina]], which was acceptable at the time, as Argentina was not planned to be an original member of the United Nations.<ref name=NYTObit>Heller, Steven. [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/world/04lundquist.html "Oliver Lincoln Lundquist, Designer, Is Dead at 92 "], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 3 January 2009. Accessed 4 January 2009.</ref> The projection was later altered so that no country will be at prominence within the flag. The new logo was now designed so that the globe is bisected in the centre by the [[Prime Meridian]] and the [[International Date Line]]. The earlier version of the emblem had the globe 90 degrees turned eastward compared with the present flag, which has the [[Prime Meridian]] and the [[International Date Line]] forming the vertical diameter. According to press statements, the change was made to move [[North America]] away from the centre of the emblem.<ref name=res/>

In 1946, a UNO committee was tasked to make a definite design, which was presented 2 December 1946. The emblem was adopted by the plenary session of the UNO on 7 December 1946, and the flag was officially adopted on 20 October 1947.<ref name=res/>

==Use==
According to the [[Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel]], the emblem and the flag of the United Nations can be used by the personnel and material of UN [[peacekeeping]] missions as a [[protective sign]] to prevent attacks during an [[War|armed conflict]].

The United Nations flag may also be flown as a garrison flag with other country flags. Garrison size is 10 feet by 30 feet.

==Derived flags==

===Agencies and organizations===
{| class="wikitable"
! Image
! Entity abbrev.
! Entity name
! Image description
|-
| [[File:Flag of IAEA.svg|100px]]
| IAEA
| [[International Atomic Energy Agency]]
| The IAEA has a flag with the same colours and olive branches as the United Nations. The central symbol is the [[Bohr model]] of the [[Beryllium]]-atom with four electrons.<ref>{{cite web|title=The story behind the IAEA's atomic logo|periodical=Restricted Data - the Nuclear Secrecy Blog|url=http://blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/2013/01/11/the-story-behind-the-iaeas-atomic-logo/|access-date=2017-03-22|last=Alex Wellerstein|date=2013-01-11}}</ref> The IAEA is independent of but reporting to the United Nations.
|-
| [[File:Flag of ICAO.svg|100px]]
| ICAO 
| [[International Civil Aviation Organization]]
| Is that of the UN with [[Aviator badge|pilot's wings]] superimposed.
|-
| [[File:Flag of ILO.svg|100px]]
| ILO
| [[International Labour Organization]]
| Is that of the UN, but replacing the map with an interrupted gear wheel with the letters "ILO" inside it.
|-
| [[File:Flag of the International Maritime Organization.svg|100px]]
| IMO
| [[International Maritime Organization]]
| Takes the UN flag, shrinks the map image and puts a chained cross of anchors behind it.
|-
| [[File:International Telecommunication Union logo.svg|100px]]
| ITU
| [[International Telecommunication Union]]
| Has the ITU logo—a globe, lightning bolt, and the letters "ITU".
|-
| [[File:Flag of UNESCO.svg|100px]]
| UNESCO
| [[UNESCO|United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization]]
| Has the same colours as the United Nations; its symbol is a [[Architecture of Ancient Greece|Greek temple]] (possibly the [[Parthenon]]), representing science, learning and culture. The six columns are made of the letters of the organization's name.
|-
| [[File:Flag of UNICEF.svg|100px]]
| UNICEF
| [[United Nations Children's Fund]]
| Has the leaves and globe of the UN flag but with a mother and child inlay instead of the world map.
|-
| [[File:Flag of UPU.svg|100px]]
| UPU
| [[Universal Postal Union]]
| Is UN blue with the organization's logo in white.
|-
|[[File:World Food Programme Logo Simple.svg|100px]]
|WFP
|[[World Food Programme]]
|Has the olive leaves of the UN flag, with a hand clutching grains in the centre, in place of the globe. The white/blue colours of the UN flag are reversed in the WFP flag.
|-
| [[File:Flag of WHO.svg|100px]]
| WHO
| [[World Health Organization]]
| Identical to the UN flag, with a [[Rod of Asclepius]], a traditional symbol of medicine, added.
|-
| [[File:Flag of the World Meteorological Organization.svg|100px]]
| WMO
| [[World Meteorological Organization]]
| The flag is that of the UN with a [[compass rose]] and the letters "OMM/WMO" atop the globe.
|-
| [[File:Flag of the International Criminal Court.svg|100px]]
| ICC
| [[International Criminal Court]]
| The flag of the ICC, though not an organ of the UN, resembles that of a UN agency.
|}
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: File:WFP_flag.gif|[[WFP]] -->===National flags===
The UN flag is the origin of a [[Flag families|family]] of national flags. Because of the UN's association with peace and cooperation, UN-inspired flags are often adopted by states that have experienced conflict or instability. Many states with UN-inspired flags either were or were a part of [[United Nations trust territories]].
{| class="wikitable"
! Image
! Entity abbrev.
! Description
|-
| [[File:Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg|frameless|100x100px]]
| [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]]
| The [[flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina]] was introduced by the UN High Representative Carlos Westendorp after the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina could not agree on a common flag. The color scheme references the [[flag of Europe]] as much or more than the UN.
|-
| [[File:Flag of Cambodia (1992–1993).svg|frameless|100x100px]]
| [[United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia|Cambodia]] (1992–1993)
| The [[flag of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia]] uses the UN colours with a white map of Cambodia with the word for Cambodia in [[Khmer script]].
|-
|[[File:Flag of Cyprus.svg|frameless|100x100px]]
|[[Cyprus]]
|The [[flag of Cyprus]] uses a map and olive branches inspired by the UN flag.
|-
| [[File:Flag of Eritrea (1952-1961).svg|frameless|100x100px]]
| [[Eritrea]] (1952–1962)
| The first [[flag of Eritrea]] used UN blue and olive branches.
|-
| [[File:Flag of Eritrea.svg|frameless|100x100px]]
| Eritrea (1993–present) 
| The current flag of Eritrea uses less UN blue but retains the olive branches.
|-
| [[File:Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia.svg|frameless|100x100px]]
| [[Federated States of Micronesia]]
| The [[flag of the Federated States of Micronesia]] is derived from the former UN-inspired [[flag of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands]], of which it was a part.
|-
| [[File:Flag of Kosovo.svg|frameless|100x100px]]
| [[Kosovo]]
| The [[flag of Kosovo]], was adopted 17 February 2008. Until then, Kosovo had been under the administration of the United Nations since 10 June 1999 and had used the UN flag for official purposes.
|-
| [[File:Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands.svg|frameless|100x100px]]
| [[Northern Mariana Islands]]
| The [[flag of the Northern Mariana Islands]] is also derived from the former UN-inspired flag of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, of which it was a part.
|-
| [[File:Flag of Somalia.svg|frameless|100x100px]]
| [[Somalia]] (1954–present)
| The [[flag of Somalia]] has UN blue and white, and was first used during the period of the [[Trust Territory of Somaliland|United Nations Trust Territory of Somaliland]].
|-
| [[File:Flag of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.svg|frameless|100x100px]]
| [[Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands]]
| The flag of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands uses UN blue and was adopted during a period of UN-administered transition to independence.
|-
| [[File:Flag of Turkmenistan.svg|frameless|100x100px]]
| [[Turkmenistan]]
| The [[Flag of Turkmenistan]] uses UN olive branches below the five carpet guls.
|}

===Subnational flags===
The subnational flags, flags of constituent political entities of some states with UN-inspired flags, states that either were or were a part of [[United Nations trust territories]], sometimes also derive inspiration from the [[flag of the United Nations]].
{| class="wikitable"
! Image
! Entity
! Description
|-
| [[File:Flag of Kosrae.svg|frameless|100x100px]]
| [[Kosrae]]
| [[Kosrae]] is one of four constituent states of the [[Federated States of Micronesia]]. The flag of [[Kosrae]] features an azure field with white stars and laurel leaves.
|-
| [[File:Flag of Pohnpei.svg|frameless|100x100px]]
| [[Pohnpei State]]
| [[Pohnpei State]] is one of four constituent states of the [[Federated States of Micronesia]]. The flag of [[Pohnpei State]] features a blue field with white stars and a wreath of coconut leaves.
|-
| [[File:Flag of Chuuk.svg|frameless|100x100px]]
| [[Chuuk State]]
| [[Chuuk State]] is one of four constituent states of the [[Federated States of Micronesia]]. The flag of [[Chuuk State]] features a blue field with a ring white stars surrounding a palm tree.
|-
| [[File:Flag of Yap.svg|frameless|100x100px]]
| [[Yap State]]
| [[Yap State]] is one of four constituent states of the [[Federated States of Micronesia]]. The flag of [[Yap State]] features an azure field with a ring surrounding a traditional sailing canoe and voided circle with star, all in white.
|}

===Municipal flags===
The municipal flags of constituent political entities of some states with UN-inspired flags, states that either were or were a part of [[United Nations trust territories]], sometimes also derive inspiration from the [[flag of the United Nations]].
{| class="wikitable"
! Image
! Entity
! Description
|-
| [[File:Flag of U, Micronesia.svg|frameless|100x100px]]
| [[U, Federated States of Micronesia]]
| [[U, Federated States of Micronesia]] is one of six municipalities of [[Pohnpei State]], [[Federated States of Micronesia]]. The flag of [[U, Federated States of Micronesia|U]] features an azure field with five white stars and the pair of olive branches of the [[Flag of the United Nations]].
|}

=== Usage outside of the United Nations ===
* The UN flag is depicted in the background of former [[Secretary-General of the United Nations|UN Secretary-General]] [[Dag Hammarskjöld]] on [[Sweden|Sweden's]] 1,000 [[Swedish krona|SEK]] banknote, the currency's highest denomination. The banknotes have been in circulation since October 2015.<ref>{{cite web|title=New banknotes|url=http://www.riksbank.se/en/Press-and-published/Press/Press-photos/New-banknotes/|work=Sveriges Riksbank|access-date=1 June 2013|archive-date=14 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114160120/http://www.riksbank.se/en/Press-and-published/Press/Press-photos/New-banknotes/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Flag of Earth]]
* [[Hymn to the United Nations]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|United Nations flags and insignia}}
* [https://undocs.org/ST/SGB/2020/4 UN Flag Code, 20 November 2020]
* [https://www.un.org/depts/dhl/maplib/docs/stsgb132.pdf United Nations Flag Code]
* {{FOTW|id=uno|title=United Nations Organization}}
{{Portal|Heraldry|left=yes}}

{{United Nations}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:United Nations, Flag of}}
[[Category:United Nations|Flag]]
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1947|United Nations]]
[[Category:Flags of international organizations|United Nations]]
[[Category:Blue flags|United Nations]]