Flag of Falkland Islands
A Blue Ensign with the coat of arms in the fly. The shield shows a ram above the ship Desire on blue and white waves, with the motto 'Desire the Right' on a scroll below.
What the flag means
The ship is the Desire, captained by John Davis, who is credited with discovering the islands in 1592.
History
The first territorial flag, from 1876, was a Blue Ensign with a seal showing HMS Hebe and a bullock. New arms with the Desire followed on 16 October 1925, and on 29 September 1948 the flag was changed to show the arms, now with a ram, on a white disc. In 1999 the disc was removed and the arms enlarged. Argentina's military government banned the flag while its forces held the islands from 2 April to 14 June 1982.
Earlier flags of Falkland Islands
- 1876–1925Blue Ensign with a seal of HMS Hebe and a bullock
- 1925–1948Blue Ensign with the colonial badge
- 1948–1999Blue Ensign with the arms on a white disc
Sources
- Wikipedia: Flag of the Falkland Islands
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Read how we research flags in our editorial policy, or report a mistake.
