List of Papua New Guinean flags

This is a list of flags used in Papua New Guinea.

National flag

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1971–present	Flag of Papua New Guinea	Divided diagonally from the upper hoist-side corner to the lower fly-side corner: the upper triangle is red with a silhouette of the soaring Raggiana bird-of-paradise in yellow and the lower triangle is black with the Crux of four white larger five-pointed stars and a smaller star. Red and black have long been the colours of Papua New Guinea, the Raggiana bird-of-paradise is the national bird of the country, and the Southern Cross represents its position in the Southern Hemisphere.^[1]^[2]^[3] The original 1970 proposal by Hal Holman had a mainly negative reception, due to its appearance as that of a "mechanically contrived outcome", thus the alternative proposal attributed to Susan Karike was chosen instead.^[4]

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1975–present	Standard of the governor-general of Papua New Guinea	A dark blue field featuring a St. Edward's crown surmounted by a lion with the name "Papua New Guinea" on a scroll beneath it

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1975–present	Naval ensign of Papua New Guinea	A White Ensign with the flag of Papua New Guinea in the canton

Flag	Date	Use	Description
		Flag of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville
		Flag of Central Province
		Flag of Chimbu
		Flag of Eastern Highlands	This flag depicts a spirit called Nokondi, which has caused some controversy from Christians who feel it is inappropriate.^[5]
		Flag of East New Britain
		Flag of East Sepik
		Flag of Enga
		Flag of Gulf Province
		Flag of Hela
		Flag of Jiwaka
		Flag of Madang
		Flag of Manus
		Flag of Milne Bay
		Flag of Morobe
		Flag of the National Capital District
		Flag of New Ireland
		Flag of Oro
		Flag of Southern Highlands
		Flag of Western Province
		Flag of Western Highlands
		Flag of West New Britain
		Flag of Sandaun

Date	Use	Description
1884–1971	Flag of the United Kingdom	A superimposition of the flags of England and Scotland with the Saint Patrick's Saltire (representing Ireland)
1884–1899	Flag of the German New Guinea Company	A white field with the German tricolour on the canton and defaced with a black lion with a red sword
1899–1918	Flag of the German Empire	A tricolour, made of three equal horizontal bands coloured black (top), white, and red (bottom)
1899–1918	Colonial flag of the German Empire	A tricolour, made of three equal horizontal bands coloured black (top), white, and red (bottom) with The Reichsadler in the center
1918–1921	Flag of the Weimar Republic	A triband made of three equal horizontal bands coloured black (top), red, and gold (bottom).
1906–1971	Australian National Flag	A Blue Ensign defaced with the seven-point Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist quarter and the five stars of the Southern Cross in the fly half
1942–1944	Flag of the Empire of Japan	A white field with a red disc in the center

Date	Use	Description
1884–1888	Flag of British New Guinea	A blue British ensign with a white disc in the fly featuring the Tudor Crown over the initials "N.G."
1888–1906	Flag of British New Guinea	A blue British ensign with a white disc in the fly featuring the Tudor Crown over the initials "B.N.G."
1921–1971	Flag of the Territory of New Guinea	A blue British ensign with a white disc in the fly featuring the Tudor Crown over the letters "T.N.G."
1906–1971	Flag of the Territory of Papua	A blue British ensign with a white disc in the fly featuring the Tudor Crown over the name "Papua"

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1906–1945	Flag of the lieutenant-governor of Papua	A Union Jack defaced with a white disc in the centre featuring the name "Papua" surmounted by a crown

Flag	Date	Use	Description
	1965–1970	Specific flag for sporting events	Flag flown for the territory at international sporting events. A red and yellow Raggiana bird-of-paradise on a green field.

Date	Use	Description
Between 1884 and 1914	Proposed flags of German New Guinea	First design incorporating the horizontal black-white-red tricolour of the German Empire
Between 1884 and 1914	Proposed flags of German New Guinea	Another design incorporating the horizontal black-white-red tricolour of the German Empire
Between 1884 and 1914	Proposed flags of German New Guinea	Another design incorporating the horizontal black-white-red tricolour of the German Empire
1970–1971	Proposed flag of Papua and New Guinea	A vertical tricolour of blue, gold and green, with a white Southern Cross in the hoist and a white Raggiana bird-of-paradise. Designed by Hal Holman.