Flag of Great Britain
The flag of Great Britain, commonly known as King's Colours, the Union Jack, or the British
flag, was used at sea from 1606 and more generally from 1707 to 1801.
The design was ordered by King James VI and I to be used on ships on the high seas, and it
subsequently came into use as a national flag following the Treaty of Union and Acts of Union
1707, gaining the status of "the Ensign armorial of Great Britain", the newly created state. It
was later adopted by land forces, although the blue of the field used on land-based versions
more closely resembled that of the blue of the flag of Scotland.
The flag consists of the red cross of Saint George, patron saint of England, superimposed on
the Saltire of Saint Andrew, patron saint of Scotland. Its correct proportions are 3:5.
The flag's official use came to an end in 1801 with the creation of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland. At that time Saint Patrick's Flag was added to the flag of Great Britain to
create the present-day Union Flag
.
The flag of England The flag of
Scotland