Flag of Switzerland

Country

Flag of Switzerland uses square red field with a white Greek cross. Ratio 1:1 and current adoption December 12, 1889.

Hoist Ratio 1:1 Fly

Flag Reference

Flag	Flag of Switzerland
Entity Type	Country
Official Name	Swiss Confederation
Identifier	CH / CHE
Region	Western Europe

Flag Specifications

Current Adoption	December 12, 1889
First Documented Use	1339
Proportion	1:1
Shape	Square
Colours	Red, White
Construction	Square red field with a white Greek cross
Common Name	Schweizerfahne

Documented Colour Values

Colour	Appearance	HEX	RGB	CMYK
Red		#FF0000	255, 0, 0	0, 100, 100, 0
White		#FFFFFF	255, 255, 255	0, 0, 0, 0

Design and Symbolism

Red	the field.
White	the cross.
White cross	Christianity and the Swiss Confederation, used since the Battle of Laupen in 1339.
Square shape	One of only two square national flags in the world, alongside Vatican City.

Proportions

Ratio	1:1
Hoist	1 units
Fly	1 units

About the Flag of Switzerland

Square red field with a white Greek cross The recorded proportion is 1:1. Within this library it is grouped with centred cross designs.

Colours and construction

The reference palette stored for Switzerland is Red (#FF0000) and White (#FFFFFF). The colour table above is intended for digital reference; where an issuing authority publishes a different colour standard, that specification takes precedence.

Symbols and recorded meaning

White cross: Christianity and the Swiss Confederation, used since the Battle of Laupen in 1339; Square shape: One of only two square national flags in the world, alongside Vatican City.

History and adoption record

The design record traces first use to 1339. The adoption field for the present record is December 12, 1889.

Additional flag context

One of only two square national flags. The square shape survives from the flag's origin as a field sign carried by soldiers rather than flown from a pole.

Switzerland's ensign at sea is rectangular, because maritime practice expects a rectangle.

In 1863 the humanitarian movement adopted a red cross on white by reversing the Swiss colours, a reference to its Swiss origins.

How to identify this flag

For quick identification, look for Square red field with a white Greek cross, a 1:1 proportion and the visible white cross. Use the comparison and design-family links on this page when another flag has a similar palette or layout.

Verification sources

Flags of the World — Switzerland — Specialist vexillological reference

Other centred cross flags

See all

Facts about the Flag of Switzerland

Switzerland is recorded as square red field with a white Greek cross.
The reference proportion for the flag of Switzerland is 1:1.
The stored palette for Switzerland contains Red and White.
The adoption field for this country flag record is December 12, 1889.
The design record traces first use to 1339.
Its construction is grouped with the centred cross design family in this library.
White cross: Christianity and the Swiss Confederation, used since the Battle of Laupen in 1339.
Square shape: One of only two square national flags in the world, alongside Vatican City.
One of only two square national flags. The square shape survives from the flag's origin as a field sign carried by soldiers rather than flown from a pole.
Switzerland's ensign at sea is rectangular, because maritime practice expects a rectangle.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Flag of Switzerland

What does the flag of Switzerland look like?

Square red field with a white Greek cross, with a recorded proportion of 1:1.

What proportion is recorded for the flag of Switzerland?

The reference proportion stored for this flag is 1:1.

Which colours are recorded for the flag of Switzerland?

The reference palette lists Red #FF0000 and White #FFFFFF.

What do the symbols on the flag of Switzerland represent?

White cross — Christianity and the Swiss Confederation, used since the Battle of Laupen in 1339. Square shape — One of only two square national flags in the world, alongside Vatican City.

When was the present flag record for Switzerland adopted?

The adoption field in this record is December 12, 1889.

Which design family does the flag of Switzerland belong to?

WorldFlags.online groups it with centred cross designs for visual browsing; that classification describes construction, not necessarily historical ancestry.

Where can I verify information about the flag of Switzerland?

The verification-source section on this page links to an official, governmental or specialist reference used to check the underlying record. Source wording is not copied into the article.