List of New Zealand flags facts for kids

The national flag of New Zealand and Tino Rangatiratanga flag flying on Auckland Harbour Bridge, on Waitangi Day, 2012

This article is about the many flags used in New Zealand. Flags are special symbols that represent countries, groups, or ideas. New Zealand has a rich history of flags, from its first national flag to flags used by different government groups, Māori tribes, and even sports teams. Learning about these flags helps us understand New Zealand's past and its diverse culture.

New Zealand's National Flags

New Zealand has had several national flags over time. Each flag tells a story about the country's journey and changes.

Flag	When it was used	What it was used for	What it looks like
	1834–1840	Flag of the United Tribes	This flag was chosen by Māori chiefs. It has two red crosses of St George and four eight-pointed stars on a blue background.
	1840–1867	British Union Flag	This flag became New Zealand's flag after the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840.
	1867–1869	First flag based on the Blue Ensign	This flag was blue with the red letters "NZ" outlined in white. It was used on government ships.
	1902–present	Current Flag of New Zealand	This is New Zealand's current flag. It is a blue flag with the British Union Flag in the corner. On the right, it has four red stars with white borders. These stars show the Southern Cross constellation.

Flags for Royalty and Governors

These flags represent the monarch (like the Queen or King) and the Governor-General, who is the King's representative in New Zealand.

Flag	When it was used	What it was used for	What it looks like
	1962–2022	Queen Elizabeth II's Flag	This was Queen Elizabeth II's special flag for New Zealand. It showed parts of the New Zealand coat of arms with her initial 'E' and a crown.
	1869–1874	Early Governor's Flag	This flag was a British Union Flag with four five-pointed stars.
	1874–1908	Governor's Flag	A Union Flag with a white circle, four red stars, and 'NZ' in the middle, surrounded by a green wreath.
	1908–1936	Governor's Flag	Similar to the previous one, but with a wreath of ferns around the stars and 'NZ'.
	1936–1953	Governor-General's Flag	This flag showed a lion standing on a crown, with a scroll saying "Dominion of New Zealand".
	1953–2008	Governor-General's Flag	This flag also showed a lion on a crown, but the scroll simply said "New Zealand".
	2008–present	Current Governor-General's Flag	This flag shows the shield from the New Zealand Coat of Arms with the Royal Crown on top.
	1979–present	King's Representative in the Cook Islands	This flag is for the King's representative in the Cook Islands. It is the Cook Islands flag with a crown in the middle of the stars.

Flags for Ships and Airplanes (Ensigns)

Ensigns are special flags used by ships, aircraft, and certain government services.

Flag	When it was used	What it was used for	What it looks like
	1901–present	New Zealand Red Ensign	This is a red flag with four white stars representing the Southern Cross. It is used by civilian ships.
	1941–1968	Early Royal New Zealand Navy Flag	This was the British White Ensign, used by the New Zealand Navy before they got their own unique flag.
	1968–present	Royal New Zealand Navy Flag	This is the flag of the Royal New Zealand Navy. It is a white flag with four red stars representing the Southern Cross.
	1939–present	Royal New Zealand Air Force Flag	This flag is light blue. It has the round symbol of the Royal Air Force with the letters "NZ" added.
	1938–present	New Zealand Civil Air Flag	This flag has a blue cross with a wide border on a light blue background. The Union Flag is in the corner, and the Southern Cross is on the right side.
		New Zealand Police Flag	This is a blue flag. It has the New Zealand Flag in the corner and the New Zealand Police emblem on the right side.
New Zealand Fire Service Flag		Fire and Emergency Service Flag	This is a blue flag with the New Zealand Flag in the corner and the Fire Service emblem on the right side.
New Zealand Customs Service Flag	1966–present	New Zealand Customs Service Flag	This is a New Zealand Blue Ensign. It used to have the letters "HMC" (for Her Majesty's Customs). Since 1996, it says "NZ CUSTOMS SERVICE" on the lower left.
	1968–1998	Ministry of Transport Flag	A sky blue flag with the New Zealand Flag in the corner and the Ministry of Transport coat of arms on the right.
		Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron Flag	This flag has a white cross on a blue background. The New Zealand Flag is in the corner.

Flags of Associated States and Territories

New Zealand has special relationships with some islands in the Pacific. These places have their own flags.

Flag	When it was used	What it was used for	What it looks like
	1979–present	Cook Islands Flag	This flag is blue with 15 stars arranged in a circle.
	1975–present	Niue Flag	This is a yellow flag. The British Union Flag in the corner has a blue circle with a yellow star in the middle, and four yellow stars around it.
	2008–present	Tokelau Flag	This blue flag shows a traditional Polynesian canoe (vaka) in gold. It also has the Southern Cross constellation on the right side.
	1993–present	Unofficial Chatham Islands Flag	This blue flag shows a picture of the island with a rising sun behind it.
	1995–present	Proposed Ross Dependency Flag	This flag is similar to the New Zealand flag. It has an azure blue color, white stars outlined in white, and a white stripe at the bottom.

Flags of Regions and Cities

Many regions and cities in New Zealand have their own flags. These flags often show symbols from their coat of arms.

Flag	When it was used	What it was used for	What it looks like
	1980–2010	Auckland City Flag	This flag shows symbols from Auckland City's coat of arms. It has a blue corner with a cornucopia (horn of plenty) and a red corner with a pick and shovel. The bottom half is white with a ship.
	1976–present	Flag of Christchurch	This flag shows symbols from Christchurch's coat of arms. It has a red chevron with a bishop's hat, a fleece, and a sheaf of wheat. There are blue wavy bars and four ships.
	1979–present	Flag of Dunedin	This flag shows symbols from Dunedin's coat of arms. It has a green zigzag line with a sheep's head and two wheat sheaves. There's a castle on a rock at the top and a ship at the bottom.
	2012–present	Flag of Mārahau	This flag has a blue background with a green triangle, a yellow crescent moon, and two yellow stars.
	2020–present	Flag of Napier	This flag shows three red roses from the coat of arms of Lord Napier. Blue wavy lines show it's a coastal city, and a golden fleece represents the wool industry.
	1987–present	Nelson City Flag	This flag shows symbols from Nelson's coat of arms. It has a blue top section with a bishop's hat. Below are blue and white waves with a black cross.
	2004–present	Otago Flag	This flag is blue and gold, divided by a zigzag line. It has eight-pointed stars that switch colors across the line. It is used by the Otago Regional Council and the public.
	1990s–present	Flag of Palmerston North	This flag is plain white with the city's coat of arms in the center. It also has the words 'City of Palmerston North, New Zealand' in black text.
	1998–present	Flag of Porirua	This flag uses green, blue, and white to represent Whitireia and the harbor. It includes Porirua's coat of arms, though a simpler version without the coat of arms is also used.
	1962–present	Wellington City Flag	This flag has a black cross on a yellow background. In the center, there is a circular design of a ship with a dolphin on its sail.

Māori Flags

Māori flags are important symbols for Māori people and tribes. They represent history, identity, and unity.

Flag	When it was used	What it was used for	What it looks like
	1834–present	Original United Tribes Flag	This is an older version of the United Tribes flag, still used by some Māori groups. It has eight-pointed stars and black outlines.
	1990–present	National Māori Flag (Tino Rangatiratanga)	This flag is a symbol of Māori self-determination. It has a white curling stripe on a red and black background. It was approved by the New Zealand government in 2010.
Flag of Dame Te Atairangikaahu		Flag of Dame Te Atairangikaahu (Kīngitanga)	This flag was adopted during the time of Dame Te Atairangikaahu, a Māori queen. It is still widely used today by the Kīngitanga (Māori King movement).
		Kotahitanga Flag	This unofficial Māori flag has three horizontal stripes of red, white, and black. It features a circular emblem with a mere (a traditional weapon) crossed with a scroll representing the Treaty of Waitangi. The word "Kotahitanga" means unity.
		Example of a Tribal Flag	Some Māori tribes use the New Zealand Red Ensign with their tribal name added to it. This flag is an example for the Takitimu tribe.
	1864	Flag used at the Battle of Gate Pā	This flag was used during the Battle of Gate Pā. It has a white Greek cross, a four-pointed white star, and a white crescent moon on a red background.
	1977	Flag used at Bastion Point	This flag was used during protests at Bastion Point. It has two horizontal stripes of red and black with a mangopare (hammerhead shark) design, which represents strength and determination.

Sporting Flags

New Zealand's sports teams also have their own flags, which are well-known around the world.

Flag	When it was used	What it was used for	What it looks like
	1908–1912	Australasian Olympic Team Flag	This flag was used when New Zealand and Australia competed together in the Olympics. It was a blue flag with a white circle showing the British Crown and the Southern Cross.
	1979–1994	Early New Zealand Olympic Flag	This was a black flag with a white silver fern over the Olympic rings.
	1994–present	Flag of the New Zealand Olympic Committee	This is a white flag with a silver fern placed over the five rings of the Olympic symbol.
	1987	Flag of the All Blacks	This is the famous flag of the All Blacks, New Zealand's national rugby team. It is a black flag with a white silver fern leaf.
		Burgee of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron	This is a blue triangular flag with a white cross. It has the Southern Cross in the corner and a crown in the center.

Other New Zealand Flags

Here are a few other flags that have been used in New Zealand.

Flag	When it was used	What it was used for	What it looks like
		New Zealand Navy Board Flag	This flag has a red and blue background with a fouled anchor (an anchor with its rope wrapped around it).
	1970–2022	Queen's Colour of the Royal New Zealand Navy	This was a ceremonial flag for the Royal New Zealand Navy.
		Flag of the Grand Orange Lodge of New Zealand	This is an orange flag with the Saint George's Cross in the corner. On the right, it has an open book with a crown on top, surrounded by the four stars of the New Zealand Southern Cross.
Flag of the Taranaki Rifle Volunteers		Flag of the Taranaki Rifle Volunteers	This was a flag used by a volunteer military group from the Taranaki region.

Ideas for New Flags

Over the years, people have suggested many different designs for a new New Zealand flag. There have even been public votes on some of these ideas.