A grizzly bear walking on green grass above a red star and red bar, with the words usa-state/california/" data-it-autolink="1">CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC.
The design
The Flag of California is a national emblem rendered in the colours and proportions defined by the country’s flag law. Its official aspect ratio is 2:3, the height-to-length ratio that fixes how the flag should be cut and flown. The colour scheme uses white, red, brown, with each shade specified to particular Pantone or RGB values for official reproduction.
Colour palette
| Colour | Name | Common symbolism |
|---|---|---|
| White | white | Commonly represents peace, purity, honesty or snow-capped landscapes. |
| Red | red | Often signifies courage, sacrifice, revolution or the blood of those who fought for the nation. |
| Brown | brown | Suggests soil, indigenous heritage or the working land. |
| Source | Official flag law | The country’s own statute or constitutional appendix specifies exact shades and proportions. |
Symbolism & heraldry
The grizzly bear symbolises strength and unyielding resistance. The lone red star recalls the Lone Star Flag of California. The red bar represents courage. The phrase CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC commemorates the short-lived 1846 Bear Flag Revolt against Mexican rule.
Heraldic elements on the Flag of California — 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 1911. It is credited to William Todd. Earlier banners flown by Flag of California 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 California 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 California | — |
| Continent | North America | — |
| ISO alpha-2 | 2-letter code | |
| ISO alpha-3 | 3-letter code | |
| Adopted | 1911 | year of current design |
| Proportion | 2:3 | height : length |
| Colours | white, red, brown | — |
| Designer | William Todd | — |
| Emoji | Unicode codepoint sequence |
Did you know?
The original 1846 Bear Flag was made from unbleached cotton dyed with brick dust and blackberry juice — the bear in the design looked, by some accounts, more like a pig.
