Europe · DK / DNK
Flag of Denmark
The Denmark flag, called the Dannebrog, is a red field with a white Scandinavian cross that reaches the edges. It holds the Guinness record as the oldest continuously used national flag, in use since 1625, and a legend says it fell from the sky in 1219.
What the flag of Denmark looks like
The Danish flag is a plain red rectangle crossed by a white cross. The cross extends to the edges of the flag, and its vertical arm is set closer to the hoist (the side next to the pole) than to the fly, which gives the design the "Scandinavian" or Nordic cross shape. The proportions are 28:37, a little wider than tall, and a 1748 regulation that is still in force defines the construction.
The construction is simple. The height is divided into three parts, 12:4:12, so the cross is one-seventh of the flag's height wide. The width is divided 12:4:21, and the two red squares at the hoist are therefore the same size, with a longer red rectangle at the fly. No official definition of the red ("Dannebrog red") exists, but a private Danish standard of 2005 defines it as Pantone 186 C.
Denmark has several versions. The ordinary rectangular flag is used by everyone, while the splitflag has a swallowtail cut into the fly and is used on land by institutions and companies with special permission, and the longer, deeper red orlogsflag is used at sea by the Royal Danish Navy. A small Denmark flag emoji shows the rectangular version.
Denmark flag colors
Color codes measured from the official design. Use HEX for the web and CMYK for print.
HEX
#C8102ERGB
200, 16, 46CMYK
0, 92, 77, 22HEX
#FFFFFFRGB
255, 255, 255CMYK
0, 0, 0, 0Denmark flag meaning and symbolism
The Dannebrog has no official explanation for its colors. The Nordic cross traditionally represents Christianity. The white-on-red cross emblem originates in the age of the Crusades, and in the 12th century it was also used as a war flag by the Holy Roman Empire. The reason the Danish kings began displaying the cross banner in the 14th century is unknown, and scholars have suggested a banner sent by the pope or the banner of the Knights Hospitaller.
The name Dannebrog literally means "red cloth", and it is also sometimes explained as "Danish cloth". Danes simply call it Dannebrog, and also use the phrase det danske flag. The flag is deeply tied to national identity and is widely used in celebrations.
History and legend of the Dannebrog
According to tradition, the flag fell from heaven during the Battle of Lyndanise (near today's Tallinn, Estonia) on 15 June 1219. King Valdemar II was leading a crusade against the Estonians, and the Danes were losing until a red banner with a white cross dropped from the sky. The troops took heart and won. The story is first written down in the 1520s, so it is a legend, and historians do not take it literally. The anniversary is observed as Valdemar's Day (Valdemarsdag), a flag day on 15 June.
A banner with a white-on-red cross is attested as used by the kings of Denmark since the 14th century. The earliest known undisputed color rendering is in the Gelre Armorial (c. 1340-1370), which shows such a banner alongside the coat of arms of the king of Denmark. The Dannebrog was used as a maritime flag from the 16th century and became popular as a national flag in the early 16th century.
A regulation of 1748, still in force, defines the construction of the flag. During the first half of the 19th century the military flag came to be seen as representing the nation, but private use was outlawed in 1834 and permitted again by a regulation of 7 July 1854. Today it is common to see the flag on houses, cakes and birthday decorations.
The Dannebrog and the other Nordic flags
Many European flags look like the Danish flag because they were modelled on it. Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands all use an off-center cross, and the Danish flag is the oldest flag of this kind still in use. Norway's flag, for example, is red with a blue cross that has a white outline: it was created in 1821 while Norway was in union with Sweden, but it shows the influence of the Danish flag, after centuries of the Danish-Norwegian union. The Norwegian flag is red like the Danish one, and Sweden and Finland use a cross in different colors. If you look for the reverse of Denmark's colors, the Red Cross emblem is a red cross on white, which is the Swiss flag with its colors inverted. The flag of Switzerland itself is a white cross on red like Denmark's, but its cross is short and centered and the flag is square.
In the Danish realm, there are also separate flags for the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The Faroese flag is a red-bordered blue cross on white, and Greenland's is white over red with a circle; both are flown alongside the Dannebrog.
Denmark flag facts
| Country | Denmark |
|---|---|
| Flag adopted | 1625 |
| Proportions | 22:29 |
| Colors | #C8102E, #FFFFFF |
| Symbols | Nordic cross |
| Flag emoji | 🇩🇰 |
| Country code | DK, DNK (ISO 3166) |
| Capital | Copenhagen |
| Continent | Europe |
| Population | 5,822,863 |
| Area | 42,925 km² |
| Currency | Danish krone |
| National anthem | Der er et yndigt land |
Denmark flag: frequently asked questions
What is Denmark's flag called?
It is called the Dannebrog, which literally means "red cloth". Danes also call it simply Dannebrog or det danske flag.
What does the Dannebrog mean?
The white Nordic cross is a Christian symbol. The best-known story about the flag's origin is the legend of it falling from the sky in 1219.
When did the Dannebrog fall from the sky?
The legend says it fell on 15 June 1219 at the Battle of Lyndanise in Estonia, when King Valdemar II was fighting a crusade. Historians regard it as a legend, as the story was first recorded in the 1520s.
Why do Norway and Denmark have similar flags?
Norway was in a union with Denmark for more than 400 years, until 1814, and the Danish flag was widely used in Norway. Norway's current flag, from 1821, keeps the cross design but changes the colors.
Is the Dannebrog the oldest flag in the world?
It holds the Guinness world record as the oldest continuously used national flag, in use since 1625, and a banner with a white cross on red is attested as used by Danish kings since the 14th century. Some other flags have very old roots too.
What flag is the inverse of Denmark?
Denmark's flag is a white cross on red, so the inverse is a red cross on white, the emblem of the Red Cross, which is the Swiss flag with inverted colors. The Swiss flag itself is also a white cross on red, but square, with a short centered cross.
What was the Danish flag before the Dannebrog?
No earlier Danish national flag is known. A banner with a white cross on red is attested for the kings of Denmark since the 14th century, with the Gelre Armorial (c. 1340-1370) as the earliest clear color rendering. Royal arms of that era showed three blue lions on gold.
How is the Denmark flag different from the Norway flag?
Both are red with an off-center Nordic cross, but Denmark's cross is plain white, while Norway's is blue with a white outline. The Danish Dannebrog is far older; Norway created its current flag in 1821, after centuries in union with Denmark.
What does the Denmark flag emoji mean?
The 🇩🇰 emoji shows the national flag of Denmark, the red Dannebrog with a white Nordic cross.
