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Sweden Flag: Meaning and History

Embroidered flag patch — Sweden

History of the flag

The flag's yellow and blue hues date back to the royal coat of arms of the 14th century.

The current flag was adopted in 1906 to replace the old one, which had a cross offset towards the flagpole.

What do the elements of the flag mean?

  • In 1844, Sweden abandoned its union with Norway, but retained the Nordic cross as a reminder of the Scandinavian nations' Christian heritage.

  • The deep, luminous Swedish blue represents the country's lakes and skies.

  • Yellow embodies fields and sunshine.

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