Flag of New Zealand
The flag of New Zealand, also known as the New Zealand Ensign, is based on the British maritime Blue Ensign – a blue field with the Union Jack in the canton or upper hoist corner – augmented or defaced with four red stars centred within four white stars, representing the Southern Cross constellation.
| Use | National flag and state ensign |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 1:2 |
| Adopted | 24 March 1902 (In use since 1869) |
| Design | A Blue Ensign with a Union Jack in the first quarter and four five-pointed red stars with white borders on the fly representing the Southern Cross. |
| Designed by | Albert Hastings Markham |
| New Zealand Red Ensign | |
| Use | Civil ensign |
| Proportion | 1:2 |
| Adopted | Introduced in 1903. |
| Design | A Red Ensign with a Union Jack in the first quarter and four five-pointed white stars on the fly representing the Southern Cross. |
| New Zealand White Ensign | |
| Use | Naval ensign |
| Proportion | 1:2 |
| Adopted | Introduced in 1968. |
| Design | A defaced British White Ensign with four five-pointed red stars representing the Southern Cross. |
| Royal New Zealand Air Force Ensign | |
| Use | Air force ensign |
| Proportion | 1:2 |
| Adopted | Introduced in 1939. |
| Design | A modified form of the RAF Ensign with the letters "NZ" superimposed in white over the central red disc. |
New Zealand's first internationally accepted national flag, the flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand, was adopted in 1834, six years before New Zealand's separation from New South Wales and creation as a separate colony following the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. Chosen by an assembly of Māori chiefs at Waitangi in 1834, the flag was of a St George's Cross with another cross in the canton containing four stars on a blue field. After the formation of the colony in 1840, British ensigns began to be used. The current flag was designed and adopted for use on the colony's ships in 1869, was quickly adopted as New Zealand's national flag, and given statutory recognition in 1902.
For several decades there has been debate about changing the flag. In 2016, a two-stage binding referendum on a flag change took place with voting on the second final stage closing on 24 March. In this referendum, the country voted to keep the existing flag by 57% to 43%.