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Denmark

Danish flag size calculator: which flag suits the pole?

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This page is an English translation of the Danish original. Where the two versions differ, the Danish text is the original.

The calculator shows the size of flag, pennant and stander in relation to the length of a free-standing flagpole. It is based on Dannebrogs-Samfundet’s table, which brings together the average of Danish flag makers’ price lists, and on the rule of thumb that the flag’s height is about one fifth of the pole’s length.

metres
Nearest standard size
225 × 170 cm
Length × height for a 8 metre pole in Dannebrogs-Samfundet’s table
By the rule of thumb
211 × 160 cm
The flag’s height (hoist) is about 1/5 of the pole’s length on a free-standing pole
Pennant (vimpel) and stander
Pennant 400 cm
Stander 300 × 50 cm in the table

The result

  • Nearest standard size: The size in Dannebrogs-Samfundet’s table for the nearest pole length that is not longer than the one chosen. The table has no row for 19 metres.
  • By the rule of thumb: The flag’s height is one fifth of the pole’s length, and its length follows Dannebrog’s 28:37 proportions.
  • Pennant and stander: The lengths in the table. According to Dannebrogs-Samfundet, the pennant is about half as long as the pole, and the stander about one third and always 50 cm wide.

Sizes are given as length × height, as in Dannebrogs-Samfundet’s table.

Assumptions

The calculator applies to free-standing vertical flagpoles. According to Dannebrogs-Samfundet, the relationship is different for poles on buildings:

FlagpoleFlag height
Free-standingAbout 1/5 of the pole’s length
Slanting, on a buildingAbout 1/3 of the pole’s length
Horizontal, on a buildingAbout 1/2 of the pole’s length
Vertical, on a building or moundFrom 1/3 to 1/2 of the pole’s length

The table gives the length of the flagpole. The surroundings also matter: where the pole stands close to tall trees or houses, a stander, which is shorter than the pennant, can be more visible.

Half-mast and storm flag

At half-mast, the upper edge of the flag sits about one third of the pole’s length below the finial according to Dannebrogs-Samfundet, so the flag has room below it. On days with strong wind, a storm flag half the size of the ordinary rectangular flag can be used. More in the guide to half-mast.

The full table and the proportions are in the guide to flag sizes, and the height of the pole in the guide to flagpole heights.

Frequently asked questions

How does the calculator work?

The calculator shows two things: the size in Dannebrogs-Samfundet’s table for the nearest pole length that is not longer than the one chosen, and the rule of thumb in which the flag’s height is about one fifth of a free-standing pole’s length and the length follows Dannebrog’s 28:37 proportions.

Does the calculator also apply to flagpoles on the house?

No. The calculator applies to free-standing flagpoles. According to Dannebrogs-Samfundet, the flag’s height is about one third of the pole’s length on a slanting pole and about half on a horizontal pole on a building.

Why do the table and the rule of thumb not show the same?

According to Dannebrogs-Samfundet, the table is an average of Danish flag makers’ price lists and therefore follows the sizes that are sold. The rule of thumb is a rounded relationship. The two are close, but do not match exactly.

Is there an official rule for the size of the flag?

No. There is no law or official rule in Denmark on the size of the flag in relation to the flagpole. Dannebrogs-Samfundet writes that the actual size of the flag rests on judgement in each case.

Sources

This guide is based on the following sources, most of them in Danish:

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