Flag of Finland

Temporary merchant navy ensign "Flag of St. George", used 1853–56 in the Crimean War.

Former flag of Nyländska Jaktklubben (1861–1919), on display at the Maritime Museum of Finland in Kotka.

The first known "Flag of Finland" was presented in 1848, along with the unofficial national anthem "Maamme". Its motif was the coat of arms of Finland, surrounded by laurel leaves, on a white flag.

The current blue-crossed design was first used in Finland by Nyländska Jaktklubben, a yacht club founded in Helsinki in 1861. In addition to the blue cross on the white background, the yacht club flag had the crowned arms of the province of Uusimaa within two crossed branches in the upper hoist quarter. Except for the position of the cross, the flag was similar to the flag of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, founded the previous year. The design can be traced to the Russian Navy ensign, which has a blue cross saltire on a white background. During the Crimean War, Finnish merchant ships captured by the British-French fleet flew a flag called Flag of St. George, which was based on the Russian Customs flag. In this variant, the cross was thinner than in the modern flag, and the proportions were equal. Another blue-cross flag was made official in 1861 for private vessels.

In 1910, in connection with Russification of Finland, the Russian authorities decreed that a Russian flag was to be added to the canton. However, this was met with resistance; the flag was derided as the "slave's flag" (orjalippu), and most Finns refused to fly it. Instead, a triangular pennant without this modification was flown, thereby circumventing the decree concerning flags.

Shortly after Finland gained independence in 1917, a competition was held for the design of the Finnish flag. Several different designs were submitted. Regarding the colours, the entries fell mainly into two categories – one using the red and yellow from the Finnish coat of arms, and the other using the present blue and white colours.

One entry had the Dannebrog cross design, but with a yellow cross on a red background. Another entry had diagonal blue and white stripes, but it was criticized^{[by whom?]} as being more suitable for a barber shop than a newly independent country. Akseli Gallen-Kallela proposed a similar cross flag, but with colours inverted (white cross on blue), but this was considered too similar to the Swedish flag and particularly the Greek flag of the time. Finally, artists Eero Snellman and Bruno Tuukkanen specified the final form of the flag. According to tradition, the flag was based on a design by the poet Zachris Topelius in about 1860.[6]

The Finnish state flag was further modified in 1922 when the coronet was removed, and again in 1978 when the shield-shaped coat of arms was changed into a rectangular shape.

Under Finnish law, it is forbidden to deface the flag or to use it in a disrespectful way. It is also illegal to remove a flag from its pole without permission. Anyone who breaks these regulations may be fined for disgracing the flag.

Finnish law also forbids the use of the presidential standard or state flag without permission, as well as the addition of any extra symbols to the flag. One may not sell a flag which has different colours or geometry than defined by the law. These are considered violations of the flag regulations and can lead to a fine.

There are also common rules on how to treat the flag respectfully. The flag must not be dirty or damaged. The flag must never touch the ground. When the flag is washed, it must be dried indoors. A worn-out flag must be disposed of by burning (though not with the intent to disgrace it), or alternatively by cutting it to pieces small enough not to be recognizable as parts of the flag. The flag must not be buried in the ground or the sea (including not throwing it into the garbage).

In Finland, the official term for flying a flag at half-mast is known as suruliputus (mourning by flag(ging)). It is performed by raising the flag briefly to the top of the mast and lowering it approximately one-third of the length of the flagpole, placing the lower hoist corner at half-mast. On wall-mounted and roof-top flagpoles the middle of the flag should fly at the middle of the flagpole. When removing the flag from half-mast, it is briefly hoisted to the finial before lowering completely.[10]

Traditionally, private residences and apartment houses fly the national flag at half-mast on the day of the death of a resident, when the flag is displayed at half-mast until sunset or 21:00, whichever comes first. Flags are also flown at half-mast on the day of the burial, with the exception that the flag is to be hoisted to the finial after the inhumation takes place.

Flags are also to be flown at half-mast by government agencies and embassies across the World on the days of national mourning, and "the entire nation is asked to join in." Such days are the deaths of former or current Finnish presidents, as well as significant catastrophic events such as the aftermath of 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, 2011 Norway attacks and significant national events such as the 2004 Konginkangas bus disaster and school shootings of Jokela and Kauhajoki.

Historically, flags were flown at half-mast on the Commemoration Day of Fallen Soldiers which takes place on the third Sunday of May. Originally, flag was raised to the finial in the morning, displayed at half-mast from 10:00 to 14:00, and again raised to the finial for the rest of the day. In 1995, the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, the tradition of flying the flag at half-mast was discontinued and flag is displayed at the finial in a usual manner.

The Finnish flag flying at half-mast after the 2011 Norway attacks

The Finnish yacht club flag design; The circled X is replaced with the club emblem; Flag ratio: 11:18

A Finnish speciality is that any yachting club registered in Finland may apply to have a flag with the club emblem officially approved for use on yachts. Such an ensign will be the civil ensign with a white cross, 3⁄5 of a unit-wide, superimposed on the blue cross and with the club emblem in the upper hoist corner. Most yachting clubs distribute these ensigns to their members, and they are much used, but their use is not recommended outside Finnish waters to avoid confusion. Officially, however, the yachting club ensign is valid even for international use.[11]

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  Flag of Finland
  (1918–1920)

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  State Flag of Finland
  (1918–1920)

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  Military Flag of Finland
  (1918–1920)

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  Standard of the Regent of Finland
  (1918–1919)

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  State Flag of Finland
  (1920–1978)

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  Military Flag of Finland
  (1920–1978)

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  Presidential Standard of Finland
  (1921–1944, 1946–1978)

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  Presidential Standard of Finland as used by Field Marshal Mannerheim, 6th President of Finland
  (1944–1946)

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  Pilot Flag of Finland
  (1919–1920)

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  Pilot Flag of Finland
  (1920–1978)

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  Customs Flag of Finland
  (1919–1920)

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  Customs Flag of Finland
  (1920–1978)

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  Postal Flag of Finland
  (1918–1939)

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  Postal Flag of Finland
  (1939–1978)

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  Proposed flags of Finland 1862–1918, compiled by Olof Eriksson.
• 
  Proposed flags of Finland 1862–1918, compiled by Olof Eriksson.

Flag of Finland waving on a pole

Finnish flag along Quincy Street in Hancock, Michigan

• 90th Anniversary of the Finnish Flag commemorative coin
• Nordic Cross flag
• Flag flying days in Finland
• Coat of arms of Finland
• Holidays in Finland
• National anthem of Finland
• Finnish national symbols
• Household pennants of Finland
• Raising the Flag on the Three-Country Cairn

Wikimedia Commons has media related to National flag of Finland.

• Finnish Ministry of the Interior: Flag and arms of Finland
• Finland at Flags of the World