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Flag of Bermuda

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Bermuda
Red Ensign with Union Flag in the canton and Bermuda coat of arms in the fly.
Flag of Bermuda
UseCivil and state flag, civil ensign
Proportion1:2
Adopted1999 (1999)
DesignRed Ensign with the coat-of-arms of Bermuda in the fly.
Government Ensign of Bermuda
Blue Ensign with Union Flag in the canton and Bermuda coat of arms in the fly.
UseState ensign
Proportion1:2
DesignBlue Ensign with the coat-of-arms of Bermuda in the fly.
Flag of the governor of Bermuda
A Union Flag defaced with the coat-of-arms of Bermuda
UseOther
Proportion1:2
DesignA Union Flag defaced with the coat-of-arms of Bermuda.
Flag of Bermuda flown on a ship.

The flag of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda as a red ensign was first adopted on 4 October 1910. It is a British Red Ensign with the Union Flag (which is the national flag) in the upper left corner, and the coat of arms of Bermuda in the lower right.[1] Prior to this like most of the British colonies at the time it adopted a blue ensign with a seal that depicted a dry dock with three sailing ships. In 1999, the flag was changed to its current form, with an enlarged coat of arms.

Description

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The flag is unusual for a British overseas territory in that it is used on land in a red ensign form; most other British overseas territories use a version of the blue ensign for general use ashore.[1] Bermuda's use of a red ensign on land is in keeping with Canada (pre-1965) and the Union of South Africa (pre-1928), both of which used red ensigns ashore as local flags in the early part of the 20th century. Bermuda's flag is an appropriate civil ensign for vessels registered on the Bermuda portion of the British Register, by virtue of the Bermuda Merchant Shipping Act of 2002. The Governor of Bermuda uses a Union Flag defaced with the coat of arms, a design traditional for Governors of the British overseas territories. For the state ensign, a blue ensign is used.

Unofficial flag (alternative)

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Flag model without the Union Jack in the canton.

Unofficial flag (unidentified) of Bermuda
Unofficial flag (alternative) of Bermuda

Coat of arms

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The Latin inscription on the coat of arms reads Quo Fata Ferunt ("Whither the Fates Carry"). The coat of arms shows a lion holding a shield which bears a picture of a shipwreck on a rock.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "CIA World Factbook - Bermuda". Retrieved 21 August 2019.
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