Finland flag belongs to the nation of Finland in northern Europe. The flag is white with a large blue cross . The color blue represents Finland’s many lakes. White stands for the snow that covers the land in winter.
The type of cross on Finland’s flag is called a Scandinavian cross, or a Nordic cross. It has straight arms that continue to the edges of the flag. The middle of the cross is shifted toward the hoist (side closest to the flagpole). A Scandinavian cross appears on many northern European flags. Its use in the region originated with Denmark’s flag , which is red with a white cross.
Finland is one of several nations with a civil flag to be flown by individual citizens and a state flag to be used by the government. The civil flag has a plain blue cross. The state flag includes the national coat of arms in a square where the arms of the cross intersect. The square is red with a gold border. Within it stands a gold lion holding a silver sword. Nine silver roses are scattered around the lion.
Finland’s coat of arms dates back to the 1500’s. At that time, Sweden ruled the region. In 1809, Russia gained control of Finland. During the 1800’s, many Finns wanted their own Finnish flag. Some people proposed flags featuring the coat of arms or the colors of the coat of arms. Zachris Topelius , a famous Finnish author, suggested a blue and white flag, with the colors representing Finland’s lakes and snows. Gradually, his idea became popular.
On Dec. 6, 1917, Finland declared its independence from Russia. At first, the Finnish government used a semiofficial flag featuring the red background, armed lion, and roses of the coat of arms. However, most Finns liked the blue and white flag design. On May 29, 1918, the Finnish parliament officially adopted the nation’s blue and white flag.
