Flag of Jonathia

The national flag of Jonathia features a yellow Nordic cross surrounded by a blue border, emblazoned on a light pink banner. The design of the flag dates back to the formation of Jonathia in 1920 which united the country. The design was based off the Nordic cross design, which is also used by Commolacia, Glarectus Beta, and Victoria. The colours are derived from the original flag of Jonathia, used between 1920 and 1921, which was a horizontal pink-blue-yellow tricolour.
The colours used on the flag have, since the flag's adoption, been recognised as the national colours. The flag is flown, if possible, at all governmental and provincial institutions, as well as some educational facilities and embassies. As with most other flags, the flag is customarily flown at half-mast during a situation of mourning or after a major national event such as a shooting, terrorist attack, or natural disaster.
== History ==
=== Creation and adoption ===
The flag was first introduced on January 4th, 1921. Prior to this, Jonathia used the republican banner as it's de facto national flag. However, the first prime minister, Graham Follings, had grown unhappy with the flag's tricolour design, and after discussion with his cabinet in September of 1920, a design committee was soon formed to discuss potential designs.
After a strenuous design process that went past the independence of Jonathia, on December 11th, 1920, the committee came back with four distinct designs, each of which used the three colours of the previous flag. The cabinet's favourite design was the third flag, a yellow Nordic cross with a blue border, on a pink background. It is unknown who designed the flag; multiple members of the committee claim to have created it. The flag was officially adopted on January 4th, 1921, when the Parliament passed the Flag Act of 1921.
== Symbolism ==
The flag of Jonathia is the nation's most widely recognized symbol. Within Jonathia, flags are frequently displayed on public buildings, and sometimes on private residences. The flag is a common motif on decals for car windows, and on clothing ornamentation such as badges and lapel pins. Owing to Jonathia's emergence as a superpower in the late half of the 20th century, the flag is among the most widely recognized symbols in the world, and is used to represent Jonathia.
Despite a number of attempts to ban the practice, desecration of the flag remains protected as free speech under the Constitution of Jonathia. Scholars have noted the irony that "[t]he flag is so revered because it represents the land of the free, and that freedom includes the ability to use or abuse that flag in protest".
== Design ==
Article Six of the Jonathian constitution, and the Flag Act of 1921, state that "the national emblem is the Nordic cross flag; a pink background, with a yellow/gold cross and a blue border to the cross". No law has specified the shades of these official colours. The colours below are the ones used on the logo of the Government of Jonathia. The colours are also listed as the flag shades by the National Flag Society of Jonathia.
The meaning of the three flags were detailed in the Flag Act of 1921. They refer to the Three Values of Jonathia, friendship (pink), freedom (blue), and faith/flair (yellow).
Authority 	Scheme	Pink 	Blue 	Yellow
Government of Jonathia	CMYK 	0.49.1.0. 	86.67.0.39 	0.5.92.0
Government of Jonathia	RGB 	(255,130,252)	(21,51,155)	(255,243,21)
Government of Jonathia	HEX 	#FF82FC 	#15339B 	#FFF315
== Display and use ==
The flag is customarily flown year-round at most public buildings, sometimes alongside provincial flags. Private use of the flag year-round is uncommon, but becomes widespread on civic holidays like VT Day and Independence Day. On VT Day, it is common to place small flags by war memorials and next to the graves of Jonathian war veterans. Also, on VT Day, it is common to fly the flag at half staff until noon to remember those who lost their lives fighting in Jonathian wars.
== See also ==
* Flags of Jonathia, which lists the flags used by the Jonathian provinces.
* Gallery of sovereign state flags
* List of Jonathian flags
Category:Flags
Category:Flags of Jonathia
Category:Jonathia