Eight gold stars on a deep blue field — the Big Dipper and Polaris, designed by a 13-year-old Alaskan schoolboy.
The design
The Flag of Alaska is a national emblem rendered in the colours and proportions defined by the country’s flag law. Its official aspect ratio is 125:177, the height-to-length ratio that fixes how the flag should be cut and flown. The colour scheme uses navy blue, gold, with each shade specified to particular Pantone or RGB values for official reproduction.
Colour palette
| Colour | Name | Common symbolism |
|---|---|---|
| Navy blue | navy blue | A nationally significant colour for this flag — see the symbolism section below for the country-specific meaning. |
| Gold | gold | Stands in for sunlight, mineral wealth or sovereign authority. |
| Source | Official flag law | The country’s own statute or constitutional appendix specifies exact shades and proportions. |
Symbolism & heraldry
The blue field represents the Alaska sky, the sea, mountain lakes, and wildflowers. The Dipper points to Polaris, the North Star, symbolising the northernmost state.
Heraldic elements on the Flag of Alaska — bands, charges, emblems or stars — each carry meaning agreed at the moment of the flag’s adoption. Re-readings happen across generations: a colour or a symbol that began with one meaning often picks up further layers as the country’s history unfolds.
Adoption & history
The current flag was adopted in 1927. It is credited to Benny Benson. Earlier banners flown by Flag of Alaska reflected the politics of their day; each redesign typically marked a moment of independence, regime change or constitutional reform. The current flag was chosen, debated and codified through the country’s official channels and is now protected by flag law.
Etiquette & protocol
The Flag of Alaska should be flown with respect: never allowed to touch the ground, never used as drapery for ceremonies it was not made for, and lowered or removed at sundown unless illuminated. When flown alongside other national flags, it takes precedence on home soil and is hoisted first and lowered last. On days of national mourning, the flag is flown at half-mast in line with directives from the head of state. These conventions are common to most nations and are usually written into the flag’s founding statute.
Specifications
| Field | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Flag of Alaska | — |
| Continent | North America | — |
| ISO alpha-2 | 2-letter code | |
| ISO alpha-3 | 3-letter code | |
| Adopted | 1927 | year of current design |
| Proportion | 125:177 | height : length |
| Colours | navy blue, gold | — |
| Designer | Benny Benson | — |
| Emoji | Unicode codepoint sequence |
Did you know?
Benny Benson, an Aleut orphan, won a 1927 schoolchildren's contest with this design — he was 13 years old at the time.
