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Greece

Ελλάδα

image by Zoltan Horvath, 6 June 2024

Flag adopted 22 December 1978, coat of arms adopted 7 June 1975
Description: Nine horizontal stripes, in turn blue and white; a white cross on a blue square field in canton
Proportion: 2:3
Use: on land, as the civil, state and war flag; at sea, as the civil, state and war ensign.

Color approximate specifications (Album des Pavillons [pay00]):

Blue: Pantone 286 C / CMYK (%) 100-60-0-5 (used for image above)

On this page:

Origin and meaning of the Greek Flag
Unofficial alternative Greek Flag
Shade of the Greek Flag
Vertical Variant
Coat of Arms

See also:

Greece: Index of all pages

Origin and meaning of the Greek Flag

The striped flag has been in use since 1822, and was approved in 1832. The nine stripes are said to stand for the nine syllables of the Greek patriots' motto, Ελευθερια η Θανατος ("Freedom or Death"), now the national motto of Greece.
Paul Adams, 19 June 1995

Unofficial alternative Greek Flag

Simple cross Greek flag - Image by Ivan Sache, 19 June 1995

The simple white-cross-on-blue flag dates from 1822, and was used as an alternative national flag, but only in land, not at sea. Only the striped flag was used at sea.

From June 1975 until December 1978, the plain cross flag was used as the only national flag. The situation is now reversed, and the striped flag is now the only official national flag, although the cross flag can still be seen in unofficial use.
Paul Adams, 19 June 1995

The Hellenic Army's war flags are of the "simple cross" variety with the depiction of St. George slaying the dragon in the center of the cross. Although the official Hellenic flag (striped version) flies over all government installations - including those of the Hellenic Armed Forces - Hellenic Army units always parade with the previously referenced version of the simple cross flag. The same old flag is also used as part of the markings on Hellenic Armed Forces vehicles.
Labros Pilalis, 13 September 2005

Vertical Variant

image by Zoltan Horvath, 6 June 2024

Coat of Arms

image by Željko Heimer, 11 October 2001, after Album des Pavillons [pay00]

Azure a cross Argent, the shield encircled by an orle of laurel branches Vert..
Christopher Southworth & Tomislav Todorovic, 2 October 2024

The image shown above uses a "washed out" blue color. The blue color in the coat of arms is the same as the one used in the Hellenic flags, that is dark blue. The "washed out" blue belongs to the defunct and now non-existent coat of arms of the Kingdom of Greece.
Labros Pilalis, 31 August 2005