Last modified: 2004-12-29 by santiago dotor
Keywords: tonga | kingdom of tonga | pule'anga tonga | canton: cross (red) | cross: scandinavian (red) | cross: scandinavian (fimbriated) | tongatabu | tupouto'a | coat of arms | royal | banner of arms | customs | minerva | torch | circle |
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![[Tonga]](../images/t/to.gif)
1:2 
(until 1985 
)
by Zeljko Heimer
Flag adopted 4th November 1875, coat-of-arms adopted 1862
See also:
Ferreting in search of Tongan flags information, I found an image of the national flag in the Tongan Consulate in San Francisco website which instead of 1:2 is (exactly) 3:4. Also the canton is not half as high as the flag but around 2/5ths.
Santiago Dotor, 25 January 2001
Tonga used to use an identical flag to the Red Cross. In order to save confusion, the Tongan national flag was changed so that the former flag appeared as the canton of a red ensign.
Jaume Ollé (?), 5 March 1997
The present design (...) was adopted for its symbolism (the red field is a representation of Christ's blood, and the cross also comes from Christian iconography) back in the 1870s or something on the understanding that it would never be changed.
David Kendall, 5 March 1997
The current flag was in use after 1864 but was adopted officially on 4th November 1875.
Jaume Ollé, 5 March 1997
Pedersen 1973 also mentions the old flag of Tonga was indeed identical to the flag of the Red Cross.
Marcus Wendel, 15 September 1999
From Dorling Kindersley 1997:
The first design [1862] was a plain white flag with a red couped cross, but this was later found to be too similar to the International Red Cross Flag, adopted in 1863, and so the white flag was placed in the canton of a red one. The 1875 constitution states that the flag shall never be altered.Smith 1980 adds that "the actual forms of the flag and arms are credited both to Prince Uelingatoni* Ngu Tupoumalohi and to Reverend Shirley Baker, a Wesleyan minister." This might be stupid Napoleonian fanatism, but is Uelingatoni not a local form of Wellington?
Ivan Sache, 31 December 1999
The naval ensign (and war flag) [sic] is white with a red-fimbrated white shield towards the hoist; on the shield are three red swords; above the shield is a red crown. Source: Flaggkarta 1995.
Christian Berghänel, 17 January 1998
When I was there in 1991, the Scandinavian cross flag flew on Navy ships, the three-sword flag did not, but flew over an army camp.
Norman Martin, 17 January 1998
Crampton 1989 mentions both flags, which by the way calls the war flag the Armed Forces ensign.
Santiago Dotor, 24 January 2001
| According to Jilek 1989 and Znamierowski 1999 | According to Dorling Kindersley 1997 |
![[War Ensign (Tonga)]](../images/t/to-naven.gif) 8:11?  by Jan Oskar Engene Flag adopted 1985 |
![[War Ensign (Tonga), according to Dorling Kindersley 1997]](../images/t/to~naval.gif) 1:2 by António Martins |
The design seems to be inspired by the Tongan national flag, the British White Ensign, the German Imperial War Flag and the Scandinavian cross flags, all put together in one. The flag has a red Scandinavian cross bordered in white and red. In the white canton is a red Greek cross (as in the Tongan national flag). The flag was designed by Prince Tupouto'a, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence when the flag was adopted 13 September 1985. Source: Jilek 1989.
Jan Oskar Engene, 19 September 1996
When I was there in 1991, the Scandinavian cross flag flew on Navy ships, the three-sword flag did not, but flew over an army camp.
Norman Martin, 17 January 1998
According to Album des Pavillons 1990, the naval ensign is hoisted on the portside and the army ensign, as described above, is hoisted on the starboard side. (...) According to Encyclopaedia Universalis Yearbook, 1998: National Defence: national police of ca. 300 men (1991). (...) Album des Pavillons says proportions of the naval ensign are "ca. 2:3"
Ivan Sache, 20 January 1998, 24 May and 31 December 1999
Jan Oskar Engene's GIF seems to be based on the Norwegian flag, while Dorling Kindersley 1997 has the flag as approximately 1:2 and with a Swedish cross.
Ole Andersen, 4 December 1999
Smith 1980 indicates the national flag to be also war flag and naval ensign.
Zeljko Heimer, 22 January 2001
The war ensign was adopted in 1985, according to Dorling Kindersley 1997 and Znamierowski 1999. It is also mentioned (but not illustrated) in Crampton 1989. Even though the first two sources are supposed to share the same original source (Flag Research Center)
