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New Zealand

Flag size calculator for New Zealand flagpoles

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Which size of flag suits a flagpole? Manatū Taonga – Ministry for Culture and Heritage (MCH) gives a guide: allow one yard of flag for every 10 feet of staff. As a yard is 0.9144 metres and 10 feet 3.048 metres, the flag’s length is 0.3 times the height of the pole. The calculator below applies the guide and finds the nearest of the five standard sizes that New Zealand flags are made in.

metres
Flag length by Manatū Taonga’s guide
180 cm
One yard of flag for every 10 feet of flagpole
In the 1:2 proportions
180 × 90 cm
Length × height, the proportions of the New Zealand flag
Nearest standard size
1800 × 900 mm
The 2-yard size, one of the five sizes New Zealand flags are made in

How to read the results

  • Flag length by Manatū Taonga’s guide: 0.3 times the height of the flagpole, rounded to 5 cm.
  • In the 1:2 proportions: the same flag with its height half its length, as in the New Zealand flag. Sizes are given as length × height.
  • Nearest standard size: the size among the five standard sizes, from 1 yard (900 × 450 mm) to 3 yards (2700 × 1350 mm), whose length is closest to the result, as the Flag & Banner Company lists them.

Examples

Pole heightBy the guide (length)At 1:2Nearest standard size
4 m120 cm120 × 60 cm1350 × 675 mm (1½ yards)
5 m150 cm150 × 75 cm1350 × 675 mm (1½ yards)
6 m180 cm180 × 90 cm1800 × 900 mm (2 yards)
7.5 m225 cm225 × 113 cm2250 × 1125 mm (2½ yards)
9 m270 cm270 × 135 cm2700 × 1350 mm (3 yards)

What the calculator does not cover

Blue tape measure with a centimetre scale
Tape measure. Photo: Clément Bucco-Lechat, Blue tape measure / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped
  • Manufacturer’s limits: many flagpoles are designed for a maximum flag size, which takes priority over any guide. More in the guide to flagpole safety.
  • Flagpoles on buildings: according to MCH, a flag on a staff set on a building is chosen so that it is at an appropriate height in its setting.
  • Use: MCH notes that the choice depends on how the flag is going to be used; large flags suit calm days and ceremonial occasions.
  • Wind: smaller storm flags can be used when wind speeds are expected to exceed 48 knots, according to MCH.
  • Several flags: flags of several countries flown together are the same size, according to MCH’s display rules.
  • Half-mast: a large flag on a short pole sits low at half-mast. More in the guide to half-mast.

All standard sizes are in the guide to flag sizes, and typical pole heights in the guide to flagpole heights.

Frequently asked questions

How does the flag size calculator work?

It uses the guide from Manatū Taonga – Ministry for Culture and Heritage: one yard of flag for every 10 feet of staff, which is a flag length of 0.3 times the pole’s height. It then shows the flag in the 1:2 proportions of the New Zealand flag and the nearest of the five standard sizes New Zealand flags are made in.

Is the result an official requirement?

No. Manatū Taonga describes the rule as a guide, and New Zealand law does not set the size of a flag for a flagpole. The only official size rule concerns flags of several countries flown together, which are the same size.

Why does the calculator show sizes in millimetres and yards?

New Zealand flags are traditionally made in yards, from one to three yards, while flag makers list the sizes in millimetres, for example 1800 × 900 mm for the two-yard flag. The calculator shows both.

Does the calculator work for a flagpole on a building?

The guide is based on the height of the flagpole. According to Manatū Taonga, a flag on a staff set on a building is also chosen so that it is at an appropriate height in its setting, so the height of the building can play a part too.

Sources

This guide is based on the following sources:

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