Finland Flag

Finland's flag displays a deep-blue Nordic cross on a white field. The white represents the snow that covers Finland for much of the year, while the blue symbolises the country's countless lakes and the sky.

The cross is offset to the hoist side, maintaining the Nordic cross tradition. Official proportions are 11:18.

Finland's independence from Russia was declared in December 1917. A design competition for the national flag attracted many entries; the blue-cross-on-white design by artists Eero Snellman and Bruno Tuukkanen was selected and officially adopted on 29 May 1918.

Blue and white had long been associated with Finnish identity — appearing in student organisations and regional flags decades before independence. The Nordic cross links Finland visually to its Scandinavian neighbours.