The flag of the Commonwealth of Nations is the banner of the political association of 56 member states, mostly former territories of the British Empire. The current flag was first flown at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 1976, replacing earlier informal designs.
The design
The Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations 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 blue, gold, with each shade specified to particular Pantone or RGB values for official reproduction.
Colour palette
| Colour | Name | Common symbolism |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | blue | Frequently symbolises sky, sea, freedom, vigilance or perseverance. |
| 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
A dark blue field bearing a gold globe surrounded by a halo of radiating gold spears or rays — sometimes described as "C for Commonwealth", though the design is officially a globe surrounded by lines of longitude. The blue is the same shade as the United Nations flag, intentionally associating the two intergovernmental bodies. The radiating lines suggest links and cooperation across the world.
Heraldic elements on the Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations — 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 1976-03. It is credited to Commonwealth Secretariat. Earlier banners flown by 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 the Commonwealth of Nations 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 | — | |
| Continent | International | — |
| ISO alpha-2 | 2-letter code | |
| ISO alpha-3 | 3-letter code | |
| Adopted | 1976-03 | year of current design |
| Proportion | 1:2 | height : length |
| Colours | blue, gold | — |
| Designer | Commonwealth Secretariat | — |
| Emoji | Unicode codepoint sequence |
Did you know?
The Commonwealth includes four members — Mozambique, Rwanda, Gabon, and Togo — that have no historical link to the British Empire; they joined as voluntary participants attracted by the Commonwealth's cooperation framework.
About the organisation
Commonwealth was founded in 1949. Its headquarters are in London, United Kingdom.
Member states
Commonwealth has 56 member states. Membership current as of 2024-01.
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belize
- Botswana
- Brunei
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Cyprus
- Dominica
- Eswatini
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- India
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Rwanda
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- Tanzania
- The Gambia
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Kingdom
- Vanuatu
- Zambia
