A dark blue field with a red border, bearing an oval emblem depicting a Chamorro proa, a coconut palm, and a beach.
The design
The Flag of usa-state/guam/" data-it-autolink="1">Guam is a national emblem rendered in the colours and proportions defined by the country’s flag law. Its official aspect ratio is 22:41, the height-to-length ratio that fixes how the flag should be cut and flown. The colour scheme uses dark blue, red, gold, brown, green, with each shade specified to particular Pantone or RGB values for official reproduction.
Colour palette
| Colour | Name | Common symbolism |
|---|---|---|
| Dark blue | dark blue | A nationally significant colour for this flag — see the symbolism section below for the country-specific meaning. |
| Red | red | Often signifies courage, sacrifice, revolution or the blood of those who fought for the nation. |
| Gold | gold | Stands in for sunlight, mineral wealth or sovereign authority. |
| Brown | brown | Suggests soil, indigenous heritage or the working land. |
| Green | green | Tends to evoke land, agriculture, hope, Islam or the natural environment. |
Symbolism & heraldry
The oval shape recalls a Chamorro slingshot stone, evoking pre-colonial weaponry and identity. The proa (sailing canoe) on the beach represents Guam's seafaring heritage. The coconut palm symbolises endurance — its ability to thrive in difficult conditions mirrors the Chamorro people. The red border was added in 1948 to honour Guamanians killed in World War II.
Heraldic elements on the Flag of Guam — 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 1948. It is credited to Helen L. Paul. Earlier banners flown by Flag of Guam 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 Guam 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 Guam | — |
| Continent | North America | — |
| ISO alpha-2 | 2-letter code | |
| ISO alpha-3 | 3-letter code | |
| Adopted | 1948 | year of current design |
| Proportion | 22:41 | height : length |
| Colours | dark blue, red, gold, brown, green | — |
| Designer | Helen L. Paul | — |
| Emoji | Unicode codepoint sequence |
Did you know?
The red border was added at the end of WWII — a memorial element commemorating Chamorro civilians killed during the Japanese occupation of Guam (1941–1944).
