The Nordic cross flag is any of certain flags bearing the design of the Nordic or Scandinavian cross, a cross symbol in a rectangular field, with the center of the cross shifted towards the hoist. All independent Nordic countries have adopted such flags in the modern period, and while the Scandinavian cross is named for its use in the national flags of the Scandinavian nations, the term is used universally by vexillologists, in reference not only to the flags of the Nordic countries but to other flags with similar designs. The sideways cross is also known as the Cross of Saint Philipthe Apostle, who preached not in Scandinavia but in Greece, Phrygia and Syria instead. The cross design represents Christianity, and the characteristic shift of the center to the hoist side is early modern, first described the Danish civil ensign for merchant ships in a regulation of 11 June 1748, which specified the shift of the cross center towards the hoist as "the two first fields must be square in form and the two outer fields must be lengths of those". The Danish design was adopted for the flags of Norway and Sweden, both derived from a common ensign used during the Union between Sweden and Norway 1818-1844, as well as Iceland and Finland ; some of the subdivisions of these countries used this as inspiration for their own flags. The Norwegian flag was the first Nordic cross flag with three colours. All Nordic flags may be flown as gonfalons as well.
Flag formats
Flags of the Nordic countries
Note that some of these flags are historical. Also, note that flag proportions may vary between the different flags and sometimes even between different versions of the same flag. The Flag of Greenland is the only national flag of a Nordic country or territory without a Nordic Cross. When Greenland was granted home rule, the present flag — with a graphic design unique to Greenland — was adopted on June 1985, supported by fourteen votes against eleven who supported a proposed green-and-white Nordic cross.
Historical Flag of the Kalmar Union, which united Denmark, Sweden and Norway 1397 to 1523. No pictorial evidence survives of the Kalmar Union's Flag. The flag appearing here is a reconstruction based on references in 1430 letters by King Eric of Pomerania.
Unofficial Nordic flags
These flags either do not have official status or represent various private entities. They have not been officially adopted and their use remains limited.
Nordic cross flags outside the Nordic countries
Armenia
Teutonic Order
Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania
Germany
Nordic flag designs very similar to Denmark's, Sweden's, and Norway's national flags were proposed as Germany's national flags in both 1919 and 1948, after World War I and World War II, respectively. Today, the Nordic cross is a feature in some city and district flags or coats of arms.
