Flag of Malta

Flag origins

Malta's flag is white at the hoist and red at the fly, with the George Cross in the upper white corner, in a 2:3 ratio. Red and white have medieval associations. The familiar story that Count Roger I supplied the colors in 1091 is a tradition, not a confirmed historical account. King George VI awarded the George Cross to Malta on 15 April 1942 in recognition of its people's courage under wartime attack.

Flag story

Malta's flag bears a decoration awarded collectively to the island. The actual cross was formally presented in Valletta on 13 September 1942 and is preserved in the National War Museum. The flag initially placed it against a blue square; independence in 1964 removed that background and retained a red outline. The George Cross is not the eight-pointed Maltese cross associated with the Order of St John.

Editorial notes and references

Edited by ABELHA WORKS. The English text translates the administrator-edited Japanese description. Legends should be distinguished from documented history. General reference links do not substantiate every statement in the text.

• Malta — general information on Wikipedia
• Japan MOFA: countries and regions (Japanese)

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