Flag of Sweden

Flag origins

Sweden's flag is blue with a golden-yellow Nordic cross, a Christian cross in the form shared by several Nordic flags. Blue and gold have long appeared in Swedish royal heraldry, and a blue flag with a yellow cross is documented in the sixteenth century. Following the end of the union with Norway in 1905, the 1906 Flag Act standardized the current design, colors and proportions.

Flag story

The union-era upper canton contained a colorful mark combining Swedish and Norwegian colors, nicknamed Sillsallaten, or herring salad. It disappeared when the union ended. Flags were once associated mainly with ships: even a flag raised at Stockholm's Royal Palace in 1873 attracted criticism for being flown on land. Public flagpoles later became commonplace.

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.

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

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