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Finland - Flag Law

Last modified: 2005-04-09 by phil nelson
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Finland Flag Law

(Dated May 26, 1978; Act No. 380/78)

1 §
The Finnish flag includes a blue cross on white background. The flag is either national or state flag.

2 §
The national flag is rectangular and its proportions are:
    1) width 11 and length 18 measure units;
    2) width of arm of the cross 3 measure units; and
    3) width of the fields 4, length of the hoist fields 5 and length of the fly fields 10 measure units.

3 §
The state flag is either rectangular or swallow-tailed. It includes the coat-of-arms of the state in the middle square formed by the arms of the cross. The square has a yellow contour, the width of which is 1/40 of the width of the cross.

The rectangular state flag has the same proportions as the national flag.

The swallow-tailed state flag is one mesure unit longer, so that the length of its fly fields is 6 and the length of the tails 5 measure units. The middle tail is isosceles and the arm of the cross forms its base. The outer tails do not form angle with the upper or lower side of the flag.

4 §
Everybody has the right to use the national flag.

All Finnish vessels use as a nationality sign the national flag, apart from those mentioned in the fifth paragraph. A yacht may use as its nationality sign a special flag; a separate statute will be given for further regulations.

5 §
The rectangular state flag is to be used by the Parliament; the Government and its ministries; the Supreme Court; the Supreme Administrative Court; central administration boards and all comparable civil service departments and institutions; Courts of Appeal; provincial governments; ecclesiastical chapters; the Orthodox Synod; Finnish embassies and consulates and all comparable diplomatical representations; the Bank of Finland; the National Pension Fund; the Finnish Academy; frontier guard; state universities and high schools; and state's vessels.

Institutions, apart from those mentioned in the first clause, can be given the right to use the rectangular state flag with a separate statute.

The swallow-tailed state flag is to be used by the Defence Forces, its departments, institutions, units, and vessels.

President of the Republic uses a swallow-tailed state flag with a blue-yellow Cross of Freedom in the upper hoist field.

6 §
It is not allowed to add any extra signs to the Finnish flag, apart from cases mentioned in this law.

A swallow-tailed flag with a special sign in the upper hoist field may be used as a command flag of Minister of Defence or Commander of the Defence Forces and as a navy command flag in armed vessels. President of the Republic determines the form of that sign.

7 §
The Government will give more detailed specifications about the colours of the Finnish flag.

8 §
The one who damages the Finnish flag, or treats it in an disrespectful way, or without permission takes off an openly out-put Finnish flag, shall be fi