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List of Naval Flags

Naval flags are flags used by boats or ships as a form of signal. Read on for the meanings of naval flags and more information on historical naval flags and naval ensigns.

Naval flags have been used by boats to signal one another since the time boats and ships made voyages to the sea. Naval flags meaning and existence can be traced way back in time. There are numerous historical naval flags, and we will learn more about them in this article.

Meaning of Naval Flags

Naval flags are also known as nautical flags. These flags are used as a form of communication by boats in the sea or ocean. It is mostly used in the circumstances connected to the safety of individuals and for navigation purposes. It is an international system of code used by one boat to signal to another or the shore.

List of Naval Flags

Here is the list of countries that currently use naval flags:

  1.     Australia
  2.     Bangladesh
  3.     Belgium
  4.     Croatia
  5.     Hungary
  6.     India
  7.     Ireland
  8.     Japan
  9.     Latvia
  10. Norway
  11. Poland
  12. Russia
  13. Thailand
  14. United Kingdom
  15. The United States

Some countries used naval flags previously. They are

  1.     USSR
  2.     Yugoslavia

Naval Ensign

A naval ensign is a flag or an ensign that is used by navy ships of different countries to indicate their nationality. Sometimes it can be the same as a country’s state ensign. A naval ensign is quite different from a naval jack, which is flown from a jackstaff that is present at the bow of a vessel.

There are situations where a naval ensign can also be considered a war ensign. A Battle Ensign is an extensive version of a naval ensign that is on a warship right before it goes into battle.

Numerous countries have only one national flag and ensign for all pursuits. In other countries, a difference is made between the land flag and the civil, state, and naval ensigns.

For example, the ensign for Great Britain differs from the flag that is used on the land (also called the Union Flag) and has different interpretations of plain and impaired Blue and Red ensigns for civilian and state usage, as well as the naval ensign (which is the White Ensign).

Sometimes naval ensigns could be different in shape from the national flag, such as the Nordic naval ensigns, which have ‘tongues’ on them.

List of Naval Ensigns   

Here is a record of countries that have a Naval ensign flag that is different from their national flag and civil ensign:

  1. Abkhazia
  2. Albania (Navy)
  3. Albania (Coast Guard)
  4. Algeria
  5. Australia
  6. Azerbaijan
  7. The Bahamas
  8. Bangladesh
  9. Bangladesh (Coast Guard)
  10. Barbados
  11. Belgium
  12. Bolivia
  13. Brunei
  14. Bulgaria
  15. Canada
  16. China
  17. Columbia
  18. Croatia
  19. Croatia (Coast Guard)
  20. Denmark
  21. Egypt
  22. Estonia
  23. Fiji
  24. Finland
  25. France
  26. The Gambia
  27. Georgia
  28. Ghana
  29. Germany
  30. Grenada
  31. Guyana
  32. Honduras
  33. Hungary
  34. Iceland
  35. India
  36. India (Auxillary ships)
  37. India (Coast Guard)
  38.   Israel
  39. Italy
  40. Jamaica
  41. Japan
  42. Jordan
  43. Kazakhstan
  44. Kenya
  45. Latvia
  46. Libya
  47. Lithuania
  48. Malaysia
  49. Mauritius
  50. Montenegro
  51. Morocco
  52. Myanmar
  53. Namibia
  54. New Zealand
  55. Nigeria
  56. DPR Korea
  57. Norway
  58. Oman
  59. Pakistan
  60. Papua New Guinea
  61. Poland
  62. Russia
  63. Russia (Auxillary ships)
  64. Russia (Coast Guard)
  65. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  66. Saudi Arabia
  67. Serbia
  68. Sierra Leone
  69. Singapore
  70. Solomon Islands
  71. South Africa
  72. Sri Lanka
  73. Sri Lanka (Coast Guard)
  74. Sudan
  75. Sweden
  76. Thailand
  77. Tonga
  78. Trinidad and Tobago
  79. Turkmenistan
  80. Ukraine
  81. Ukraine ( Auxiliary ships)
  82. Ukraine (Sea Guard)
  83. United Kingdom
  84. United Kindom ( Auxiliary ships)
  85. United Kindom (Coast Guard)
  86.   United States (Coast Guard)
  87. Uzbekistan
  88. Vanuatu
  89. Vietnam
  90. Yemen

Historical Naval Flags 

Empires, states, and countries have used historical Naval Flags since ancient times. Flags were a symbol of identification and communication.

Similarly, naval flags meaning has been used by ships and boats as a form of identification and to intercommunicate with other ships or boats or the shore ever since the rise of civilizations. Historical naval flags are those naval flags that were used in the past and no longer in the present.

List of Historical Naval Flags

Here is the list of historical naval flags in tabular format:

 

Name Years Used
Naval Jack of the Confederate States Navy1861- 1863
Naval Ensign of the Confederate States Navy1861- 1863
Naval Jack of the Confederate States Navy1863- 1865
Naval Ensign of the Confederate States Navy1863- 1865
Naval Ensign of Imperial Germany1871- 1919
Naval Ensign of Nazi Germany’s Kriegsmarine1935- 1945
Naval Ensign of the German Democratic Republic’s Volksmarine1960- 1990
Naval Ensign of the historic Blue Squadron of England’s Royal Navy1620- 1707
Naval Ensign of the historic Red Squadron of England’s Royal Navy1620- 1707
Naval Ensign of the historic White Squadron of England’s Royal Navy1620- 1707
Irish Green EnsignC1700 – 1707
Naval Ensign of Scotland’s Royal Scots NavyC1000- 1707
Naval Red Ensign of Great Britain1707- 1800
Naval White Ensign of Great Britain1707- 1800
Naval Blue Ensign of Great Britain1707- 1800
Merchant Navy Flag of Greece1822- 1828
Irish Green Ensign1801- C1921
Naval Ensign of the Soviet Navy1917- 1991
Naval Jack of the Soviet Navy1917- 1991
Naval Jack & Civil Ensign of the United StatesC1776
French Algeria Naval Ensign1848- 1910

Conclusion

Naval Flags have been used by people ever since the existence of ships and boats going on voyages. It is a means of communication and identification. Naval Ensigns, on the other hand, represent the boat or ship’s nationality. There are naval flags that are no longer in use and are part of history. They are known as historical naval flags, and there are about 22 from around the world.

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Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the UPSC Examination Preparation.

What are naval flags?

Answer. Naval flags are flags used by ships and boats as a means of communication and identification. They can be us...Read full

What is the difference between naval jacks and naval ensigns?

Answer. A naval ensign is different from a naval jack, which is flown from a jack staff that is present at the bow o...Read full

Which two countries used naval flags previously?

Answer. The USSR and Yugoslavia used naval flags previously.

How many countries use naval flags and naval ensigns currently?

Answer. 15 countries use naval flags currently, and 90 countries use naval ensigns currently.