North America · GL / GRL
Flag of Greenland
The Greenland flag is a horizontal bicolor of white over red with a large disc whose colors are reversed: red on the white half and white on the red half. Called Erfalasorput ("our flag"), it was adopted on 21 June 1985.
What the flag of Greenland looks like
The flag of Greenland has two equal horizontal bands, white on top and red below. Near the hoist, slightly off center, is a disc that is split along the same line as the bands. The upper half of the disc is red and sits on the white band, and the lower half is white and sits on the red band. The proportions are 2:3.
Greenland is the only Nordic territory whose flag does not have a Nordic cross. Other Nordic flags such as the flag of Denmark are built around an off-center cross. The Greenland flag is easy to recognize from a distance because of the large disc and the reversed colors. For the small icon version, see the Greenland flag emoji.
Greenland flag colors
Color codes measured from the official design. Use HEX for the web and CMYK for print.
HEX
#FFFFFFRGB
255, 255, 255CMYK
0, 0, 0, 0HEX
#C8102ERGB
200, 16, 46CMYK
0, 92, 77, 22Greenland flag meaning and symbolism
The designer, Thue Christiansen, described the white stripe as the glaciers and ice cap, which cover more than 80% of the island, and the red stripe as the ocean. The red semicircle is the sun, with its bottom part sunk in the ocean, and the white semicircle is the icebergs and pack ice. The design is also reminiscent of the setting sun half-submerged below the horizon and reflected on the sea.
The red and white are also the colors of the Danish flag, which symbolizes Greenland's place in the Danish realm.
History of the Greenland flag
Greenland was a Danish colony for centuries and used the Danish flag, the Dannebrog. It was made an integral part of Denmark in 1953 and received home rule in 1979. Greenland first considered a flag of its own in 1973, when five Greenlanders proposed a green, white and blue flag. The following year a newspaper solicited 11 design proposals, all but one of them a Nordic cross, and polled the public.
The committee could not agree, so more proposals were requested. Finally the red-and-white design by Thue Christiansen, a Greenlandic politician, narrowly won over a green-and-white Nordic cross by a vote of 14 to 11. Under the name Erfalasorput ("our flag") it was officially adopted on 21 June 1985, which is also the National Day of Greenland. Today Greenlanders display both Erfalasorput and the Dannebrog, often side by side. In 2009 Greenland took on a larger degree of self-government, and the flag remains the symbol of the territory.
Greenland flag and the Danish flag
Greenland is a self-governing territory in the Kingdom of Denmark, and for that reason both flags are seen in the country. Greenlanders display both Erfalasorput and the Dannebrog, often side by side. Browse more at flags of the world.
Greenland flag facts
| Country | Greenland |
|---|---|
| Flag adopted | June 21, 1985 |
| Proportions | 2:3 |
| Colors | #FFFFFF, #C8102E |
| Symbols | Sun, iceberg, glacier, roundel |
| Flag emoji | 🇬🇱 |
| Country code | GL, GRL (ISO 3166) |
| Capital | Nuuk |
| Continent | North America |
| Population | 56,609 |
| Area | 2,166,086 km² |
| Currency | Danish krone |
| National anthem | Nuna asiilasooq |
Greenland flag: frequently asked questions
What does Greenland's flag represent?
The red half of the disc is the sun, the white half is icebergs and pack ice, and the two stripes stand for the ice and the ocean. The red and white colors are also the colors of the Danish flag.
Does Greenland have two flags?
Greenland has its own flag, Erfalasorput, and it also uses the Danish flag, since it is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Greenlanders often display them side by side.
Does Greenland have the same flag as Denmark?
No. Denmark's flag is red with a white Nordic cross, while Greenland's is white over red with a red-and-white disc. They share the same two colors.
Who designed the Greenland flag?
Thue Christiansen, a Greenlandic politician, designed it. It was adopted on 21 June 1985.
Is Greenland a country?
Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, not an independent state. Its capital is Nuuk, and it has its own parliament and flag.
What is the real flag of Greenland?
It is called Erfalasorput, meaning "our flag" in Greenlandic. It has two equal bands, white over red, with a counter-changed red-and-white disc, and measures 18 by 12 parts. It was adopted on 21 June 1985.
Did Greenland have its own flag before 1985?
No. The idea of a Greenlandic flag first came up in 1973, and committees compared many designs. The current red-and-white one narrowly won over a green-and-white Nordic cross, 14 votes to 11, and became official in 1985.
Why does the Greenland flag have no Nordic cross?
Greenland's flag is the only national flag of a Nordic country or territory without a Nordic cross. Its disc design is closer to the Sami flag, and it shares only the red and white colors with Denmark's Dannebrog.
