Sizes and proportions of the Polish flag

The Act on the emblem, colours and anthem sets out what the flag of Poland looks like: its colours, the arrangement of the stripes and its proportions. It does not, however, set the size of the flag or link it to the height of the flagpole. In practice the sizes offered by flag makers and their sizing rules are used. This guide brings together information on proportions, colours and common sizes. The size for a particular flagpole is shown by the flag size calculator.

The 5:8 proportions

Under annex 3 to the Act, the ratio of the flag's width to its length is 5:8. Both stripes, white at the top and red at the bottom, are the same width (article 4(1)). In the flag with the emblem, the ratio of the emblem's height to the flag's width is 2:5. The same proportions were already set by the Act of 1 August 1919. In the booklet “Duma i szacunek”, the National Security Bureau points out that one's flag should have the correct proportions, 8:5.

Colours

Annex 2 to the Act defines the colours by chromaticity coordinates x, y, the component Y and the permitted colour difference ΔE in the CIE 1976 (L* u* v*) colour space, under illuminant C with d/0 measuring geometry:

The Act gives no equivalents in the Pantone, RAL or CMYK systems. Flag makers use their own conversions, so shades of red from different makers can differ slightly.

Common sizes

Polish flag makers offer flags for flagpoles in several standard sizes in the 5:8 proportion, including:

Flags in other proportions are also sold, for example 90 × 150 cm or 100 × 150 cm, which follow standards used in other countries. Such flags do not have the proportions set in the Act.

Size and flagpole height

Flag makers usually assume that a horizontal flag is about 1/4 as long as the flagpole is high. On a 6 m flagpole this gives a flag about 1.5 m long, and on an 8 m flagpole about 2 m. For vertical flags, the long side is usually about 1/3 of the flagpole's height, but no more than half. A flag that is too large puts more load on the flagpole in strong wind.

The choice of flagpole height is described in the guide to flagpole heights.

Several flags side by side

According to the Bureau's guidance, when the Polish flag flies together with the flags of other states, all are the same size and fly at the same height. In front of public offices with three flagpoles, the state flag, the flag of the European Union and the local government flag are therefore usually the same size. The order of flags is described in the guide to flag protocol.

Size and half-mast

During national mourning the flag flies at half-mast. A large flag on a low flagpole can then come close to the ground, a roof or trees. This is one reason why the rule of 1/4 of the flagpole's height is popular. More is in the guide to half-mast.