Flag of Saint Helena
The Saint Helena flag is a British blue ensign with the territory's coat of arms in the fly: a shield showing a sailing ship off a rocky coast. The island in the South Atlantic is best known as Napoleon's place of exile.
What the Saint Helena flag looks like
The flag is a blue ensign: a dark blue field with the Union Jack in the upper hoist corner and the territory's badge in the fly. The badge is a shield showing a cliff-lined shore and a three-masted sailing ship at sea. Above the shield is a wirebird, the island's endemic plover. The proportions are 1:2.
This is the flag of Saint Helena island itself. The wider territory is officially called Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, and Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha each have a flag of their own. See also the Saint Helena flag emoji and the flag of the United Kingdom.
Saint Helena flag colors
Color codes measured from the official design. Use HEX for the web and CMYK for print.
HEX
#C8102ERGB
200, 16, 46CMYK
0, 92, 77, 22 HEX
#FFFFFFRGB
255, 255, 255CMYK
0, 0, 0, 0 HEX
#012169RGB
1, 33, 105CMYK
99, 69, 0, 59 Saint Helena flag meaning and symbolism
The Union Jack shows the island's status as a British Overseas Territory. In the badge, the ship recalls the island's role as a stop for East India Company vessels sailing between Europe and Asia, when Jamestown was a provisioning port. The steep coast reflects the island's volcanic cliffs, and the wirebird is a rare native bird that has become a national symbol. These meanings are traditional rather than officially defined.
The island itself is named for Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine. It was found by Portuguese sailors in 1502, on or near her feast day in the Orthodox calendar, according to the traditional account.
History of the Saint Helena flag
Saint Helena had no settled population when the Portuguese found it. The English East India Company took it over in the 17th century, and it became a Crown colony in 1834. The French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was held on the island from 1815 until his death in 1821, which is what it is most famous for. The island also served as a base for the Royal Navy's campaign against the slave trade.
In the 19th century the colony received a badge showing a ship off a rocky coast, which was placed on the blue ensign as the island's flag. The coat of arms granted in 1984 gave the emblem the form it has now. The island became a British Overseas Territory in 2002.
Saint Helena flag facts
| Country | St Helena, Ascension & Tristan da Cunha |
|---|---|
| Flag adopted | 1984 |
| Proportions | 1:2 |
| Colors | #C8102E, #FFFFFF, #012169 |
| Flag emoji | 🇸🇭 |
| Country code | SH, SHN (ISO 3166) |
| Capital | Jamestown |
| Continent | Africa |
| Population | 5,633 |
| Area | 394 km² |
| Currency | pound sterling, Saint Helena pound |
| National anthem | God Save the King |
Saint Helena flag: frequently asked questions
What country does St Helena belong to?
It belongs to the United Kingdom as a British Overseas Territory. It is not an independent country and is governed with a local council and a governor.
Is Saint Helena a country?
No. Saint Helena, together with Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha, forms a British Overseas Territory with self-government on local matters.
Why is Saint Helena famous?
It is famous as the island where Napoleon was exiled until he died in 1821. It is also one of the most remote inhabited places in the world, long reached only by ship.
What is Saint Helena's symbol?
The wirebird, a small endemic plover, is the best-known symbol, and it appears on the coat of arms above the ship and cliff scene shown on the flag.
What is Helena the patron saint of?
Saint Helena, the mother of Constantine, is the patron saint of archaeologists and of people with difficult marriages, among others. She is linked to the discovery of the True Cross.
