Flag of Gibraltar

Infobox flag
Name = Gibraltar
Nickname = Flag of Gibraltar

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Use = 111110
Proportion = 1:2
Adoption = November 8, 1982
Design = White with a red stripe at the bottom with a three-towered, two-tiered red castle in the white section. Each tower has a door and a window and from the door of the middle tower hangs a gold key which mainly overlaps the red stripe.

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Nickname2 = State ensign of Gibraltar
Use2 = 000010
Adoption2 = 1998 (1875)
Proportion2 = 1:2
Design2 = Blue Ensign with the Union Flag in the canton and the badge of Gibraltar in the fly.
Type =

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Nickname3 = Civil ensign of Gibraltar
Use3 = 000100
Adoption3 = 1998
Proportion3 = 1:2
Design3 = Red Ensign with the Union Flag in the canton and the badge of Gibraltar in the fly.
Type =

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Nickname4 = Flag of the Governor of Gibraltar
Use4 = 000000
Adoption4 =
Proportion4 = 1:2
Design4 = A Union Flag defaced with the coat of arms.
Type =

The Flag of Gibraltar is an elongated banner of the Coat of arms of Gibraltar, granted by Royal Warrant Queen Isabella of Castile on 10 July 1502.

Description

"An escutcheon on which the upper two thirds shall be a white field and on the said field set a red castle, and below the said castle, on the other third of the escutcheon, which must be a red field in which there must be a white line between the castle and the said red field, there shall be a golden key which hangs by a chain from the said castle, as are here figured". [ [http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/about_gib/national_symbols/national_index.htm Gibraltar Government- national symbols] ]

The flag was regularised in 1982 and is formed by two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the centre of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centred in the red band. The flag differs from that of other British overseas territories, in that it is not a British ensign. The castle does not resemble any in Gibraltar, but is supposed to represent the fortress of Gibraltar. The key is said to symbolise the fortress' significance.

Use

The flag is flown throughout Gibraltar, sometimes officially alongside the Union Flag and flag of Europe. Prominent places which fly the flag include the frontier with Spain, at the top of The Rock and on the States of Gibraltar building. [ [http://www.britishflags.net/Gibraltar.html britishflags.net- Gibraltar] ]

The flag is a symbol of Gibraltarian nationalism, and is very popular among Gibraltarians. For the Gibraltar National Day (10 September), many Gibraltar homes and offices hang the flag from their windows and balconies, and some individuals even wear and dress their vehicles with the flag for national day celebrations. This was also seen during the 2004 celebrations of the tercentenary of British Gibraltar.

Gibraltarian students attending university abroad have been known to take Gibraltarian flags with them, putting them up in university accommodation rooms and hanging them from windows.

A Lego flag of Gibraltar 4 metres high and 8 metres long can be seen at the John Mackintosh Hall, which is a cultural centre housing the public library as well as exhibition rooms and a theatre. At the time of its construction, the Lego flag of Gibraltar was the largest flag ever to be made from Lego bricks with a total of 393,857 bricks being used. [ [http://www.gibnet.com/tourist/general.htm Gibraltar flag at the John Mackintosh Hall] ]

ee also

* List of flags of Gibraltar
* List of British flags
* List of coats of arms of the United Kingdom and dependencies

References

External links

* [http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/about_gib/national_symbols/national_index.htm Gibraltar Government Website Information On Flag]
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