Flag of Holy See
Western Europe · VA · Vector source, 4:3 aspect ratio
- RegionWestern Europe
- ISO codeVA
- Source formatSVG (infinitely scalable)
- Available downloadsSVG · PNG · JPG · WEBP · ICO · PDF
Download the flag of Holy See as SVG, PNG, JPG, WEBP, ICO or PDF in any resolution you need.
Basic Flag Information
| Flag Name | Flag of Holy See |
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| Country | Vatican City |
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| Official Name | Vatican City State |
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| Capital | Vatican City |
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| Continent | Europe |
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| Region | Southern Europe |
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| ISO Code | VA / VAT |
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| Internet Domain | .va |
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| Calling Code | +3 (multiple: 906698, 79) |
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| Currency | Euro (EUR) |
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| Official Language(s) | Italian, Latin |
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| Demonym | Vatican |
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| Area | 0 km² |
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| Population | 764 |
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| Coastline | Landlocked — no sea coast |
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| United Nations Member | Yes |
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Flag Specifications
| Official Flag Name | Flag of Holy See |
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| Current Version Adopted | 7 June 2023 |
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| Design First Used | 1825 |
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| Flag Proportion | 1:1 |
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| Flag Shape | Square |
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| Number of Colours | 3 |
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| Main Colours | Gold, White, Red |
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| Designer | Based on the papal keys and the Vatican colours |
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| Design Type | Square field, vertical bicolour with the papal emblem |
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| Nickname | No widely used nickname |
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| Official Status | Official national flag |
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| Governing Authority | Government of Holy See |
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Flag Colour Information
| Colour | Appearance | HEX Code | RGB | CMYK | Pantone |
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| Gold | | #FFE000 | 255, 224, 0 | 0, 12, 100, 0 | No official Pantone reference |
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| White | | #FFFFFF | 255, 255, 255 | 0, 0, 0, 0 | No official Pantone reference |
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| Red | | #DE2910 | 222, 41, 16 | 0, 82, 93, 13 | No official Pantone reference |
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Flag Design and Symbolism
| Crossed keys | The keys of Saint Peter, one gold and one silver, bound by a red cord |
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| Papal tiara | The three-tiered crown set above the keys |
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| Gold | Stands for the golden key of spiritual authority. |
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| White | Stands for the silver key of temporal authority. |
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| Red | Stands for the cord binding the two keys. |
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Flag History
| Year / Period | Event |
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| 1825 | Gold and white replace the earlier gold and red |
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| 7 June 1929 | Adopted by the new Vatican City State under the Lateran Treaty |
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| 7 June 2023 | A corrected official drawing is published |
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| Present | The flag remains in official use |
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Flag Dimensions and Construction
| Official Ratio (height : width) | 1:1 |
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| Hoist (height) | 1 units |
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| Fly (width) | 1 units |
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| Layout | Square field, vertical bicolour with the papal emblem |
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| Band / Stripe Construction | Two equal vertical bands on a square field |
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| Construction Sheet Available | Yes |
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| Governing Specification | Fundamental Law of Vatican City State, Annex A |
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How the Flag of Holy See 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 | No separate military flag is in use |
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| Naval ensign | No | Landlocked — no seagoing navy |
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| Embassies and consulates | Yes | Flown at diplomatic missions abroad |
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| International sport | Yes | Used at the Olympic Games and world championships |
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| United Nations building | Yes | Flown in the row of member states |
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Other Official Flags of Holy See
| Flag Type | Purpose | In Use |
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| National flag | The primary flag shown on this page | Yes |
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| Civil flag | Flown by private citizens and organisations | No |
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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) | 3 years |
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| Adoption Date | 7 June 2023 |
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| Earliest Recorded Use | 1825 |
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| Designer | Based on the papal keys and the Vatican colours |
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| Nickname | No widely used nickname |
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| Dominant Colour | Gold |
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| Flags It Resembles | Switzerland is the only other square national flag |
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| Notable Feature | Square field, vertical bicolour with the papal emblem |
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