New Zealand's Flags

NEW ZEALAND'S FLAGS

[ New Zealand - Coat of Arms ]

BLUE ENSIGN - RED ENSIGN - WHITE ENSIGN - COOK ISLANDS - NIUE

New Zealand has three official national flags. Two associated territories, the Cook Islands and Niue, also have their own flags. There are also official flags for the Queen of New Zealand, the Governor-General, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and a Civil Air Ensign. Design and use of the national flags is regulated by the Flags, Emblems, and Names Protection Act of 1981.

The Blue Ensign, in use since October 23, 1869 and re-adopted in 1902, is used on land for all purposes, civil, governmental and military. New Zealand's Blue Ensign is also used as the maritime ensign on government vessels.

[ New Zealand - Blue Ensign for land and government ships ]

The Red Ensign is used on water for civilian vessels, including merchant shipping. It was adoped in its present form in 1903. It is also used on land by Maori in a variety of cultural and traditional settings.

[ New Zealand - Red Ensign for civilian and merchant ships ]

The White Ensign, adopted in 1968 to replace the plain British White Ensign, is used on naval vessels.

[ New Zealand - White Ensign - Navy use ]

RELATED FLAGS

	COOK ISLANDS
	NIUE - LINK

Flags from the World Flag Database and the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs.
Coat of Arms from the New Zealand Government Executive's Homepage.
Complied by Phil Abbey. Revised and uploaded April 7, 1998. Comments to pr_abbey@hotmail.com.