Flag of Greenland

The flag of Greenland was designed by Greenland Thue Christiansen.

Name

The name of the flag is Erfalasorput, which means in Greenlandic " our flag ". In addition, the name Aappalaaroq ( Greenlandic for " the Red " ) in use, but also on the Danish flag can relate ( the Dannebrog ) is. In Greenland, the Greenland and Danish flag are often shown side by side today.

Description and significance

The flag of Greenland shows two equal horizontal bands of which the upper white and the bottom is red. It is slightly shifted to the mast, a large disc, the upper half red and lower half is white. The entire flag is 12 times 18 units in size; the disc has a diameter of 8 units, its center is at a distance of seven units from the mast and is centered vertically.

As the Greenland Post 1995 on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the flag along with Thue Christiansen issued a bow special stamps, said the designer, the white stripes representing the glaciers, the red stripe of the ocean, the red semicircle the fjords and the white semi-circle the icebergs and the pack ice. Other recalls the design and the setting sun, when it is half sunk below the horizon and reflected in the sea.

History

Five Greenlanders proposed in 1973 its own flag before and put a green-white- blue design before. The following year went to the tender of a newspaper an eleven proposals were based all but one on a Scandinavian cross. In a poll among the readers but the most popular Dannebrog flag was chosen so that none of the designs was implemented.

Second proposal

3 proposal

4 proposal

In 1978 Greenland from Denmark the right to self-government; it became an equal member in the Danish Kingdom. The Greenland government officially called on to draft a new flag; response 555 designs were submitted, of which 293 of Greenlanders. However, the general meeting convened to flag selection committee did not come to a decision that was so called for further designs. Ultimately, the white- red design of Christiansen 14:11 votes was almost preferable to a green - white design with a Scandinavian cross. The flag was officially declared on 21 June 1985 on the Greenland flag.

Flags of municipalities

Until 31 December 2008, Greenland was divided into 18 municipalities, which were combined into four municipalities in 2009. All of these communities led and run their own coats of arms and flags these on white in the center.