Antarctica Flag
National Flag of Antarctica
By Mohamadou Moctar · Last updated
What does the Antarctica flag mean?
The best-known Antarctica flag, a plain white map of the continent on blue, signals neutrality: its designer, Graham Bartram, modeled it on the flag of the United Nations because no single country owns Antarctica.
Antarctica Flag Display
Quick facts
- Adopted:
- Not official. Graham Bartram's design dates from 1996; the True South flag from 2018
- Aspect Ratio:
- 2:3
- Capital:
- N/A
- Population:
- No permanent population; only seasonal research personnel (approx. 1,000–5,000)
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Shop now on AmazonAntarctica Flag - Description
Antarctica has no official flag. The design most people know, and the one most platforms use for the Antarctica flag emoji, is a white map of the continent on a blue field, drawn by British vexillologist Graham Bartram in 1996. A newer design, the True South flag, is flown by some national Antarctic programs.
Antarctica Flag – Symbolism and Meaning
Antarctica Flag - History and Origins
Antarctica is governed jointly under the Antarctic Treaty, so there is no body that could adopt an official flag. Graham Bartram designed the white-map flag in 1996 for a 3D atlas program published by Electronic Arts. It has flown at Brazil's Comandante Ferraz station and the Port Lockroy museum, and since 2015 most platforms have used it for the Antarctica flag emoji. In 2002 the Antarctic Treaty parties adopted an emblem for the treaty itself. Evan Townsend introduced the True South flag in 2018, and a few national Antarctic programs have since adopted it.
Antarctica Flag - Design Elements
Bartram flag: a 2:3 blue field with a centered white silhouette of the continent and no emblems or text. True South flag: horizontal navy and white bands with a white peak and a shadow shaped like a south-pointing compass arrow.
Antarctica Flag - Usage Guidelines and Protocol
Neither flag is official, so no flag law applies. Research stations, expeditions and conservation groups fly them informally.
Further reading: Flag of Antarctica on Wikipedia
Frequently Asked Questions
What do the colors of the Antarctica Flag represent?
The best-known Antarctica flag, a plain white map of the continent on blue, signals neutrality: its designer, Graham Bartram, modeled it on the flag of the United Nations because no single country owns Antarctica. The True South flag uses navy and white bands with a white mountain peak whose shadow forms a compass arrow pointing south.
When was the Antarctica Flag adopted?
Not official. Graham Bartram's design dates from 1996; the True South flag from 2018
What is the aspect ratio of the Antarctica Flag?
The Antarctica flag has an aspect ratio of 2:3.