A vertical tricolour of blue, white, and red, with a bald eagle holding a banner reading "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain" on the central stripe.
The design
The Flag of usa-state/iowa/" data-it-autolink="1">Iowa 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 blue, white, red, 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. |
| 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. |
| Source | Official flag law | The country’s own statute or constitutional appendix specifies exact shades and proportions. |
Symbolism & heraldry
The colours echo the French tricolour, marking Iowa's history as part of the Louisiana Purchase. The eagle and banner come from the state seal. The motto pledges defence of citizens' rights.
Heraldic elements on the Flag of Iowa — 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 1921. It is credited to Dixie Cornell Gebhardt. Earlier banners flown by Flag of Iowa 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 Iowa 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 Iowa | — |
| Continent | North America | — |
| ISO alpha-2 | 2-letter code | |
| ISO alpha-3 | 3-letter code | |
| Adopted | 1921 | year of current design |
| Proportion | 2:3 | height : length |
| Colours | blue, white, red | — |
| Designer | Dixie Cornell Gebhardt | — |
| Emoji | Unicode codepoint sequence |
Did you know?
Designed during the First World War for use by Iowa National Guard regiments, the flag was officially adopted in 1921 after lobbying from the Daughters of the American Revolution.
