The usa-state/pennsylvania/" data-it-autolink="1">Pennsylvania state coat of arms on a blue field — a shield supported by two harnessed black horses, with a bald eagle above.
The design
The Flag of Pennsylvania is a national emblem rendered in the colours and proportions defined by the country’s flag law. Its official aspect ratio is 27:37, the height-to-length ratio that fixes how the flag should be cut and flown. The colour scheme uses navy blue, gold, white, brown, green, with each shade specified to particular Pantone or RGB values for official reproduction.
Colour palette
| Colour | Name | Common symbolism |
|---|---|---|
| Navy blue | navy blue | A nationally significant colour for this flag — see the symbolism section below for the country-specific meaning. |
| Gold | gold | Stands in for sunlight, mineral wealth or sovereign authority. |
| White | white | Commonly represents peace, purity, honesty or snow-capped landscapes. |
| 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 shield shows a ship under sail, a plough, and three sheaves of wheat — representing trade, agriculture, and bounty. The harnessed horses symbolise strength and hard work. The eagle above and the olive branch and cornstalk below evoke peace and prosperity. The motto on the banner: "Virtue, Liberty, and Independence."
Heraldic elements on the Flag of Pennsylvania — 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 1907. Earlier banners flown by Flag of Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania | — |
| Continent | North America | — |
| ISO alpha-2 | 2-letter code | |
| ISO alpha-3 | 3-letter code | |
| Adopted | 1907 | year of current design |
| Proportion | 27:37 | height : length |
| Colours | navy blue, gold, white, brown, green | — |
| Designer | — | |
| Emoji | Unicode codepoint sequence |
Did you know?
Pennsylvania's flag colour matched the Continental Army uniform — both blue and gold were adopted to honour the state's Revolutionary War contribution.
