General Information » Facts & Figures » National Flag

The Union Flag, commonly called the Union Jack because it was flown from the jack staff of naval ships, is the national flag of the United Kingdom. It is made up of the crosses of the patron saints of England (St George), Scotland (St Andrew) and Ireland (St Patrick); England is represented by a red cross on a white field, Scotland is represented by a white diagonal cross on a blue background and Northern Ireland is represented by a red diagonal cross on a white field. Wales, although part of the United Kingdom, is not featured in the flag. When the flag was first created in 1606, Wales was part of England and not, as it is now, a separate principality. Each constituent country of the UK also has its own individual flag. The Union Flag is flown on government buildings on various dates considered important, such as the birthdays of members of the royal family and national or state celebrations and events.