The silhouette of an American bison containing the state seal, on a white field surrounded by red and blue borders.
The design
The Flag of usa-state/wyoming/" data-it-autolink="1">Wyoming is a national emblem rendered in the colours and proportions defined by the country’s flag law. Its official aspect ratio is 7:10, the height-to-length ratio that fixes how the flag should be cut and flown. The colour scheme uses navy blue, white, red, 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. |
| 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 bison commemorates Wyoming's historic plains wildlife — the design recalls the practice of frontier "branding" where animals were marked with cattle brands. The blue border represents the sky and mountains; the white the purity of Wyoming's ideals; the red the blood of pioneers and Indigenous peoples.
Heraldic elements on the Flag of Wyoming — 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 1917. It is credited to Verna Keays. Earlier banners flown by Flag of Wyoming 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 Wyoming 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 Wyoming | — |
| Continent | North America | — |
| ISO alpha-2 | 2-letter code | |
| ISO alpha-3 | 3-letter code | |
| Adopted | 1917 | year of current design |
| Proportion | 7:10 | height : length |
| Colours | navy blue, white, red | — |
| Designer | Verna Keays | — |
| Emoji | Unicode codepoint sequence |
Did you know?
Wyoming was the first US state or territory to grant women full voting rights (1869) — the bison silhouette was designed by 22-year-old Verna Keays to win a 1916 contest.
