GeezerVison

BRUNEI • The British protectorate over Brunei was terminated on January 1.

BURKINA FASO • Upper Volta changed its name to Burkina Faso on August 4 and adopted a new flag.

CURAÇAO • Curaçao adopted a flag on July 2.

EGYPT • On October 4, the Hawk of Quraish on the national flag was replaced by the Eagle of Saladin.

GALICIA • Galicia, a region of Spain which had gained its autonomy three years earlier, officially added a coat of arms to its traditional blue and white flag on May 29.

GREENLAND • A Danish heraldist proposed that Greenland adopt a green and white Nordic Cross flag. The following year this design would be put to a vote in parliament and lose to the current flag of Greenland.

GUADELOUPE • The People's Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe adopted a flag for Guadeloupe.

KANAKY • The Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front, aiming to win the independence of New Caledonia from France, adopted a tricolour flag. The central emblem was a flèche faîtière, a spire that adorns the top of traditional Kanak houses.

MAOHI NUI • On November 23, the regional government officially adopted a flag, adding a canoe emblem to the centre of the traditional Tahitian flag.

NORTHERN CYPRUS • On March 7, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which had declared independence from the Greek Cypriot south the previous November, adopted a flag on which was heavily inspired by that of Turkey. A giant image of the flag has been painted into the side of the Kyrenia Mountains, overlooking the divided capital of Nicosia.

POHNPEI • Ponape changed its name to Pohnpei in a new state constitution adopted November 8.

SAUDI ARABIA • The design of the sword on the national flag was slightly changed on February 26.

¹ Flag of the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front, which sought the independence from France. ↩

² The flag of the kingdom of ʻUvea, used as an unofficial symbol for the entire territory. ↩

³ A popular but unofficial local flag. ↩

⁴ An unofficial flag flown by Guadeloupe nationalists. There is also a rarely used "heraldic banner" based on the coat of arms of Pointe-à-Pitre. ↩

⁵ An unofficial flag flown by Martinican nationalists and occasionally by local municipalities. ↩

⁶ The unofficial but popular cultural flag of the island. ↩

⁷ Flown by the government, the navy, the national police, and national sports teams. Raised at major ceremonies. The army uses a similar flag with a different coat of arms. ↩

⁸ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

⁹ The most common flag, flown over most government buildings, at ceremonies, by diplomatic missions and often by public citizens. ↩

¹⁰ An alternative government flag, most commonly flown by the armed forces but also on some public buildings and offices. ↩

¹¹ The simplest version of the national flag, flown by some private citizens. ↩

¹² The most common Costa Rican flag. Officially designated for private citizens, but in practice often used on government buildings and schools too. ↩

¹³ Flown by the government and by diplomatic missions, although also used sometimes by private citizens. ↩

¹⁴ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

¹⁵ A traditional military emblem, ceremonially flown alongside the national flag at government buildings. ↩

¹⁶ A historic flag, ceremonially flown alongside the national flag at government buildings. ↩

¹⁷ Flown by the government and armed forces, and unofficially used by many private citizens. ↩

¹⁸ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

¹⁹ Flown by the governmnent. The armed forces flew a similar flag with olive and laurel branches around the coat of arms. ↩

²⁰ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

²¹ Flown by the Polisario Front and the unrecognized Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, which claims to be the rightful government of the disputed Western Sahara. Most of the territory is occupied by Morocco. ↩

²² Flown by anyone. ↩

²³ Occasionally flown by the government. ↩

²⁴ Flag of the South West Africa People's Organisation, which sought independence from South Africa. Direct predecessor of the flag of Namibia. The territorial government did not have an official flag. ↩

²⁵ Flag of the Eritrean Liberation Front, which sought independence from Ethiopia. Direct predecessor of the modern flag. The provincial government did not have an official flag. ↩

²⁶ Flag of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, which sought independence for the southern part of Sudan. Direct predecessor of the modern flag. The region did not have an official flag within Sudan. ↩

²⁷ Flag of the Oromo Liberation Front, a nationalist liberation movement within Ethiopia. Oromia did not have an official flag within Ethiopia at this time. ↩

²⁸ Flag of the Tigray People's Liberation Front, a nationalist liberation movement within Ethiopia. Direct predecessor of the modern regional flag. Tigray did not have an official flag within Ethiopia at this time. ↩

²⁹ Flown by private citizens and municipalities. ↩

³⁰ Flown by the federal government and the armed forces. ↩

³¹ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

³² Flown by the royal house, the government, and the armed forces. Also granted to a select list of private institutions and companies. ↩

³³ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

³⁴ Flown only on state-owned buildings and naval ships. ↩

³⁵ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

³⁶ Flown on government buildings and coast guard ships. ↩

³⁷ Flown for all purposes. A three-tailed version of the national flag is flown by the military. ↩

³⁸ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

³⁹ Flown by the government, border guard, and public universities. The armed forces fly a version with a swallowtail cut. ↩

⁴⁰ Northen Ireland has not had an official flag since 1973, but the Ulster Banner is still flown by some sporting teams and private citizens. More or less exclusively a unionist symbol. Nationalists tend to fly the Irish tricolour instead. ↩

⁴¹ Allowed to be flown by anyone. ↩

⁴² Flown over the Prince's Palace and government buildings. ↩

⁴³ The traditional Catalan flag, and the official flag of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia. ↩

⁴⁴ The flag preferred by supporters of Catalan independence. ↩

⁴⁵ The hammer and sickle was only on the front side of the flag. ↩

⁴⁶ Flown over the Presidential Palace, parliament, provincial legislatures, and other government buildings. Private use highly restricted. ↩

⁴⁷ Flown by embassies, airports, and merchant ships. Private use strictly banned. ↩

⁴⁸ Flown by the diplomatic service in exile and the Estonian disaspora. Flying the national flag was banned under the Soviet occupation. ↩

⁴⁹ Flown by the diplomatic service in exile and the Lithuanian disaspora. Flying the national flag was banned under the Soviet occupation. ↩

⁵⁰ Flown by the diplomatic service in exile and the Latvian disaspora. Flying the national flag was banned under the Soviet occupation. ↩

⁵¹ Banned within the People's Republic of China. The Tibet Autonomous Region does not have an official flag. ↩

⁵² Flown by the departmental council and used as a local flag. ↩

⁵³ Flown by the Chagossians, who were forcibly removed from the islands by the British to make way for a military base. ↩

⁵⁴ Flown in the Indian-controlled parts of the disputed region of Kashmir. ↩

⁵⁵ Flown in the Pakistan-controlled parts of the disputed region of Kashmir. ↩

⁵⁶ Flown by Baloch nationalists seeking independence from Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. The star is sometimes flipped upside down or replaced by a white sun. The provincial government of Balochistan in Pakistan flies a green flag with a white camel emblem. ↩

⁵⁷ Flown by nationalists and separatists. The Indian state of Nagaland does not have an official flag. ↩

⁵⁸ The popular but unofficial flag of the Kannada people. The Indian state of Karnataka does not have an official flag. ↩

⁵⁹ Flown by the partially-recognized People's Republic of Kampuchea, the Vienamese client state in Phnom Penh. ↩

⁶⁰ Flown by the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea, the Khmer Rouge-led government-in-exile which retained control of Cambodia's UN seat. ↩

⁶¹ The flag of the Republic of China, which is the government of Taiwan. Banned on the mainland, as the People's Republic of China claims sovereignty over the island. At major international sporting events like the Olympics, Taiwan competes under the name "Chinese Taipei" and flies a neutral flag. ↩

⁶² Flown by nationalists seeking the indpenedence of Timor-Leste. Under Indonesian occupation, flying the flag was illegal. The rarely-used official flag of "Timor Timur" was orange with the provincial seal in the middle. ↩

⁶³ Flown by Karen nationalists seeking independence and separation from Burma. ↩

⁶⁴ The national flag of the Uyghur people, banned within the People's Republic of China. Xinjiang Region does not have an official flag. ↩