View source for French colonial flags

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{{about|historical flags that were used across the French Empire and the overseas territories|information about flags of France and Overseas France|List of French flags}}
{{Infobox former country
|name='''French Empire'''<br>{{lang|fr|Empire français}}
|image_flag  = Royal Standard of the King of France.svg
|image_flag2 = Flag of France (1794–1815).svg
|flag_type   = Left: [[Flag of France|Royal Standard of France]] (before [[French Revolution|1792]])<br />Right: [[Flag of France|Flag of the French Empire]] 
|image_map=EmpireFrench.png
|map_caption=Flags were used to represent various territories and colonies across the Empire
<!--Do not add extra information to infobox - it deliberately only contains the flag and map. Do not add countries to the map that are not considered part of the French Empire by reliable sources.-->
}}
{{French flags}}
Some [[colony|colonies]], protectorates and mandates of the [[French Colonial Empire]] used distinctive '''colonial flags'''.  These most commonly had a [[Flag of France|French Tricolour]] in the [[Flag terminology#Description of standard flag parts and terms|canton]].

As well as the flags of individual colonies, the governors-general of French colonies flew a square flag with a blue field and the [[French ensigns|French ensign]] in the canton. This flag was flown beneath the national ensign. Colonial governors used a rectangular swallow-tailed version of this flag.

==Colonial flags with a tricolour canton==
The flags with the French flag in the canton, which on many occasions were already existing flags without the tricolour, resembled the British colonial flags, which originated as [[defacement (flag)|defacement]]s of the [[British ensigns]], which have the British [[Union Jack]] in the canton, and a red, white or blue fly. Naval sources show flags such as those used in the French [[League of Nations Mandate|Mandate]] of [[Syria]] as having the tricolour with unequal stripes, as in the French ensign, but it is likely that these versions of the flags were used at sea, and on land the tricolour had the standard equal stripes.

While for the sake of simplicity French colonial ensign are on this page classified by appearance, this should not be taken to imply common origins or the existence of undefaced ensigns used by the French government unless otherwise noted.

===Red field===
<!--  Commented out because image was deleted: [[File:Flag of Colonial Laos.gif|right|200px|thumb|Colonial Laos flag]] -->
* [[History of Laos to 1945#French Laos|Laos]], French Indochina: Laos was part of [[French Indochina]] from 1893. The tricolour was added to the flag of the [[Kingdom of Luang Prabang]], which was red with a white image of a three headed [[elephant]] on a stand with a [[parasol]].
* [[Morocco]]: The [[Protectorate]] of Morocco from 1919 to 1953, used the [[Flag of Morocco|national flag]] with a tricolour in the canton as a civil ensign.
* [[Tunisia]]: From 1881 to 1956, Tunisia was a French protectorate. It has been reported that the tricolour was added to the [[Flag of Tunisia|Tunisian flag]] for use as a civil ensign, as in Morocco, but it seems that such a flag was never official.
* [[Wallis and Futuna]]: The unofficial, but commonly used [[flag of Wallis and Futuna]] is red with four white triangles arranged in a square and the tricolour in the canton with a white fimbriation.

===Blue field===
* [[Damascus]]: This part of the French Mandate of Syria from 1922 to 1925 used a blue flag with a white disk in the centre and the tricolour in the canton.
* [[French Mandate of Syria|Syria]] (1920): The French Mandate of Syria may have originally used a sky blue flag with a white crescent and star and French tricolour in the canton.
* In 1939, the [[governor-general]]'s flag, was a square blue flag with a French ensign in the canton. With a swallow-tail, this flag was the colonial governors' flag.

===White field===
[[File:Flag of the Alawite State (1920–1936).svg|thumb|right|Flag of the Alawite State / Sanjak of Latakia]]

* [[Aleppo]]: This part of the French Mandate of Syria from 1920 to 1925 used a white flag with tricolour in the canton and three yellow five-pointed stars in a triangle in the fly.
* [[Latakia]]: This part of the French Mandate of Syria used a white flag, ratio 2:3, with the tricolour in the canton taking up 1/9 of the area of the flag, red triangles in the other three corners, and a golden sunburst in the centre of the flag.
*The first banner of the [[French Revolution]] had a white field with a tricolour in the canton, although the order of the colours has since been reversed.

===Green field===
* [[French Togoland|Togo]]: The flag used in 1957–8 had two white five-pointed stars in the green field, one at the lower left-hand corner, the other in the upper right-hand corner.

===Yellow field===
[[File:Flag_of_Colonial_Annam.svg|thumb|Protectorate flag of Annam]]
* [[Annam (French protectorate)|Annam]], part of the Union of [[French Indochina]] from 1886 until 1954, used a flag with a plain yellow background, in two shapes one with the ratio 2:3 and the other 1:1 (square).

===Multicolour field===
* [[Jabal el Druze (state)|Jebel Druze]]. From 1924 until 1936, this part of the French Mandate of Syria had a flag with a white vertical strip beneath the tricolour in the canton, with the rest of the flag made up of green, red, yellow, blue and white horizontal stripes.
* [[French Mandate of Syria|Syria]]: In 1922, the French Mandate was made a federation, with a federal flag made up of green-white-green horizontal stripes and the tricolour in the canton. This flag was also used when Aleppo and Damascus merged.

==Colonial flags with other designs==
[[File:Flag of Lebanon (1920-1943).svg|thumb|Flag of French Lebanon]]

===Modified tricolours===
*{{visible anchor|Lebanon|text=[[Lebanon]]}}: The [[French Mandate of Lebanon|French Mandate]] of [[Greater Lebanon]] (1920–43) used as a flag the [[Flag of France|French tricolour]] with a green [[Lebanon Cedar#History, symbolism and uses|cedar]] in the middle stripe. See picture in {{section link|Flag of Lebanon#History}}.

===Other designs===
*[[French Polynesia]]: The [[flag of French Polynesia]] has the horizontal stripes, red-white-red. The white stripe is twice the height of each red stripe, and contains an emblem consisting of a boat, the sun, and waves.

==Galleries==
===Historical flags===

<gallery>
File:Flag_of_Colonial_Annam.svg|Flag of [[Annam (French protectorate)|Annam]], part of French Indochina (1923–1945)
File:Flag of French Laos.svg|Flag of [[French Protectorate of Laos|Laos]], part of French Indochina (1893–1953)
File:Flag of Cambodia under French protection.svg|Flag of [[French Protectorate of Cambodia|Cambodia]], part of French Indochina (1863–1948)
File:Flag of the Imamate of Futa Djallon (1896-1912).svg|Flag of the [[Imamate of Futa Jallon]] (1896-1912)
File:Flag of Togo (1957-1958).svg|Flag of the [[French Togoland|Autonomous Republic of Togo]] (1957–1958)
File:Flag-senegal-1958.svg|Flag of the [[History of Senegal|French Senegal]] (1958-1959)
Flag of French Equatorial Africa.svg|Flag of [[French Equatorial Africa]] (1910–1958)
File:Flag of Gabon 1959-1960.svg|[[Flag of Gabon]] (1959–1960)
File:Flag of French Tunisia.svg|Flag used by some military units in the [[French protectorate of Tunisia]] (1881–1956)
File:Flag of the French Mandate of Syria (1920).svg|Flag of the [[French Mandate of Syria]] (organized into five states (Sanjak of Damascus, Sanjak of Aleppo, Alawite State, Sanjak of Latakia, the Jebel Druze, Greater Lebanon) (1920–1922)
File:Flag of Syria French mandate.svg|Flag of the Syrian Federation (1922–1924) and later State of Syria (1924–1930)
File:Flag of the Alawite State (1920–1936).svg|Flag of the [[Alawite State|State of Alawites]], later Sanjak of Latakia, in the French Mandate of Syria (1920–1936)
File:Flag of the State of Aleppo.svg|Flag of the [[State of Aleppo]], in the French Mandate of Syria (1920–1924)
File:Flag of the State of Damascus.svg|Flag of the [[State of Damascus]], in the French Mandate of Syria (1920–1924)
File:Flag of Jabal ad-Druze (state).svg|Flag of [[Jabal ad-Druze (state)|Jabal ad-Druze]], in the French Mandate of Syria (1924–1936)
File:Flag of the Madagascar Protectorate (1885-1896).svg|Flag of [[Madagascar]], in the French Protectorate (1885–1895)
File:Merchant flag of French Morocco.svg|French Merchant Flag in the [[French Morocco]] (1919–1956)
File:Flag_of_Franceville.svg|Flag of [[Vanuatu]] under the [[Anglo-French Joint Naval Commission]] (1887–1906)
File:Flag of the Tahiti Protectorate 1843-1880.svg|Flag of [[Tahiti]] under the Protectorate of France (1842–1880)
File:Flag of Lebanon (1920-1943).svg|Flag of the [[Greater Lebanon|State of Greater Lebanon]] during the French mandate (1920–1943)
File:Flag of Tay Khao.svg|Flag of the [[Tai Dón people]] (1944–1953)
File:Flag of the Montagnard country of South Indochina.svg|Flag of the [[Montagnard country of South Indochina]] (1946–1950)
File:Flag of Tai Autonomous Territory.svg|Flag of the [[Tai Autonomous Territory]] (1946–1950)
File:Flag of the Tai Dam People.svg|Flag of the [[Sip Song Chau Tai]] (1950–1955)
File:Flag of the Tay people (1947-1954).svg|Flag of the [[Tay people]] (1947–1954)
File:Flag of the Nùng Autonomous Territory.svg|Flag of the [[Nùng Autonomous Territory]] (1947–1954)
File:Flag of Muong Autonomous Region.svg|Flag of the [[Muong Autonomous Region]] (1948–1954)
File:Flag of Uvea (1860).svg|Flag of the French Protectorate of [[Wallis and Futuna]] (Uvea) (1860–1886)
File:Flag of French Sudan.svg|Flag of the French Colony of [[French Sudan]] (1892–1959)
File:French Congo 1959 proposal (Flag).svg|Proposed Flag of the [[French Congo]] (1959)
File:Flag of Saar (1947–1956).svg|Flag of the French protectorate of [[Saar (protectorate)|Saar]] (1947–1956)
File:Drapeau Protectorat Français RuRutu (1858-1889).png|Flag of the French protectorate of Rurutu in [[French Polynesia]] (1889–1900)
File:Flag of French Governor in French Colony.svg|Flag of a French Governor
File:Flag of French protectorate of Rimatara.svg|Flag of French protectorate of [[Rimatara]], part of [[French Polynesia]] (1891–1900)
File:Drapeau de Raiatea (polynésie Française 1880-1897).png|Flag of French Protectorate of [[Raiatea]], part of [[French Polynesia]] (1880–1897)
File:French Algeria Naval Ensign 1848-1910.svg|Algerian ensign under the French rule (1848–1910)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://d-o-i-f.blogspot.co.uk/p/afrique.html|title = Drapeaux d'Origine & d'Inspiration Françaises (DO&IF): Afrique}}</ref>
File:Flag of Governor General Pélissier.svg|Flag of French Governor General Pélissier (1848–1854)
File:Jacques Soustelle's car flag.svg|Car's flag of Governor-General of Algeria Jacques Soustelle (1955–1956)
File:Drapeau de l'Ain-Sefra (Algérie française).png|Flag of Ain-Sefra and the vehicle flag of General Laperrine ([[French Algeria]])
File:Flag of Uvea (1886-1887).svg|Flag of French Protectorate of [[Wallis and Futuna]] (1886–1887)
File:Flag of Wallis and Futuna (1887-1910).svg|Flag of French Protectorate of [[Wallis and Futuna]] (1887–1910)
File:Flag of Wallis and Futuna (1910-1974).svg|Flag of French Protectorate of [[Wallis and Futuna]] (1910–1958)
File:Flag of Wallis and Futuna (1910-1985).svg|Flag of French Protectorate of [[Wallis and Futuna]] (1958–1985)
File:Emblème Société des Oeuvres de Mer.png|Flag of the French Society of Sea Works (1896–1935)
File:French Society of Strasbourg to Rhine Navigation.svg|French Society of Strasbourg to Rhine Navigation
File:Flag of the Senior Administrator of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.svg|Flag of the Administrator of the [[French Southern and Antarctic Lands]] (1958–2005)
File:Flag of Koritsa.svg|Flag of the [[Autonomous Albanian Republic of Korçë]] (1916–1920)
File:Flag of Saar (1947–1956).svg|Flag of the [[Saar Protectorate]] (1947–1956)
</gallery>

===Flags with French history===
<gallery>
File:Flag of Acadia.svg|Flag of [[Acadia]]
File:Drapeau Franco-Américain.svg|Flag of the [[Franco-Americans]]
File:Flag of the Franco Albertains.svg|Flag of the [[Franco-Albertan]]
File:Franco-Terreneuviens.svg|Flag of the [[Franco-Newfoundlander]]
File:Flag of the New England Acadians.svg|Flag of the Acadians in [[New England]]
File:Flag of Acadiana.svg|Flag of the [[Acadiana]]
File:Flag of the Franco-Colombiens.svg|Flag of the [[Franco-Columbian]]
File:Flag of the Franco-Manitobains.svg|Flag of the [[Franco-Manitobains]]
File:Franco-Ontarian flag.svg|Flag of the [[Franco-Ontarians]]
File:Flag of the FrancoTenois.svg|Flag of [[Franco-Ténois]]
File:Flag of the Franco-Yukonnais.svg|Flag of the [[Franco-Yukonnais]]
File:Bandera dels Fransaskois.svg|Flag of [[Fransaskois]]
File:Flag of the Franco-Nunavois.svg|Flag of [[Franco-Nunavois]]
File:Flag of Free France (1940-1944).svg|Flag of [[Free France]]
File:Flag of Philippe Pétain, Chief of State of Vichy France.svg|Personal standard of Marshal [[Philippe Pétain]] as "Chief of State" of [[Vichy France]]
File:Flag of France (Pieds-noirs).svg|Flag of [[Pied-noir]]  (2008–)
File:Drapeau des Français d'Algérie.svg|Unofficial flag of "French of Algeria" ([[Pied-Noir]])
File:Flag of Louisiana (January 1861).svg|Flag of [[Louisiana]] in 1861
File:Flag of Free Republic of Vercors.svg|Flag of [[Free Republic of Vercors]]
File:Flag of Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur (FFI).png|Armband used by the ''Forces françaises de l'Interieur''
File:Flag of Maquis De Sylla.png|Flag of French Maquis of Sylla
File:Flag of Minnesota (1983–2024).svg|Flag of state of [[Minnesota]] with the French motto "[[L'Étoile du Nord]]" (1983–2024)
File:Flag of Alliance-Française de Chicago students.svg|Flag of Alliance-Française de Chicago students
File:Flag of Detroit.svg|Flag of the City of [[Detroit]]
File:Flag of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.svg|Flag of [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]]
File:Flag of the Republic of Independent Guyana (1886-1887).svg|Flag of [[Republic of Independent Guyana]] (1886–1887)
</gallery>

===Current official and unofficial flags of French overseas regions, collectivities, and territories===
<gallery>
File:Flag of France (1794–1815, 1830–1974, 2020–present).svg|[[Flag of France|Official flag]] of [[Clipperton Island]]
File:Flag of French Guiana.svg|[[Flag of French Guiana|Unofficial flag]] of [[French Guiana]]
File:Flag of French Polynesia.svg|[[Flag of French Polynesia|Official flag]] of [[French Polynesia]]
File:Flag of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.svg|[[Flag of Antarctica#French Southern and Antarctic Territories|Flag of the Administrator]] of the [[French Southern and Antarctic Lands]]<br />(2005–present)
File:Flag of Guadeloupe (local) variant.svg|[[Flag of Guadeloupe|Unofficial flag]] of [[Guadeloupe]]<br />(locally used)
File:Flag of Guadeloupe (local).svg|[[Flag of Guadeloupe|Unofficial flag]] of [[Guadeloupe]]<br />(locally used, black variant)
File:Flag of the Territorial Collectivity of Martinique.svg|[[Flag of Martinique|Territorial collectivity flag]] of [[Martinique]]
File:Flag of the Front National de Libération de la Martinique.svg|[[Flag of Martinique|flag]] of [[Martinique]]
File:MARTINIQUE TAEKWONDO DRAPEAU.svg|[[Flag of Martinique|Taekwondo flag]] of [[Martinique]]
File:Flag of Mayotte (local).svg|[[Flag and coat of arms of Mayotte|Unofficial flag]] of [[Mayotte]]
File:Pro-Independence Flag of New Caledonia.svg|[[Flags of New Caledonia|Second official flag]] of [[New Caledonia]]
File:Proposed flag of Réunion (VAR).svg|[[Flag of Réunion|Unofficial flag]] of [[Réunion]]
File:Flag of Saint Barthelemy (local).svg|[[Flag and coat of arms of Saint Barthélemy|Unofficial flag]] of [[Saint Barthélemy]]
File:Local flag of the Collectivity of Saint Martin.svg|[[Flag of the Collectivity of Saint Martin|Unofficial flag]] of [[Collectivity of Saint Martin|Saint Martin]]
File:Flag of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.svg|[[Flag of Saint Pierre and Miquelon|Unofficial flag]] of [[Saint Pierre and Miquelon]]
File:Flag of Wallis and Futuna.svg|[[Flag of Wallis and Futuna|Semi-official flag]] of [[Wallis and Futuna]]
</gallery>

===Current subnational flags of overseas collectivities and territories===

<gallery>
File:Flag of Alo.svg|Flag of [[Alo (Wallis and Futuna)|Alo]]
File:Flag of Sigave.svg|Flag of [[Sigave]]
File:Flag of Uvea.svg|Flag of the [[Uvea (Wallis and Futuna)|Uvea]]
File:Flag of the Austral Islands.svg|[[Flag of the Austral Islands]]
File:Flag of the Gambier Islands.svg|[[Flag of the Gambier Islands]]
File:Flag of Marquesas Islands.svg|[[Flag of the Marquesas Islands]]
File:Unofficial flag of the Leeward Islands (Society Islands).svg|Flag of the [[Leeward Islands (Society Islands)|Leeward Islands]]
File:Flag of Tuamotu Archipelago.svg|Flag of the [[Tuamotu Archipelago]]
File:Drapeau de Rapa (Polynésie Française) (actuel).png|Flag of [[Rapa Iti|Rapa]] ([[French Polynesia]]) (nowadays)</gallery>

===Other official flags===
<gallery>
File:Ministre-DOMTOM.svg|Jack of the [[Minister of Overseas France]]
File:Naval Jack of Free France.svg|Ensign using by the [[French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91)]]
File:MarquePresident.svg|Jack of the [[President of France|President]] and the [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]]
File:Marque mindef.svg|Jack of the [[Minister of Defence (France)|Minister of Defence]]
File:Marque CEMA.svg|Jack of the chief of staff of the Armies
File:Marque CEMM.svg|Jack of the chief of staff of the Navy
File:Marque amiral.svg|Jack of an [[admiral]]
File:Marque VAE.svg|Jack of a [[Vice Admiral|Vice-amiral d'escadre]]
File:Marque VA.svg|Jack of a [[Vice Admiral|vice-amiral]]
File:Contre-Amiral.svg|Jack of a [[Counter Admiral|contre-amiral]]
File:Marque-capitaine-de-vaisseau-chef-division.svg|Jack of a [[capitaine de vaisseau]] commanding a division
File:Marque-capitaine-de-vaisseau.svg|Jack of a [[capitaine de vaisseau]] commanding a unit
File:Marque-commandant-sur-rade.svg|harbour commanding officer (in NATO operations, the "Starboard" is used)
File:Marque-capitaine-marine-marchande-senior.svg|senior merchant navy Captain (if no French warship is present)
File:Ensign of French's Customs vessels.svg|Ensign of French's Customs vessels
File:Drapeau_Société_Nationale_de_Sauvetage_en_Mer.png|Flag of the Société Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[French colonial empires]]
*[[List of French flags]]
*[[List of French possessions and colonies]]

==References==
{{no footnotes|date=May 2016}}
* F.E. Hulme, ''The Flags of the World: Their History, Blazonry, and Associations, From the Banner of the Crusader to the Burgee of the Yachtsman; Flags National, Colonial, Personal; The Ensigns of Mighty Empires; the Symbols of Lost Causes (Colonial Edition)'', Frederick Wayne and Co., London, pp.&nbsp;152, (1895).
* W.J. Gordon, ''Flags of the World Past and Present: Their Story and Associations'', Frederick Wayne and Co., Ltd., London, pp.&nbsp;265, (1929).
* B. McCandless, and G. Grosvenor, ''"Our Flag Number", The National Geographic Magazine'', National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C., Vol. XXXII, No. 4, pp.&nbsp;420, October, (1917).
* G. Grosvenor, and W.J. Showalter, ''"Flags of the World", The National Geographic Magazine'', National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C., Vol. LXVI, No. 3, pp.&nbsp;338–396, September, (1934).
* ''Flags of All Nations Volume I. National Flags and Ensigns (B.R.20(1) 1955)'', Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, (1955).
* ''Flags of All Nations Volume II. Standards of Rulers, Sovereigns and Heads of State; Flags of Heads of Ministries, and of Naval, Military, and Air Force Officers (B.R.20(2) 1958)'', Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, (1958).
* ''Flags of All Nations Change Five (BR20)'', Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, (1989), Revision (1999).
* W. Smith, ''Flags Through the Ages and Across the World'', McGraw-Hill Book Co., Ltd., Maidenhead, England, pp.&nbsp;361, (1975).
* J.W. Norie, and J.S. Hobbs, ''Three Hundred and Six Illustrations of the Maritime Flags of All Nations; Arranged Geographically, with Enlarged Standards: Together with Regulations and Instructions Relating to British Flags &c.'', Printed for, and Published by C. Wilson, At the Navigation Warehouse and Naval Academy, No. 157, Leadenhall Street, Near Cornhill,(Facsimile reprint of 1848 original), (1987).
* Ottfried Neubecker, ''Flaggenbuch (Flg.B.). Bearbeitet und herausgegeben vom Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine. Abgesclossen am 1. December 1939'', (Historical Facsimile edition containing all national and international flags 1939–1945), pp.&nbsp;193, (1992).
<references />

{{French overseas empire}}
{{FranceFlags}}
{{Lists of flags}}
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[[Category:Lists of flags of France|Colonial flags]]
[[Category:Former French colonies]]
[[Category:French colonial empire]]