Isolated Traveller Flags North America

CA CAN

A national flag · vexillological catalog

Flag of Canada.

The flag of Canada — universally known as the Maple Leaf or l'Unifolié — features a stylised red 11-pointed maple leaf on a white square, flanked by two vertical red bars. Adopted on 15 February 1965 after one of the most heated and politically fraught design debates in Canadian history, it replaced the Canadian Red Ensign — a Union Jack-bearing design that had served as the de facto Canadian flag for nearly a century. The "Great Canadian Flag Debate" of 1964 saw Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson push for a distinctively Canadian flag against fierce opposition from those (notably former Prime Minister John Diefenbaker) who wanted to keep the British symbol. The final design was a refined version of a sketch proposed by historian George F. G. Stanley, based on the flag of the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston. The maple leaf had been a Canadian emblem since the early 19th century, appearing on regimental colours, coins, and the badges of Canadian troops in both World Wars. Today, 15 February is celebrated annually as National Flag of Canada Day.

Proportion

1:2

Adopted

1965

Designer

George F. G. Stanley

Canada

01 · Symbolism

The 11-pointed red maple leaf is a traditional Canadian symbol; the red bands evoke the Canadian Red Ensign that preceded it.

02 · Colour meanings

What each colour represents.

A breakdown of the symbolism behind each colour on the flag of Canada.

Red

#FF0000

One of Canada's official colours since 1921, when King George V proclaimed red and white as Canada's national colours. Often associated with sacrifice and the Canadian Forces.

White

#FFFFFF

Canada's other official colour. Often interpreted as representing peace, snow, and the country's vast northern landscape.

03 · Design & elements

How the flag is put together.

A red square at the hoist and a red square at the fly, separated by a white square in the centre containing a stylised red 11-pointed maple leaf. Proportion 1:2.

11-pointed maple leaf: A stylised version of the maple leaf — Canada's national symbol since the early 19th century. The 11 points have no specific symbolic meaning; they were chosen for visual clarity at a distance and in motion.
Two red bars: Originally part of George Stanley's suggestion that the flag use a 1:2:1 proportion based on the Royal Military College banner — the red bars frame the central white square holding the leaf.

04 · Fun facts

Things to remember.

01
The 11-point shape of the maple leaf has no symbolic meaning. It was chosen because earlier designs with 13- and 15-point leaves looked indistinct when fluttering in the wind — the 11-point version was tested in a wind tunnel by the National Research Council of Canada.
02
Before the maple leaf flag, Canada's de facto flag was the Canadian Red Ensign — a red flag with the Union Jack in the canton and Canada's coat of arms — used unofficially from 1868 and officially from 1945 until 1965.
03
The 1964 "Great Canadian Flag Debate" took six months and over 250 hours of parliamentary debate. Over 5,000 designs were submitted by the Canadian public.
04
The first Canadian flag was raised on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on 15 February 1965. That date is now National Flag of Canada Day.
05
The maple leaf had been a Canadian emblem long before 1965 — it appeared on the badges of Canadian troops during both World Wars, on the country's coat of arms from 1921, and was used as a symbol of Canadian identity from at least the 1830s.

05 · History

How it came to be.

For the first century after Confederation in 1867, Canada had no distinctive national flag. The Canadian Red Ensign — a British naval pattern with the Canadian arms added — was used informally and from 1945 officially, but its strong British symbolism became increasingly contentious as Canada developed its independent identity. Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson made flag reform a personal priority, leading to a parliamentary debate in 1964 that lasted six months. A 15-member committee considered nearly 6,000 designs before recommending a refined version of George F. G. Stanley's 1964 sketch — a single red maple leaf on a white square between two red bars. Parliament approved the design on 15 December 1964, and Queen Elizabeth II proclaimed it the national flag on 15 February 1965.

03 · About

On the design.

The Maple Leaf Flag was adopted on 15 February 1965 after a fierce 'Great Flag Debate' that gripped Canada for years. It replaced the Canadian Red Ensign.

The design

The Flag of Canada is a national emblem rendered in the colours and proportions defined by the country’s flag law. Its official aspect ratio is 1:2, the height-to-length ratio that fixes how the flag should be cut and flown. The colour scheme uses Red, White, with each shade specified to particular Pantone or RGB values for official reproduction.

Colour palette

Colour	Name	Common symbolism
Red	Red	Often signifies courage, sacrifice, revolution or the blood of those who fought for the nation.
White	White	Commonly represents peace, purity, honesty or snow-capped landscapes.
Source	Official flag law	The country’s own statute or constitutional appendix specifies exact shades and proportions.

Symbolism & heraldry

The 11-pointed red maple leaf is a traditional Canadian symbol; the red bands evoke the Canadian Red Ensign that preceded it.

Heraldic elements on the Flag of Canada — 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 1965. It is credited to George F. G. Stanley. Earlier banners flown by Canada 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 Canada 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	Canada	—
Continent	North America	—
ISO alpha-2	CA	2-letter code
ISO alpha-3	CAN	3-letter code
Adopted	1965	year of current design
Proportion	1:2	height : length
Colours	Red, White	—
Designer	George F. G. Stanley	—
Emoji	🇨🇦	Unicode codepoint sequence

Did you know?

The maple leaf has 11 points purely for aesthetic and aerodynamic reasons — the original 13-point sketches looked too cluttered when the flag flew in wind.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Canadian flag adopted?

The current maple leaf flag was officially adopted on 15 February 1965, after a six-month parliamentary debate. That date is celebrated annually as National Flag of Canada Day. The flag replaced the Canadian Red Ensign, which had been used unofficially from 1868 and officially from 1945.

Why does the Canadian flag have a maple leaf?

The maple leaf has been a symbol of Canada since at least the 1830s. It appeared on the badges of Canadian regiments in both World Wars, on the country's coat of arms from 1921, and on coins, postage stamps and military insignia for decades before becoming the central element of the national flag in 1965. The maple is also Canada's most economically significant native tree, the source of the country's famous maple syrup.

Who designed the Canadian flag?

The basic concept was proposed by historian George F. G. Stanley in a 1964 letter to MP John Matheson, based on the flag of the Royal Military College of Canada. Matheson worked with the parliamentary committee to refine the design, and the final stylised maple leaf was the work of multiple designers; Jacques St-Cyr is generally credited with the leaf's final 11-point form.

Why does the Canadian flag have 11 points on the maple leaf?

The 11 points have no symbolic meaning — they were chosen because earlier maple-leaf designs with more points became visually indistinct when seen at a distance or fluttering in the wind. Engineers at the National Research Council of Canada wind-tunnel-tested several versions before settling on the 11-point form for maximum legibility.

Which country does the Flag of Canada represent?

The Flag of Canada is the national flag of Canada.

When was the Flag of Canada adopted?

The Flag of Canada was adopted in 1965 — about 61 years old.

What is the proportion of the Flag of Canada?

The Flag of Canada has an official proportion (height-to-width ratio) of 1:2.

Who designed the Flag of Canada?

The Flag of Canada was designed by George F. G. Stanley.

04 · Country at a glance

Canada — in brief.

Quick reference data on Canada, the country this flag represents.

Capital: Ottawa
Continent: North America
Sub-region: Northern America
Population: 40M
Area: 9,984,670 km²
Languages: English, French
Currency: Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Government: Federal constitutional monarchy
Flag age: about 61 years old

Dispatch 13 · MAY · 26

A small thing, worth noting.

The maple leaf has 11 points purely for aesthetic and aerodynamic reasons — the original 13-point sketches looked too cluttered when the flag flew in wind.

— filed from the catalog

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