Flags and symbols of Malta
Encyclopedia
This article is a vexillological
summary of all flag
s and symbol
s in current use by the island nation
of Malta
. More information on the history of the various flags and emblems, as well as on their equivalents which are no longer in use, is found on the specific articles, linked to in the subtitle headings.
The National Flag of Malta is defined in the Constitution and consists of two equal vertical stripes, white in the hoist and red in the fly, with a representation of the George Cross
, edged with red, in the canton of the white stripe; the breadth of the flag is one and a half times its height. The George Cross
decoration was awarded by King George VI
for collective gallantry in 1942. Malta remained the only collective awardee of the decoration until it was awarded to the Royal Ulster Constabulary
of Northern Ireland
in 1999.
The current emblem of Malta is described by the Emblem and Public Seal of Malta Act (1975) as a shield
showing an heraldic
representation of the National Flag; above the shield a mural crown
in gold with a sally port and eight turrets (five only being visible) representing the fortifications of Malta and denoting a City State; and around the shield a wreath of two branches: the dexter of Olive, the sinister of Palm, symbols of peace and courage to victory traditionally associated with Malta, all in their proper colours, tied at base with a white ribbon, backed red and upon which are written the words Repubblika ta' Malta in capital letters in black.
The Presidential Flag of Malta was introduced by a proclamation dated December 12, 1988. This flag is flown on the President's official residences and offices and on all occasions at which he is present. It has the same proportions as the National Flag and consists of a blue field with the Emblem of Malta at its centre; and a Maltese Cross
in gold in each corner.
The Merchant Flag of Malta, the civil ensign
, was introduced by the Merchant Shipping Act and consists of a red field bordered in white, with a white Maltese Cross
at its centre. This flag is flown by Maltese civilian vessels as their ensign. Maltese military vessels fly the National Flag.
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proper fimbriated in red in the centre of a white square, within a red square. Each corner of the red square shall contain a white Maltese Cross
.
Maltese military aircraft carry a roundel
on the wings and fuselage, consisting of a George Cross
proper fimbriated in red in the centre of a white disc, within a red disc. Whenever then national flag is painted on the side of an aeroplane, the hoist should be towards the front of the plane with the fly flowing aft.
or fin flash consisting of two equal vertical strips, one white and the other red with the white leading and bearing across its top third a George Cross
proper fimbriated in red.
The original flag of the Knights Hospitaller
consists of a white Maltese Cross
on a black background. A number of organizations have used the Maltese Cross
, which first appeared in the First Crusade
, in their flags and insignia. The Knights' modern successor, the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (SMOM), has a flag consisting of a white Maltese Cross
on a red background and another flag consisting of a white symmetrical cross on a red field with the cross having a width of 1/5 the height of the flag - similar to the flag of England
, colors reversed. All the flags have a proportion of 5:3.
Flag terminology
Flag terminology is a jargon used in vexillology, the study of flags, to describe precisely the parts, patterns, and other attributes of flags and their display.-Description of standard flag parts and terms:...
summary of all flag
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
s and symbol
Symbol
A symbol is something which represents an idea, a physical entity or a process but is distinct from it. The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning. For example, a red octagon may be a symbol for "STOP". On a map, a picture of a tent might represent a campsite. Numerals are symbols for...
s in current use by the island nation
Island nation
An island country is a state whose primary territory consists of one or more islands or parts of islands. As of 2011, 47 of the 193 UN member states are island countries.-Politics:...
of Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. More information on the history of the various flags and emblems, as well as on their equivalents which are no longer in use, is found on the specific articles, linked to in the subtitle headings.
National Flag
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
, edged with red, in the canton of the white stripe; the breadth of the flag is one and a half times its height. The George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
decoration was awarded by King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
for collective gallantry in 1942. Malta remained the only collective awardee of the decoration until it was awarded to the Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
in 1999.
Coat of arms
Shield
A shield is a type of personal armor, meant to intercept attacks, either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace or battle axe to the side of the shield-bearer....
showing an heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
representation of the National Flag; above the shield a mural crown
Mural crown
-Usage in ancient times:In Hellenistic culture, a mural crown identified the goddess Tyche, the embodiment of the fortune of a city, familiar to Romans as Fortuna...
in gold with a sally port and eight turrets (five only being visible) representing the fortifications of Malta and denoting a City State; and around the shield a wreath of two branches: the dexter of Olive, the sinister of Palm, symbols of peace and courage to victory traditionally associated with Malta, all in their proper colours, tied at base with a white ribbon, backed red and upon which are written the words Repubblika ta' Malta in capital letters in black.
Presidential Flag
Maltese cross
The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
in gold in each corner.
Merchant Flag
Civil ensign
The civil ensign is the national flag flown by civil ships to denote nationality...
, was introduced by the Merchant Shipping Act and consists of a red field bordered in white, with a white Maltese Cross
Maltese cross
The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
at its centre. This flag is flown by Maltese civilian vessels as their ensign. Maltese military vessels fly the National Flag.
Archbishop's Flag
The flag used by the Archbishop of Malta consists of two equal vertical stripes, yellow in the hoist and white in the fly.Historical Colonial Flag
Flag used by the British Colonial administration of Malta prior to independenceQueen Elizabeth II, Standard for Malta
Royal Standard of Malta (1964–1974)Pennant of the Army
The pennant used by the Commander of the Armed Forces of Malta consists of a red field with the symbol of the Armed Forces in gold at its centre.Pennant of the Police
The pennant used by the Commissioner of the Police Force consists of a blue field with the symbol of the Police Force at its centre.Jack
The jack flown by Maltese military vessels consists of a square flag, consisting of a George CrossGeorge Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
proper fimbriated in red in the centre of a white square, within a red square. Each corner of the red square shall contain a white Maltese Cross
Maltese cross
The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
.
Aircraft Roundel
Roundel
A roundel in heraldry is a disc; the term is also commonly used to refer to a type of national insignia used on military aircraft, generally circular in shape and usually comprising concentric rings of different colours.-Heraldry:...
on the wings and fuselage, consisting of a George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
proper fimbriated in red in the centre of a white disc, within a red disc. Whenever then national flag is painted on the side of an aeroplane, the hoist should be towards the front of the plane with the fly flowing aft.
Aircraft Rudder
Maltese military aircraft carry a rudderRudder
A rudder is a device used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft or other conveyance that moves through a medium . On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw and p-factor and is not the primary control used to turn the airplane...
or fin flash consisting of two equal vertical strips, one white and the other red with the white leading and bearing across its top third a George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
proper fimbriated in red.
Knights' Flag
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
consists of a white Maltese Cross
Maltese cross
The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
on a black background. A number of organizations have used the Maltese Cross
Maltese cross
The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
, which first appeared in the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
, in their flags and insignia. The Knights' modern successor, the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (SMOM), has a flag consisting of a white Maltese Cross
Maltese cross
The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
on a red background and another flag consisting of a white symmetrical cross on a red field with the cross having a width of 1/5 the height of the flag - similar to the flag of England
Flag of England
The Flag of England is the St George's Cross . The red cross appeared as an emblem of England during the Middle Ages and the Crusades and is one of the earliest known emblems representing England...
, colors reversed. All the flags have a proportion of 5:3.