^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Croatia: Naval ensign and jack

Naval ensign
Naval jack
Transition naval ensign and jack

See also:

Naval ensign

image by Zoltan Horvath, 15 May 2024

The naval ensign (lit., "stern flag"; photo) is equal to the civil ensign, tricolor with the national coat of arms in the middle, with two yellow anchors in saltire added behind the coat of arms.

Željko Heimer, 26 February 2004

Naval jack

Naval jack - Image by Željko Heimer, 24 October 1999

The naval jack (lit., "bow flag") is blue, bordered with a thick red, outer border and a thin white, inner border. In the middle of the blue filed there is the Croatian coat of arms and two anchors behind it as on the naval ensign.
According to my calculations, based on the images from the official gazette, the width of the red border is 1/10 of the flag's hoist, and the white border is half as much, that is 1/20 of the flag's hoist. The symbol in the middle is another 1/10 from the upper and lower edges of the blue field, therefore allowing 1/2 of the flag's hoist to be the total height of the symbol.

Željko Heimer, 24 October 1999

Transition naval ensign and jack

Transition naval ensign and jack - Image by Željko Heimer, 7 April 2001

The formerly used ensign and jack, already reported in May 1997, had a different coat of arms, the most notable difference being the shape of the shield. Whatever the 1999 regulations prescribe, the older version is still much in use, I presume for practical reasons. I guess that the difference is rather minor and that the old flag was retained in use anywhere where it already existed. So, I guess that the old flags shall remained in use until their detoriation with time.
In a recent issue of the weekly magazine of the Croatian Ministry of Defense, an interview of the Commander of the Northern Adriatic Naval District was published, illustrated with his photo in front of an indoor version of this flag, gold fringed, and with a gold tassel.

Željko Heimer, 1 September 2001