Flags of the British overseas territories

The Union Flag

The flags of the British overseas territories are generally of a pattern, which has changed in style over the generations to settle at an attractive and functional standard. Those of the Crown dependencies have more variety.

The territories generally use a blue ensign, which pattern was formerly reserved for government use. Their merchant ensigns, for use at sea, are the equivalent red ensign. The Crown dependencies also have red ensigns of their own. Nevertheless, all Crown dependencies and overseas territories are entitled to use the plain British red ensign.

Crown Dependencies

The three Crown dependencies are the Bailiwick of Guernsey, the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Isle of Man. Guernsey's islands have their own flags also.

Flag	Date	Use	Description
Bailiwick of Guernsey:
	1985 -	Guernsey	A golden cross within a red cross on a white field (St George's Cross)
		Civil Ensign of Guernsey	A red ensign with a golden cross in the fly
	1993 -	Alderney	A red cross on a white field (St George's Cross) with an inescutcheon of the island's arms.
		Herm	A St George's Cross with the arms of the island in the canton.
	1938 -	Sark	A St George's Cross with two lions (the arms of the Plantagenet Dukes of Normandy) in the canton. Strictly speaking, this is the personal flag of the Seigneur.
Bailiwick of Jersey:
	1981 -	Jersey	A red saltire on a white field defaced with the island's badge
	2012 -	Civil Ensign of Jersey	A red ensign with the island's badge and a Norman ducal crown
The Isle of Man:
	1931 -	Isle of Man	A triskelion on a red field
	1971 -	Civil Ensign of the Isle of Man	A red ensign with a triskelion

Overseas territories

In 1999, the maritime flags of the British Overseas Territories were updated at the request of the Ministry of Defence. The white discs were removed from the field of the flags and each respective coat of arms was increased in size for ease of identification. As the MoD only had authority over sea flags, the governments of the overseas territories were free to continue using the flags with white discs on land. The overseas territories' governments did switch to the updated flags over a staggered period of time, though some old-style flags with white discs may still be seen.

Anguilla and Gibraltar have distinctive land flags also.

Flag	Date	Use	Description
		Flag used in Akrotiri and Dhekelia	The Union Flag may be used in any British territory, and Akrotiri & Dhekelia have no other specific flag
	1990 -	Anguilla	A blue ensign defaced with the Arms of Anguilla
	1910 -	Bermuda	A red ensign defaced with the arms of Bermuda
	1963 -	The British Antarctic Territory	A white ensign defaced with the arms of the British Antarctic Territory
	1990-	The British Indian Ocean Territory	A blue ensign with white wavy lines, defaced with the arms of the territory
	1960 -	The British Virgin Islands	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of the British Virgin Islands
	1958 -	The Cayman Islands	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Cayman Islands
	1999 -	The Falkland Islands	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Falkland Islands
	1982 -	Gibraltar	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
	1921 -	Gibraltar Government Ensign	A British Blue Ensign with the badge of Gibraltar in the fly
	1996 -	Civil Ensign of Gibraltar	A British Red Ensign with the badge of Gibraltar in the fly
	1909 -	Montserrat	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Montserrat
	1984 -	The Pitcairn Islands	A blue ensign defaced with the Arms of Pitcairn Island
	1984 -	St Helena	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
	1985 -	South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
	1968 -	The Turks and Caicos Islands	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of the Turks and Caicos Islands

St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

In St Helena, each inhabited island uses a different flag, the territory's own flag flying only over St Helena.

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	2013 -	Ascension Island	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Ascension Island
	1984 -	St Helena	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
	2002 -	Tristan da Cunha	A blue ensign defaced with the arms of Tristan da Cunha

Governors' flags

Before 1999, all Governors' flags had smaller discs and the outer green garland without the gold ring. Therefore, the dates given do not reflect this minor, consistent change.

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1990 -	Personal flag of the Governor of Anguilla	A Union Flag defaced with the arms of Anguilla
	? -	Personal flag of the Governor of Bermuda	A Union Jack defaced with the arms of Bermuda
	1962 -	Personal flag of the Commissioner of the British Antarctic Territory	A Union Jack defaced with the arms of the British Antarctic Territory
	1990 -	Flag of the Commissioner of the British Indian Ocean Territory	A design based on the Blue Ensign with a Union Jack in the union and wavy white lines going horiontally along the field, defaced with the arms of the British Indian Ocean Territory. This flag is also used as the de facto flag of the Territory.
	1971 -	Personal flag of the Governor of the British Virgin Islands	A Union Jack defaced with the arms of the British Virgin Islands
	1971 -	Personal flag of the Governor of the Cayman Islands	A Union Jack defaced with the arms of the Cayman Islands
	1948 -	Personal flag of the Governor of the Falkland Islands	A Union Jack defaced with the arms of the Falkland Islands
	? -	Personal flag of the Governor of Gibraltar	A Union Jack defaced with the arms of Gibraltar
	? -	Personal flag of the Governor of Montserrat	A Union Jack defaced with the arms of Montserrat
	? -	Personal flag of the Governor of the Pitcairn Islands	A Union Jack defaced with the arms of the Pitcairn Islands
	? -	Personal flag of the Governor of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha	A Union Jack defaced with the arms of St Helena
	1999 -	Personal flag of the Commissioner for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands	A Union Jack defaced with the arms of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
	2002 -	Personal flag of the Administrator of Tristan da Cunha	A Union Jack defaced with the arms of Tristan da Cunha. The Administrator is subject to the Governor of St Helena
	? -	Personal flag of the Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands	A Union Jack defaced with the arms of the Turks and Caicos Islands

Outside links

• The Flag Institute
• Royal.gov.uk- The Union Flag
• UK Department of Culture- Ceremonial and Flag Flying
• World Flag Database