Flag of California
United States — State Flags · US-CA · Vector source, 4:3 aspect ratio
- RegionUnited States — State Flags
- ISO codeUS-CA
- Source formatSVG (infinitely scalable)
- Available downloadsSVG · PNG · JPG · WEBP · ICO · PDF
Download the flag of California as SVG, PNG, JPG, WEBP, ICO or PDF in any resolution you need.
Basic Flag Information
| Flag Name | Flag of California |
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| State | United States of America |
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| Official Name | State of California |
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| Capital | Sacramento |
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| Continent | North America |
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| Region | United States |
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| ISO Code | US-CA / US-CA |
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| Internet Domain | .us |
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| Calling Code | +1 |
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| Currency | United States dollar (USD) |
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| Official Language(s) | English |
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| Demonym | Californian |
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| Area | 423,967 km² |
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| Population | 38,965,193 |
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Flag Specifications
| Official Flag Name | Flag of California |
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| Current Version Adopted | 3 February 1911 |
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| Design First Used | 1846 |
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| Flag Proportion | 2:3 |
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| Flag Shape | Rectangular |
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| Number of Colours | 4 |
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| Main Colours | White, Red, Brown, Green |
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| Designer | William Todd designed the 1846 original |
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| Design Type | White field with a grizzly bear, star and red band |
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| Nickname | The Bear Flag |
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| Official Status | Official state flag |
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| Governing Authority | State government of California, within United States of America |
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Flag Colour Information
| Colour | Appearance | HEX Code | RGB | CMYK | Pantone |
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| White | | #FFFFFF | 255, 255, 255 | 0, 0, 0, 0 | No official Pantone reference |
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| Red | | #B71234 | 183, 18, 52 | 0, 90, 72, 28 | No official Pantone reference |
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| Brown | | #584528 | 88, 69, 40 | 0, 22, 55, 65 | No official Pantone reference |
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| Green | | #008542 | 0, 133, 66 | 100, 0, 50, 48 | No official Pantone reference |
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Flag Design and Symbolism
| California grizzly | The state animal, extinct in California since 1924 |
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| Lone red star | Echoes the Lone Star of Texas and the California Republic of 1846 |
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| White | Stands for the field, for purity. |
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| Red | Stands for the lower band and the star, for courage. |
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| Brown | Stands for the California grizzly bear, for strength. |
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| Green | Stands for the patch of grass beneath the bear. |
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Flag History
| Year / Period | Event |
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| 14 June 1846 | Raised at Sonoma during the Bear Flag Revolt |
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| 3 February 1911 | Adopted as the official state flag |
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| 1953 | The exact design and colours are standardised |
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| Present | The flag remains in official use |
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Flag Dimensions and Construction
| Official Ratio (height : width) | 2:3 |
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| Hoist (height) | 2 units |
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| Fly (width) | 3 units |
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| Layout | White field with a grizzly bear, star and red band |
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| Band / Stripe Construction | A red band along the bottom is one sixth of the height |
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| Construction Sheet Available | Yes |
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| Governing Specification | California Government Code, Section 420 |
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How the Flag of California Is Used
| Setting | Flown | Notes |
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| Government buildings | Yes | Flown on official premises |
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| Schools and public institutions | Yes | Common in daily and ceremonial use |
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| Private and civil use | Yes | May be flown by members of the public |
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| Public holidays and commemorations | Yes | Displayed on national days of remembrance |
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| Armed forces | No | Defence is a federal responsibility |
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| Naval ensign | No | States do not maintain their own navy |
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| Embassies abroad | No | Foreign relations are handled federally |
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| Alongside the national flag | Yes | Flown below or beside the flag of United States of America |
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| International sport | No | Athletes compete under the national flag |
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Other Official Flags of California
| Flag Type | Purpose | In Use |
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| State flag | The primary flag shown on this page | Yes |
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| Civil flag | Flown by private citizens and organisations | Yes |
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| War flag | Carried by the armed forces on land | No |
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| Naval ensign | Flown at sea by naval and merchant vessels | No |
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| Air force ensign | Used by the air force | No |
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| Presidential standard | Marks the presence of the head of state | No |
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| Royal standard | Marks the presence of the monarch | No |
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| Historical flags | Earlier designs no longer in official use | Yes |
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Quick Facts About the Flag
| Years in Use (current design) | 115 years |
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| Adoption Date | 3 February 1911 |
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| Earliest Recorded Use | 1846 |
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| Designer | William Todd designed the 1846 original |
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| Nickname | The Bear Flag |
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| Dominant Colour | White |
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| Flags It Resembles | No close relatives among US state flags |
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| Notable Feature | White field with a grizzly bear, star and red band |
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