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| Use | Civil and state flag and ensign.   |
| Proportion | 4:5 (or 2:3) |
| Adopted | 4 April 1881 |
| Design | two equal horizontal bands of red and white |
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The national flag of Monaco has two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white. It is similar to the flag of Indonesia, which is longer, and to the flag of Poland in distress (upside down). Red and white have been the heraldic colors of the House of Grimaldi since 1339 at least, but the design of the flag has changed with time. The present bicolor design was adopted in 1881 under Prince Charles III. The bicolor design is common on other national flags, for example San Marino. It is often used as a background for heraldic livery. Red and white are the heraldic colors of the Grimaldi family.
Monaco's original flag, which was similar to its current State Flag but bore an older version of its coat of arms, was in use from the principality's early days (except during its annexation to France from 1793 to 1814) until the present, simpler design was adopted on April 4, 1881.
Another design (below), the banner of the state arms (lozenges in the Grimaldi family colors, in heraldic terms "lozengy argent and gules"), was used at various times, particularly in the 1600s, as an unofficial flag, and still appears in some royal photographs; however, it has no designated use, and does not represent any Monegasque official in particular.
Except for its proportions, the flag of Monaco is identical to the Flag of Indonesia.
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State flag
Monaco's state flag, which consists of the full achievement of the coat of arms on a white background, is flown at government offices, the Prince's palace, in the presence of government officials, and as an ensign on the Prince's yacht.
Princely standard
The princely standard, which consisted of the Crown of Monaco over two opposing letters A on a white background, was the personal flag of Prince Albert II, and was only used in his immediate presence, particularly on cars in which he traveled. It was often seen with a gold fringe on the top, bottom, and right, which is one-ninth the height of the white field.
Notes
- Sources disagree as to the flag's usage. According to Flags of the World it is
; according to the World Flag Database it is 
; and according to Whitney Smith's Flags Through the Ages and Across the World (1975), it is 
.
References
- Explanation of the use of Monaco's various flags
- World Flag Database Monaco's flags at the World Flag Database
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